People are one of the most important assets of a company. Having a good team can provide that extra level of service to customers which can set one company apart from the others in the market. A good work atmosphere can also prove to be vital when developing or innovating a new product. It is important, therefore, to ensure your team is happy and engaged. Providing a good workspace is proving to be one of the key reasons for a good employee experience and has to be taken into consideration when remodeling or acquiring a new commercial building for your business.
When the increased use of computers and internet made it possible for people to work remotely, it was often predicted that office spaces would soon become obsolete. It is true, office spaces in the old sense of the word, meaning rows and rows of cubicles, are disappearing, however new commercial office designs are on the increase. The main feature of those – and the one that is seen in all progressive office designs – is the use of separated areas designated for different types of work: there are open spaces which enable collaboration on common projects, areas with private spaces for individual work, as well as common areas for socializing. Modular structure of new office spaces can be easily readjusted to the current need or project, giving the space flexibility and adoptability to the needs of the company’s workflow. This new concept of a workplace has been proven to be so successful that it is not uncommon to encounter a commercial building for sale with high quality solutions for different work spaces and accommodating different work styles.
Studies show that people are more satisfied when they have more control over their lives. This is also true for workers: those who can exercise some control over their work hours as well as their work space are reportedly happier and more satisfied with their work. Sometimes a small thing, like a casual-dress Friday, when employees can work in more casual clothes of their choice, provides a more relaxed atmosphere and boosts their productivity.
Delegating responsibilities has also positive results: the more responsible employees are for their specific tasks and the more control they have over the procedure of how to achieve the set goal, the more engaged and productive they are. Taking this into consideration, successful companies leverage this fact and actively support and educate their team members in order to boost promoting from within. A clear promotion path is a great motivating factor which ensures loyalty to the company and its values.
Company culture is not just a mission statement which is posted on a company’s website. A true company culture is a living thing: it is based on a company’s core values which provide guidelines for all those situations when there are not established protocols and when employees have to make a decision on behalf of the company. Good values enable a culture of trust, clear overall goals and inspire loyalty. They are the soft power within a company and if taken seriously, as they should be, can constitute the binding force in bigger work teams.
Company culture should be mirrored in the design of its work space as well. For example, a marketing company should enable its workers to meet in common spaces where they can creatively work on their projects, while a software company should strive to achieve space that can be quieter and adopted to more focused and individual work.
Happy people are usually less stressed and can focus their energy into more productive activities than worrying. When people trust the company and have a feeling that they belong to its tribe, they usually relax and are more engaged even in more stressful times. Loyalty to the product and company can be enhanced not only with occasional perks and bonuses; it can be boosted with small considerate gestures throughout the year. Sometimes a simple ‘thank you’ or a surprise fun announcement will have more positive consequences than a lengthy speech at the end of the year. They will demonstrate that the small victories and good performance was noticed and appreciated. They maintain focus on the positive achievements and motivate others to reach similar results.
People are more productive when they are relaxed and happy. To ensure a high level of comfort, managers should consider providing their team with a comfortable work space that would support a variety of work processes. Different commercial buildings for sale already accommodate modular solutions that provide the needed flexibility of the work space. A pleasant work space as well as supporting company culture that promotes clear values and focuses on the positive can prove to be that winning combination that will keep the employees satisfied and highly engaged at work.