Unless you run your own business or inherited a million-dollar fortune, you’ll probably spend most of your adult years building a career at an office. It’s a fact.
Over the average lifespan, a person will spend about 10.3 years in the office–that’s excluding sleep and lunch! Don’t let this upset you. While motivational speakers and “wealth coaches” tend to paint the office as a grim place where dreams go to die, it can actually be a great place to live out a fulfilling career. It really depends on what kind of office you’re in.
Also read: Should You Consider Standing Desks? Benefits and Options for Healthier Employees
Offices that are vibrant and challenging produce happier employees who (no surprise here) are 12% more productive and perform 20% better. Furthermore, happy employees are far less likely to develop illnesses and stress-related problems.
Need ways to improve your office? Visit JJ Bender for office automation solutions and check out our list below.
1. Office Interruptions
The Problem: Office interruptions cost the US economy nearly $1 trillion each year. They can cost companies up to 60% of total employee hours. Talk about a major time-waster!
The Solution: Devote a portion of your day to focused work. Eliminate all distractions such as social media updates, emails, videogames, and even favors from your coworkers and bosses so that you can focus on your most important tasks. Still being bothered? Hang a Do-Not-Disturb sign by your cubicle or door.
2. Poor Lighting And Ventilation
The Problem: Poor office lighting and ventilation has been linked to depression, eyestrain, headaches, and several other chronic problems.These ultimately affect employee creativity and productivity.
In a study by Cornell, employees made 44% more mistakes when office temperatures were below optimal levels. Moreover, offices with bad lighting experienced a 15% drop in creativity and a 6.5% higher likelihood of getting sick.
Also read: 12 Desk Hacks To Make Your Employees More Productive
The Solution: Let in as much natural light and keep office temperature around 77℉. Good lighting and ventilation can improve job satisfaction by over 24%, increase employee productivity by 16%, and lessen absenteeism. Improving the lighting and ventilation of your workplace extends far beyond the four corners of the office.
Employees who work in well-ventilated and well-lit offices report better health and energy levels.
3. Outdated Office Equipment
The Problem: Offices that fail to capitalize on technology and modern equipment are a breeding ground for workplace bottlenecks and all sorts of inefficiencies. This disrupts the flow of information and ideas and stifles productivity.
The Solution: Update your office with automation software and modern equipment. Workflow management apps like Trello and Confluence streamline your workflows and keep your whole team in the loop.
Also read: How Does Old Technology Impact Staff Morale?
Looking to modernize your office without breaking bank? Check out JJ Bender for wifi and bluetooth enabled used printers.
4. Excessive Meetings
The Problem: Today’s offices hold way too many meetings. Practically everyone who works has experienced an unnecessary meeting in some shape or form.
Studies show that unnecessary meetings cost the US economy an estimated $37 billion every year. This results in lost productivity, missed opportunities, and unproductive man-hours.
The Solution: Stave off meetings unless absolutely necessary. Also, set a timeline, agenda, and flow for every meeting so that your time is used more efficiently.
Curbing office mistakes is a great way to move forward. By understanding the things that hamper your work, you can regain momentum going into the future.
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