5 Office Design Mistakes that Affect Productivity and How to Fix Them

When it comes to designing an office, there are endless ideas and options available. Gone are the days of employees being willing to endure workplaces that are seas of simple cubicles. The evolution of design when it comes to business interiors near me has led people to bring smarter innovation to their office designs.

Modern and chic office space not only makes a good impression on clients, visitors, and investors but also helps ensure the comfort and productivity of the people working there.

According to a study made by Barry P. Haynes, of Sheffield Hallam University, no company can meet its potential when its staff is inefficient. And one of the leading factors for efficiency is the environment of a workspace, which directly correlates with the productivity of employees.

With so many office furniture options available, one can easily get overwhelmed and choose an inefficient office design. To help you avoid the headaches and backaches that can result from inefficient office interiors, we’ve put together this quick guide to the five office design mistakes that affect productivity.

Whether you are designing an office interior for the first time or renovating an old workspace, functionality must always be considered before aesthetics. If functionality is ignored, you run the risk of decreasing your staff's productivity.

Here is a list of the biggest design mistakes that affect productivity and how you can fix them.

Design Blunder #1: Poor Lighting

Few people realize just how much lighting can impact productivity in the space. It can entirely change the mood of workers and elevate or diminish the atmosphere in a room. Yet, many people ignore this important aspect of designing an office.

Often, the lighting is too bright or harsh, causing headaches and irritating the people occupying the space. Similarly, lighting that is too dim can strain the eyes and cause mental health problems such as depression.

Design Fix:

Go for mixed lighting types. Warm lights are great for relaxing and making the space calm, peaceful, and cozy. Cool lights are ideal for productivity. Avoid lighting that is too direct or harsh, and try to diffuse it to illuminate the workspace more evenly. Incorporate as much natural light as possible because it will reduce the occurrence of eye strain and improve the mood of employees.

Design Blunder #2: Improper Office Layout

Deciding a proper layout for your office interior can be hard. Many workspaces have tried to incorporate the open office model, but it can lead to low productivity levels as people can become distracted too easily. Too much noise can also make employees frustrated and grumpy.

Moreover, when employees sit close, it can be hard to focus because many people are tempted to talk about non-work-related topics. Conversely, tiny and closed-in cubicles can make people feel suffocated, isolated, and depressed.

Design Fix:

Selecting the most appropriate layout for your office interior comes down to striking a balance of privacy and collaboration. The best thing you can do is avoid making employees sit in suffocating small cubicles while at the same time keeping the office space from being too open.

Try providing separate spaces for interactive discussions mixed in with distraction-free spaces for individuals who need to concentrate without being disturbed.

Design Blunder #3: Ignoring Function for Design

Many people underestimate the impact of an office design on the productivity of employees and end up compromising function for design. Employees can have difficulty getting motivated for work if the designs are too intimidating or distracting. It can also be a hindrance to efficient workflows, leading to the inefficiency of the entire staff.

Design Fix:

Always prioritize the functionality of office space over aesthetics. How a workspace affects the productivity of people should always come before its decorative appeal. Focus on the flow of work movement first. Make sure it is designed in a way that employees do not feel too isolated or distracted while providing plenty of natural light, all while ensuring fewer physical barriers to getting things done.

Design Blunder #4: Bold Color Schemes

Colors have a profound effect on our moods and productivity. One of the biggest design mistakes that businesses make is not choosing appropriate colors for their offices.

That’s why selecting the color scheme is one of the most important parts of designing a space. Colors that are too bold can decrease productivity by negatively affecting moods, causing irritation, or being too distracting.

Design Fix:

Taking color psychology into consideration, you can design your office in a way that will positively impact the mood of your employees and hence result in higher efficiency. Pick colors that promote a calm working environment.

Try to choose a balanced color scheme that is neither too bold nor too dull. Find colors that keep the space relaxed while also being bright enough to ensure prime productivity.

Design Blunder #5: Cramped Space

A cramped space brings chaos into the working environment. It is easy to get distracted when employees are sitting close to each other, making it far too difficult to concentrate.

When the workforce is frustrated or can’t focus on the task at hand, their productivity will decline significantly.

Design Fix:

When designing an office, provide each person plenty of room so they aren’t constantly in each other's face. Even small office spaces can be maximized with a little bit of creativity and innovative office furniture designs.

Just be sure your employees have enough space to move around. This means keeping the space organized and providing storage to minimize the clutter.

Employees spend a large chunk of their day at the office, so it’s vital they feel comfortable and happy. If the workspace is uncomfortable, it can lead to stress, fatigue, headaches, neck pain, and body aches, potentially leading to employees being absent from work more frequently.

To avoid these issues altogether, avoid buying cheap furniture in bulk that doesn’t provide your people with the support they need. Instead, give them high-quality furniture that makes them comfortable at work all day long, ensuring their well-being and efficiency.

When you’re ready to invest in modern office furniture or office workstations near me that boosts productivity, visit one of our showrooms in Irvine, San Diego, or Riverside, California. We take pride in helping you find chic and modern office furniture that’s perfect for your business.

Book your showroom visit, by sending us an email at marketing@gmbi.net or contacting us at 800-686-6583 at G|M Business Interiors online today!