International. All companies want to have more productive and efficient employees, so offering them an adequate space for the development of their work, which allows workers to feel comfortable during long working hours is the minimum that all companies should do.
However, according to a study by furniture manufacturer Steelcase, just over half of employees say their workspace allows them to feel relaxed and comfortable.
Similarly, half of the workers surveyed said they did not have adequate spaces to concentrate on their work. Given the above scenario, Steelcase made several recommendations to help increase the well-being of employees, and thus their productivity.
For starters, they say employers should provide workers with as much natural light as possible and views to the outside. According to the study, employees with more natural light in their offices concentrated for up to 15% more time on their tasks.
Workers should also be able to adopt different positions. Changing posture, or even workspace, increases energy levels and stimulates mentally, according to the study.
Finally, the availability of a quiet space within the office increases the level of well-being and reduces the distracting factors that can occur in open-plan offices.
Bostjan Ljubic, Steelcase's vice president for the UK, said: "Our study shows that having a quiet space where workers can escape the noise of the office environment is a simple but effective way to help maintain high energy levels at work, especially after the holiday period.
