Unhappy vs. happy: these emotions, along with many others, are affected by the space around us. The interior/exterior design of a space is the single most important thing that can influence our mood. It can make a person feel calm, trusting, and engaged, or tense and distracted. For this week’s post, we’ll focus on a professional environment and how spaces let employees achieve professional success.
According to the Russell and Snodgrass theory (see chart below), only two things matter when designing a space: pleasurableness and energy level.
When individuals are in a pleasant, energizing space, they are more likely to exhibit a positive mood. As an employer, you may not be curious why your employee’s mood matters, as long as they get the work done. However, for a company to be innovative and creative, its employees need to feel positive. Positive moods affect decision making, getting along with others, social responsibility, and career fulfillment.
While people would like to live in their preferred conditions, as employees in larger company ecosystems, that is not always an option. Knowing the effects of a positive mood can allow an employer to justify investments in office layouts, with the intention of designing based on features that are generally preferred and that enhance mood.
What Features Can Enhance Your Office Furniture Design?
- Natural Light – A 2014 study found that people who had windows in their office exercised more, got more sleep, and had a greater sense of overall well-being than those who worked in offices without windows.
- Images of Nature – If you are a small-scale company and are unable to alter the physical space you currently reside in, you can achieve the above effect by placing images of nature, potted plants, and natural lighting throughout the space.
- Workplace Flexibility – Moving around with a laptop or tablet allows employees to adapt their work environment to the tasks and environmental needs of each assignment. If an employee has a private phone call, they will not want to take that from their low-walled station; they would be more comfortable moving to a conference room, where they can close the door.
- Wellness in the Workplace – Employees want to feel that their employer cares about their well-being. Sit-stand desks, walking meetings, and water challenges are all great examples of wellness events that will bring employees’ moods up in the office.
Is an Office Furniture Redesign in Your Future?
If you still haven’t been convinced that a redesign is justifiable, I will leave you with this statistic: The Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment and the British Council for Offices found, “with differences in productivity as high as 25% reported between comfortable and uncomfortable staff.”
If you would like to discuss a workplace redesign to enhance your team’s productivity and creativity, contact OstermanCron. From helping you select the perfect products—office tables, office chairs, and sectional seating options from our many manufacturer partners—to creating a comfortable layout in your current space, we’re here to help!
