Productivity in the workplace is essential because there is a need to produce results and meet the company’s profit-making objective. Productivity doesn’t just happen; an environment for productivity needs to be created by the management so the employees can have a productive workspace.

How to make a workspace productive

The following steps are necessary to adopt in order to build a productive workspace.

1. Establish a strong culture

Give your staff an orientation concerning your company culture that is, what is and is not acceptable in the workplace.

2. Define your mission, and let your employees know why the company exists, down to its aim. You can have the mission and vision of the firm placed in strategic places visible to staff.

3. Set behavioural expectations

Ensure employees know what the expected behaviours are. This will help them behave moderately in the workspace and save the organization time and stress.

4. Set break time

The break time is important for employees to refresh, take a short nap, eat, or take a walk, and the time should be clearly stated. Doing this, significantly when a new staff member has just arrived, will help that staff channel their energy into doing the right things and working by the company’s standards.

5. Let the rules that govern the workspace be handy

The rules are also part of the workplace culture, and this will help staff know the boundaries and stay within them.

6. Check your office layout

The workspace arrangement goes a long way to affect the employees’ productivity. Ensure as an employer, the workspace is conducive.

7. Check for comfort

Workers should have a comfortable work environment where they do not have to worry about going to work because the chair gives them pain or their space is too tight and gives aches to their legs. There should be comfortable furniture in the workspace.

8. Check for distractions

One of the major distractions that reduces productivity in the workspace is noise. The workspace should be in a serene and calm environment where one can work without aching due to the noise from the neighbourhood. Putting up a workspace close to a bar, club, processing company, or even the market is unhealthy for your staff and might hinder productivity.

9. Make it spacious

The workspace should be a spacious environment with easy and free movement. When your staff has to worry about standing up, using the toilet, or even going to see the boss because of the many excuses they’d say and the road bumps within the office, this makes them lose the enthusiasm to come to work, which might hinder productivity. 

10. Create opportunity for movement

Include break times into the work hours so employees can stretch and take a walk; this refreshes them and gives them the morale to carry out the activities for the rest of the day. Sitting all through the work hours might create stress, which is optional for productivity.

11. Personalized office space

You should allow your employees to personalize their office space; this makes them more relaxed and comfortable to give their best effort. 

12. Make room for some greenery

Greenery makes the office space alive, beautiful, and fresh. It also aids respiration as fresh air will be breathed into the workspace.

13. Keep refreshments handy

There should be snacks and beverages around or within the work environment so employees can easily lay hold of them. A dispenser can also be put in place to ensure easy access to water.

14. Keep frequently used items within reach

Items frequently used in the workplace should be handy. Items like stationery should be kept where they can be easily reached. A stationary basket should be held at various office corners for easy access.

15. Gadget declutter

A place should be set aside where gadgets like phones can be kept if a workspace does not need phones to get work done. Phones can be set aside during breaks or closing times to help employees give their full attention to the work, as phones are major distractions in the workplace.

16. Give commission and awards

Giving a commission for extra work done and an award for excellence goes a long way to make your staff feel appreciated and have increased enthusiasm to do more to ensure goals are met.

17. Set deadlines

Deadlines should be set on every task to enable the staff to stay on their toes to get work done to avoid backlogs and customer issues.

18. Delegate

Another way to ensure productivity in the workplace is through delegation. One person cannot and should not do everything. Manageable tasks and tasks can be given to younger colleagues, and room for questions should be made if need be so the younger colleague can do the work excellently.

19. Departmentalization

Various departments should be responsible for different aspects of the firm. This allows for accountability and clarity in the workspace as confusion will be avoided as everyone knows what they are responsible for.

Conclusion

A productive workspace contributes to the many things we do daily and the little things being considered; these add up to creating a productive work environment.