Office Hacks That Can Make Your Workforce More Productive

By EllieH on September 7, 2016 - Fact checked by Dumb Little Man

by EllieH September 7, 2016

For someone who invests money in his business, you want to make sure your office and employees stay at the top of their game. Unfortunately, however, that’s not always the case. There are late reports, typing errors and tons of backlogs that can negatively impact your investment.

If you’re looking for ways to eliminate these issues and increase the productivity of your team, here are a few office hacks you can check out.

Table of Contents

The Power of Plants
Optimum Temperature
Let There Be Light
Hydration

The Power of Plants

Aside from increasing productivity, having plants in the office can also help reduce stress. Since they purify the air, they’re a great help in decreasing sickness and absences, too.

Studies have revealed that the presence of plants in the office can boost its workers’ productivity by as much as 10% to 15%. Experts suggest that these benefits are mainly due to the plants’ ability to reduce carbon dioxide levels in the air. When the carbon dioxide level in your office is low, workers can experience an improvement in their concentration.

Optimum Temperature

The temperature in your office can also affect your employees’ productivity. Take, for example, the study carried out by Cornell University.

In the study, researchers tested the idea by increasing the temperature in an office from 20 degrees Celsius to 25 degrees Celsius. After the dramatic change in temperature, the employees in the said office reported a decrease in their typing errors by 44%. Their overall typing productivity, on the other hand, was increased by 150%.

If you are planning on using this hack, you need to set aside a good budget for it since increasing the temperature in your office can affect your heating bill. Although it may require additional expenses, you can expect a faster return on investment with your employees working better and faster.

In case you are wondering what temperature you should use for your office, The Indoor Environment Group of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory suggests that 21.5 degrees Celsius is the most optimum.

Let There Be Light

Exposure to natural light has been linked to increased levels of serotonin. It’s the hormone responsible for mood, productivity and even sleep. The more you get exposed to natural light means the happier and more productive you can be.

Russell Foster, a neuroscientist at Oxford University, has said that the average office lighting only produces around 300 lux, which is the measure of brightness. For full alertness, however, we need to be exposed to around 1000 lux.

To reach this brightness in your office, you don’t necessarily have to invest in tons of light bulbs. Just opening up your windows and drawing the blinds up can give your employees their daily dose of productivity light.

Hydration

In the US, over 500,000 people get hospitalized because of dehydration. Aside from causing health issues, it’s also one of the most common reasons why employees feel less productive at work.

Dehydration can decrease productivity by slowing down your body functions. When there’s not enough water in your body, your system is forced to enter a conservation mode. This is to prevent further water loss. As a result, you feel sluggish and even sleepy at times.

The solution?

Get water coolers and make sure there are enough of them for all your employees. Aside from water, you can also offer delicious refreshments, such as fruit-infused drinks.