Humans today spend a lot of time at work—sometimes all of our waking hours. It’s important to take breaks and rest to improve productivity, but it’s also crucial to make your office, desk, and workspace a healthy environment.
There are lots of ways that we can make our workspace fit our needs, whether you’re managing a team of twenty, running a small business, or freelancing on your own.
Why Your Workspace Matters
Here at Alkaloid Networks, we have a few types of work “space.” That’s because our members come from different walks of life and have different ways of working that work best for them.
Brains need the right workspace to be productive, something the pandemic made more apparent. “Employers are now considering how to make time spent in person more appealing, productive, and healthy for the worker, especially in light of increased rates of burnout and stress brought on by the pandemic. While most workplaces lack spaces intentionally designed to support mental health, that may be changing,” according to Psychology Today.
The modern, post-pandemic office needs to look a little different, because we work in a variety of different modes, according to recent research from Steelcase. “The researchers saw that there would be a rise in the need for individual spaces, not open-floor access but individual places where there’s quiet to get work done,” says Bryan Hancock for McKinsey Research. “There’s also a rise in the need for real team space—not just the occasional conference room but actually the time to get together as a team, to have the right space together, to have the right access to the tools they need to collaborate.”
But what do those spaces really look like, and how can you design your own to support productivity in your work environment?
Design Ideas for Optimal Productivity
At Alkaloid Networks, members are able to design their office space to fit the needs of their team, their business, and their personal aesthetic.
But maybe you don’t have an entire office to work with and design. A lot of us were forced to use our kitchens or even closets as makeshift offices as remote workers.
We took a few ideas from our office residents that might offer some inspiration for your own workspace design.
Include artwork and colors to make an impact in your design and add personality to your office.
Soft textures in the space—like a rug or couch—can add some acoustic comfort, and will help to prevent echo and noise!
Plants will add extra color to your office, but will also promote better air quality— it’s been shown that plants are actually good for your brain health, as well. Just remember to give them the right amount of light and water!
Why Coworking Helps Productivity
There’s a real benefit to having a dedicated space for your business, and that’s why coworking has been such an attractive option for remote workers or freelancers looking for a place to work.
Coworking offers more flexibility for its members, when it comes to what your desk might actually look like. At Alkaloid Networks, there are options for working in a few ways, whether you need a quiet corner to settle in, a meeting room, or an outside patio to relax on after the day’s tasks are complete.
We have worked hard at Alkaloid to make the building a welcoming and warm environment for members, so that they want to come to work everyday! We really do think it’s a better option for freelancers, remote workers, or small business owners who need something a space that isn’t a coffeeshop or the kitchen table.
“It really is thinking through the individual need, the team need, and the need for compelling broader space, and are we meeting all of those needs? And I think if they are, then it makes it an even more attractive workplace for the workers,” says Bryan Hancock for McKinsey Research.
The environment at Alkaloid is all about supporting our members and however they need to do business.
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