Changing Things to Promote Better Employee Productivity

Even if the COVID-19 pandemic comes to an end, going back to the usual would no longer be possible. Yes, we may be able to resume regular activities such as going to work, strolling in malls, traveling to other countries, and so on. But it won’t exactly be the same as before, especially when it comes to office setups.

Of course, gone are the days when one can walk into meeting rooms filled with many individuals because social distancing is already a practice that we have adapted to. So if you happen to be a business owner, what certain changes can you make along the way?

Safety Measures Should Be Second Nature

Nowadays, it’s a must for entrepreneurs to take preventive steps that would further ensure the health and safety of their employees at all times. Of course, once a worker of yours gets sick, monitoring software for employees there’s a chance that most, if not everyone, of them would follow suit. This is why you need to be stricter in terms of regular sanitation within the establishment.

For instance, you can hire more cleaners and assign them to a specific area. In that way, there’s always someone who would wipe high touch surfaces, such as door handles, elevator buttons, light switches, faucets, and so on.

Provide a Flexible Work Schedule

Since many of us are already familiar with how a remote work setup takes place, you may also give your employees the option to adopt a flexible schedule. For example, you can assign certain departments to report to the office during Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, while the rest can come in during Tuesdays and Thursdays. In a way, having this balance may even help relieve them of the stress that they encounter daily, which may further increase their overall productivity in the long run.

Reinvent the Workplace for Increased Productivity

But apart from that, owners would still need to invest in the appearance and efficiency of the physical workplace as well. For instance, you can improve the lighting since this has a big impact on one’s ability to concentrate. Of course, if an area is dimly lit, there’s a possibility that one would experience headaches and eye strain as the days pass.

To lessen the chances of physical interaction, you can also switch to office desks that have bigger storage space so that the things they need would be within reach at all times. This may be of great help, especially for those who handle the reception area because they usually have more files to keep. But of course, you should be mindful of its appearance since this is one of the first things visitors would see. So, take the time to go over your options, whether you want one that’s made from wood, stainless steel, etc.

Even if we don’t notice it that much, the temperature influences the output. Usually, when a place is too hot, we get easily irritated, and our body starts to lose water, which eventually hinders us from performing at our best. The same goes for when a room is too cold because you may begin to experience thermal discomfort and develop flu-like symptoms.

This is why many companies are now investing in an HVAC system. Not only would this help with your heating and cooling needs, but it may be able to provide better ventilation as well, which can prevent viruses from circulating within a certain area.

Colors wouldn’t only affect your consumers but also your employees. So, if you plan to incorporate new ones within the establishment, you may want to consider their meanings beforehand. For instance, blue may help keep a person calm and focused. So you can maybe use this color for their personal workstations. If you want to revamp the meeting rooms, then yellow can be a great option since it can stimulate creativity and optimism.

Getting Back on Track

Instead of dwelling on the negative effects of the pandemic, business owners should learn how to adjust to the situation accordingly, especially since we now know that returning to normal is no longer ideal. And one way of doing that is by consistently applying safety measures into your everyday operations to help ensure the well-being of employees.

But along with that, it would be wise that you give them the option to adopt an alternate work arrangement as well so that they’d have more time to unwind and regain their energy. And on days when they would report to the office, you should see that you also make the necessary adjustments for increased productivity. Whether by improving the lighting, providing more storage and better ventilation, and even incorporating different colors, doing all these may eventually help your business get back on track.