6 Proven Ways To Enhance Productivity In Your Open Office
From startups to big-name companies, businesses from every sector are switching from enclosed offices to open workspaces. This is mainly because many companies have suggested that arrangement is ideal for improving collaboration and increasing work awareness to be more productive. What other ways can you remove issues of work interruptions to increase productivity in your open office? Consider these six proven tips.
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Discuss working style
Everyone has unique working styles. Where one employee may be able to multitask and isn’t distracted from people in their space at the office, another cannot do the same. This usually causes issues of slow work and stress. To avoid such issues, it is important to identify the general working style of employees. Once this is done, you can implement various measures to aid employees in working under their preferred style. Knowing employees’ working styles can help strengthen team connections and increase productivity.
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Create a routine and stick to it
It is vital to establish a work routine to maximize your time in the office, so keep this in mind. A routine is undoubtedly essential as it helps you manage your time. Set established project work times and office hours to spend behind your desk while making room for periods for collaboration. You should encourage employees to practice time management to boost their productivity levels. However, be sure to find innovative ways of switching up the routine to prevent your workers from being lazy or tired.
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Invest in some good headphones
Another way to improve productivity in an open work environment is to invest in noise-canceling headphones. It may seem a bit odd, but this is what would make a difference for many workers! Music, for many, encourages focus. In addition, wearing headphones often indicates that you’re not available for any interruption. You may want to make a few of them available for workers or encourage them to invest in such headphones. However, be sure to manage this concept properly to prevent employees from using what would have otherwise been a great boost to productivity to decrease it instead.
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Consider thermal comfort
For a productive open workspace, you want to make it easier to zone the HVAC. Experts suggest planning how you intend to use the space and the number of people you will accommodate. Accounting for thermal comfort means being clever with the zoning and putting together similar duties and tasks and the density of people in a work zone. Imagine a huddle room just outside the door in an open office area. The temperature will rise as soon as people enter the huddle room and shut the door. When you turn on the wall display, the temperature rises even more. It can be useful to be aware of the intended functions of each of the various spaces.
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Set boundaries
Setting limits is the most crucial in open offices. Encouraging a work culture where employees must set and respect boundaries is essential for your company’s productivity. For example, it is an effective method to encourage workers to set boundaries by putting up “Do Not Disturb” signs on their desks or door or asking someone to come back later while they work. This ensures that time is not wasted and various tasks are carried out properly without distractions. Although it may be difficult to turn down someone who has come to you for help, allowing others to decide how you spend your time is the biggest hindrance to workflow.
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Make room for privacy
Naturally, open offices don’t give employees adequate privacy. Every team member requires a private space to complete professional and personal responsibilities. Several co-working spaces include private phone booths and meeting rooms to satisfy this need. If you don’t have access to a co-working space, make sure your open office space provides at least one room or dedicated location for your employees to use for private calls. This is a non-negotiable for your executive and human resources teams. Another approach to avoid eavesdropping and lessen distraction is to wear headphones at your desk.
Besides the benefit of productivity, creating an open workspace offers other advantages. Such spaces also serve as multi-purpose functions such as hosting corporate functions, networking, collaborative programs, and hosting social events such as end-of-year events. You should consider hiring a photo booth to make the event special for such events. It would be best if you considered creating an open workplace plan at your company to benefit you and your employees.