Your workplace is a small ecosystem; the office has different places where people gather, eat, relax and so on. There are different groups of employees who probably get along better than other groups. Moreover, there are those who do not get along. Oftentimes, employees separate themselves somewhat based on their different job descriptions. In a field that is highly regimented and segmented, that can be okay. If there is a distinct horizontal or vertical chain throughout the office, then a workplace that is separated can be effective, especially if you need your workers to focus on specific tasks. However, if you are working in a field that requires cooperation across different disciplines, then this kind of balkanised workplace does not work. Here are some tips to avoid creating the wrong type of culture in your office.
Creating Collaboration
Creating collaboration among your employees is more complex than just demanding that people work together. You can’t just throw people together and hope that they work well together. You have to create a culture that is conducive to that sort of thing. Interestingly enough, furniture is a great way to foster a certain kind of culture.
The furniture that you need for your office refurbishment in London depends on what you are trying to accomplish. If you are trying to create employees who want to work together and do so efficiently, you need something that brings them together. Some people choose to create that collaboration by using long tables where everyone can sit and work. The tables typically have dividers that are high enough to keep everyone’s work separate but not so high that you can’t see over them as you would in a typical cubicle. Others choose to have a sort of open floor plan.
Open Floor Plan
The open plan model for an office is one that is beginning to take shape and grow more popular, especially with younger companies. Technology start-ups tend to like open floor plans. They are what the name implies; in these plans, there is very minimal design or stationary furniture. Instead, there are chairs, desks, and other furniture scattered throughout the room. They can be moved wherever you need them to be. These also tend to have unconventional furniture such as bean bags or couches.
That allows employees to move around the room and work with one another without impediments such as desks. Standing desks have also become more popular. Recent research has found that employees who stand up occasionally throughout the day are healthier; also, they tend to be happier. They report higher job satisfaction than others. That means they are happier with their jobs and working better with their coworkers. Also, they’ll be more likely to stay on the job for longer. Employees who stay at their jobs for longer are more effective and more efficient. They work faster and do a better job. It’s a great way to build a relationship between your employees. You just need them to stay around for long enough to develop the relationships on their own. One of the ways to do that is by building an office that is conducive to good relations.