Major corporations like Google, Zappos, Pixar, and HubSpot already know that happy employees are the best employees. They invest countless dollars into providing perks that make life easier for their teams, but what if you don’t work for one of those companies? Or maybe you own your own business and WANT to operate like them but don’t have the funds to devote to it. The good news is that regardless of where you work or the extent of your funding, you can make your office a little slice of heaven for everyone that works there. How? Simple – think of space.
If you’re like most Americans, you spend the majority of your day at your job. You easily end up spending the vast majority of your “awake” time at your office – making this space very important to you. At first glance your desk is just a place that holds your computer, mouse, coffee mug, and the odd figurines your sister-in-law brings you from her travels. But, in reality, that desk is an extension of your personal space and how that space looks, feels, and functions has a major impact on your and your employees’ work days.

Instead of viewing desks and office workspace as just empty space, take a step back and imagine what the perfect workspace would look like for you, or for each of your employees. How can you impact their daily work lives for the better? Organize the office so that it allows everyone to feel that they have a space they love to work in.

Personality

This may not come as a huge surprise to you, but everyone is different. Which means that we all think, create, live, and work in different ways. It may not be possible for you to create the “perfect” workspace for each employee, but giving them a say in how they work will go along way for allowing them to set up an environment that is conducive for their optimum productivity. Your office introvert may prefer to spend the majority of his workday alone in a quiet office, while the extroverts of your team will thrive in an environment where they can interact with people all day long.

Productivity

We all come to work to, well, work. When laying out the organization of your office, always focus on productivity. What arrangement, office type, or space will allow for the maximum amount of productivity from your team? Have places available for every personality type, but also create spaces that nurture creative thinking. An empty room with white boards, chalkboards, and simple chairs is a great place to allow your team to collaborate. Also, try to cut down on outside distractions that can derail the productivity of your office. Deliveries are always fun, but does your entire team need to know that the latest shipment of business cards have arrived?

Functionality

If designing an office space around employee happiness and optimum productivity sounds like a pipe dream, then functionality is the reality anchor you’ve been looking for. In a perfect world, every great idea we had would come to life, everyone would have the perfect working space for them, each space would fit nicely next to each other, and all would live together in harmony. But, we know that we don’t live in a perfect world and that there are real limitations that hinder creating the “perfect office.” Budget, time, physical space, buy-in, and functionally – all of these things play important roles in what your office looks like.

Do your best to make your office the best place to work for each of your employees. Do that by considering the personalities, productivity, and functionality of your team and company as a whole. And then decide what you can do as a business owner to create a working environment that benefits both your employees and your bottom line.