Improving Office Morale During Winter – With An Office Refurbishment In Berkshire

Oaktree Interiors – High-Quality Office Refurbishment In Berkshire

No matter the time of year, requirements, size or type of business, our office design experts here at Oaktree Interiors can help to create the ideal bespoke environments for forward-thinking operations. We have spent over 30 years, assisting our clients in reimagining their workspaces, creating for them, environments that are more compatible with how they operate. The result is one of a positive in-work atmosphere, better functionality and general employee happiness – all aspects that cater for an improvement in productivity and quality of work.

Our Winter Office Tips

A workplace that is happy and functioning is one that is able to offer its employees the best possible environment to work in. Working in a counter-productive environment that doesn't seamlessly work with employees won't help. This is why offices must ensure that they are able to continue that good environment all-year round, even in the depths of winter.

Here are our tips on improving the mood in the office during the winter:

• The Lighting. The winter brings with it darkness; it's dark in the morning when we arrive and it's dark in the late afternoon when we leave. Then there's the cold, often rainy or even snowy weather to contend with. Winter is well known for its negative effects on people, as many suffer from low moods and depression during the season. Named 'Seasonal Affective Disorder' (SAD), normally-happy people will slip from their positive moods into a negative one, not helping their mental health. With the nature of work often comprising of 'difficult periods' it's no real surprise that it's often a big contributor to SAD.
  
  One of the ways to try and combat SAD is by introducing lighting – as recommended by the NHS. Much research has suggested that our moods are largely based on our exposure to daylight, so by simply introducing natural light (during daylight hours) with large windows and opening up blinds, will help to create a better mood within the office. When the darkness does come, introducing good, high-quality lighting installations (such as LED lighting, rather than fluorescent) will further help to improve the mood in the office when it's dark outside.

• Heating Controls. This may be an obvious tip for the cold and wet winter but many older types of office buildings will lack sufficient heating infrastructure and the systems to control them. This is why many forward-thinking businesses use an office refurbishment in Berkshire service to install brand-new HVAC systems. Not only can HVAC combine the control of their utilities in a single control console, making them easy to use, they will also cover the key areas of the building better and even save much time in controlling them too – and time IS money!

• Taking Care Of The Office = Taking Care Of Staff. The nature of feeling ill will see us tried and devoid of energy, so it's no surprise that we feel unproductive during these periods. With winter ironically being a 'hotspot' for colds and flu, the likelihood of germs being spread around an office, especially when staff are present there for 8 hours a day, will be extremely high. The last thing anyone wants is to see a number of staff off through sickness – so making sure that the office goes through a regular cleaning process (especially in winter) is vital to prevent any disruption at a potentially busy time.

• Keep The Morale High, With Fun Activities And Extra Breaks. It can be easy during winter for even the most-driven and focused person to lose their concentration with their work; especially if there are illnesses and no natural light about the office. In order to keep the mood positive in the office, why not introduce activities or extra breaks for people to take?
  
  Whilst on the face of it, this may seem unproductive and a waste of time (especially when there's work to do), these short breaks can help to potentially negate the likelihood of an employee from feeling ill, stressed and absolutely fed up, which will play into them taking time off. Taking out an extra 10-15 minutes during the day is much preferable than taking off a number of days through stress. A great idea that many businesses implement during their office refurbishment in Berkshire plans, sees the introduction of breakout rooms that gives employees a place to take their breaks in, partake in activities and even to have informal meetings in, away from the work environment.

• Give Employees An Input Into Decorations. Most offices will be introducing Christmas decorations towards the latter end of the year; giving the employees an input into what decorations to include will help them to experience a sense of ownership over their work environment. We're not just talking about the general office here, but giving employees full control over decorating their own workstations will help them to feel valued and in the end, more comfortable working in their custom environment, helping their mood and hopefully, helping to increase productivity.

Looking To Improve Your Office Interiors? Get In Touch With Us Today!

If you're looking to improve your workspace with an office refurbishment in Berkshire, then our service will doubtless fill every requirement you have. Our proven track record and vast experience in the industry, creating bespoke work environments, have made a huge difference to the functionalities and reputations of our clients – something we can help you with too.

If you would like to learn more about how we're able to put in place the ideal office environment for you, then please do not hesitate to get in touch with us today. You can give us a call on 0845 474 3556 or you can send an e-mail to hello@oaktreeoffice.com.