Productivity is key to any business. If the workers are not productive, the business will eventually fail. It is a simple fact, but nonetheless, a very true one. There are many ways that you can increase productivity that are simple and cost effective. Reducing the amount of stress that an employee feels at work, especially the subconscious stress, can increase happiness which will ultimately increase productivity.

What is subconscious stress, and how does it affect the workplace?

This type of stress is caused by the environment in which the work is performed. If the office space is cluttered, hard to navigate and dimly lit, you will generate stress in your employees without even realising it. It is human nature to want to be in a place that is well lit, and easy to move around in. Think of popular retail stores. These stores are very well lit, probably excessively so, and the departments are all well organized and designed to create a flow for the customers. Retailers that are successful with these designs have the highest rankings among their consumers because the shoppers do not feel that stress when in their establishment.

The same holds true for the office. If your employees feel the benefits of a well lit office and a easy floor plan, they will navigate the office, accomplishing their tasks in an efficient manner. Employees that feel boxed in due to poor lighting or trapped by narrow walkways will respond with poorer performance. This may sound like someones late night idea, dreamt up over a cup of ovaltine, but it is now becoming more and more accepted regarding workplaces.

Simple adjustments to your office or business design can improve work performance and it can be done without even letting your employees know that is the purpose of the remodel (although of course the overall purpose is good for both employer and employee)! The subconscious response to the better designed area will of course come automatically, without need for persuasion. Employees that perform better will begin to receive additional benefits from their performance, adding to the increased productivity of the entire operation. The introduction, for example, of ergonomic furniture like the Herman Miller Aeron Chair not only shows the employee how you value them and their health, it will reduce and posture/stress issues and sickness.

Increasing the productivity in your office will also benefit your clients. A happy workforce will relate better to the clientele, which will generate more business. Clients that enter your office will also respond better to the open design and proper lighting. Just like the major retailers depend on creating that feeling of happiness in their clients, you will create it in your own. A client that feels secure and happy will respond with more business.

It all seems very simple, and in fact it is. Creating a comfortable environment for employees to work in will result in a better work force.