October 4 2011: Improve Your Office Day

A survey carried out by Staples.com, to prepare for “Improve Your Office Day” has discovered that it is the office furniture and technology that we use that are the biggest faults in the office. More than half the employees that were surveyed said that their office furniture (52%) graded it a “C” or lower, whereas (41%) gave the office technology a “C” or lower.

Contrary to the stereotype and to popular belief, 47% of employees gave their boss a grade “A” with 78% giving their boss a combined “A” or “B”.

Something that is worth noting for employers is that 57% of employees have to buy their own snacks and drinks at work with half of employees saying that they leave for a coffee run at least once a day, with some even leaving the office up to five times a day.

There are some things that you as a boss can do to help the staff that you employ. Looking at the recent survey, it seems that by having a stocked kitchen will help on a few levels. Firstly it will cut down on the amount of trips outside the office as well as keeping your staff fuelled for the whole day. Doing this will increase productivity and boost morale

Take a look at the technology that you have and ask yourself the question “does this piece of equipment obstruct the productivity in the office?” Technology has advanced so much that computers that are just a few years old can slow down your businesses productivity so it is worth having a look at investing in upgrades.

When looking at office furniture, you don’t have to change everything. If your staff are using old desk chairs or worn swivel chairs then think about replacing them. Ergonomic chairs and executive chairs are a lot cheaper than they used to be and you will be surprised with the deals that are out there. It is the same with office desks, by replacing some of the furniture it can really brighten up your office and make the environment more pleasurable.

Employee privacy has also become a concern in most offices. The reason for this is the increase in popularity for open plan offices. By purchasing office screens whether they be freestanding screens or desktop screens, you can divide you room up and create a more private place for staff to work, for an affordable price.

As outlined by the title, today is “improve Your Office Day” and by taking these tips into consideration, I am sure you can increase your staff productivity, which will save you money in the long run, even in the economic climate.