January, and indeed, the first few months of the year are always hard. Chances are your employees are only just beginning to get back into the swing of things – outwardly. They’ve remembered all their passwords and their diary is now full and organised after a week’s worth of blindly fumbling through the workday.

However, they’re probably still sluggish, a little upset that they’re not still at home in their PJs stuffing Quality Street. There’s nothing much to look forward to in January and absences are likely to be pretty high with colds spreading like wild fire around the office – oh,  and probably everyone is unashamedly suffering from a little bit of SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) now that Christmas is gone and it’s freezing!

So, productivity and creativity definitely need a very big boost…but how?

The good news is, you don’t need to become a master of psychology and you don’t need to plan any team building days – people are still struggling to get out of bed – be gentle!

The set up of your office and the equipment and furniture available is one of the easiest ways to help boost productivity and get those creative brains back into gear. Communication can also be greatly improved with the correct office layout and communication means more ideas and better morale!

Here’s a couple of facts for you:

– Comfortable, well-lit and well-ventilated offices see an increase of up to 16% in productivity, 24% in job satisfaction and a notable decrease in absenteeism

– The average person wastes 4.3 hours per week searching for papers and documents, causing stress and confusion and heavily impacting productivity

– Ergonomic chairs, such as the patented, chiropractor approved, Chiro Plus Ultimate, help to  decrease back, neck, shoulder and pelvic pain and help to prevent musculoskeletal disorders which are a leading cause of lost work days in the UK. The correct chair boosts productivity by increasing oxygen flow to the brain, improving circulation and alleviating distracting aches and pains

Aside from these points, the layout of your office should also be considered. Is every department in the right place? Does everyone have access to the things they need, i.e the right files to hand?

The lighting of the office or workspace is incredibly important but it also seems a daunting and expensive component to change if it is not right. Natural light is best, with the addition of task lighting, i.e lamps, for reading and note taking making it even better. Overhead lighting is the most popular choice but it is also the worst form of lighting, contributing to headaches, eyestrain and fatigue. However, changing the lighting doesn’t need to be as scary as you think and there are plenty of options to improve this area of your office without complete upheaval.

The culture of your company can easily be improved by generally brightening up the area or providing an area for breaks that properly allow for a brain recharge! Relax, you don’t have to get all Google about it and put slides and ball pits into the mix. Rest and play areas are easily created and have a massively positive impact on morale.

These breakout areas can strengthen working relationships and allow employees to feel refreshed and productive. These areas are also great for particularly corporate offices that have many important visitors or wish to portray a strictly professional demeanor. Hide them away in “staff only” sections of your office and even utilise the space to remind people of company values through adding aesthetic signs, quotes and images to walls.

So, if you feel your office needs a little pick me up, or you think that the benefit of happy, productive and creative staff is invaluable then give Wave Office a call. With years of experience in refurbishing offices, designing and planning space, as well as providing furniture that is specifically tailored to the needs of your workplace, we’re confident that we can get your office out of the January Blues and into a prosperous 2015!