Improving Workplace Communication With Office Design

The workplace functions at its best when everyone is able to work together to complete the tasks that have been assigned. Not only does great teamwork help to produce the work in hand but it also helps employees to feel more content, more valued in knowing that they are successfully contributing to the aims of the business. This will go a long way in improving their job satisfaction, improving absenteeism and retaining talented people.

Playing a large role in this will be how well the design of the office relates itself to the communication aspects of the workplace. As experienced office fitters in Reading, we're going to use our expertise to demonstrate in this blog just how the makeup of a workplace can help to improve the communication produced by employees, leading to an upturn of productivity and happiness.

• Improvements In Productivity. Although most employees will be working individually, they'll all essentially be (with the greatest of respect) cogs of a wheel, driving the business towards its aims. Employees will all need to work together in order to get things moving – so they will need to be able to effectively communicate with each other in order to get their work done. The better ability they'll have to communicate, the quicker and easier they'll be able to complete the work – increasing both the productivity AND the quality of work produced.

• An Increase In Job Satisfaction. With work that they're assigned, able to be completed on time thanks to the ability to better communicate with others, employees will no doubt be feeling more satisfied with their contributions to the company. Not just that but being able to communicate more effectively, will allow them to feel more like they're able to better design a process that will allow them to produce a higher quality of work. Knowing that they're improving their abilities will no doubt feel very satisfying indeed. This will only work to further increase their positive feelings towards their role within the company.

• Less Absence and Turnover. Nobody wants to go to work and feel stressed and/or incapable of achieving their work. Sadly, these are two reasons that account for profit-affecting employee absence, as well as high turnover rates of staff, in some companies. Whilst the negatives in absences are obvious, if employees don't feel like they can express themselves with the work they create, they will feel unhappy and coupled with added stress, will lead to them looking for pastures new. This is obviously something that any forward-thinking business doesn't want. By using office fitters in Reading to create a workplace that can help them to communicate as a team – a business can build (and retain) that team, producing more high-quality work along the way.

How Can A New Office Design Improve Communication?

Whilst most businesses recognise that good communication will help to improve levels of productivity, collaboration, general happiness and retention – it's important to get the balance right and ensure that the culture of the company isn't affected. For example – an office design for a team of solicitors may differ from that of a group of accountants – you don't want to be changing the functionality of the office, just to slightly improve its communication.

Understanding the working requirements of the employees is ultimately the key to designing an office that is able to help them to communicate effectively, as well as enchaining their working practices.

Here, we're going to look at the different aspects that can be improved by office fitters in Reading, in order to improve the communication in any type of office space:

• The Need For Flexibility. Different people will have different working needs; whether it's to collaborate in an open office, have meetings in comfortable, informal environments – or even to take the information and help they've gathered to get on with their work in a more private, less distracting environment. This means that the modern office fit out needs to be flexible. Communication can be better defined by 'zoning' the office – introducing different areas intended for different uses – from spaces for people to work together, to rooms where they can work alone.

• Improving Technology. Of course, there is more to communication in the 21st Century than just being able to verbally communicate; we need access to the latest tech to send and receive information too. Thinking about improving the design of the office offers the perfect opportunity to also think about the technology infrastructure. Whether it's to update equipment, introduce more flexible wireless capabilities or to better define the cabling structure – there's much that can be improved in regards to the technology.

• Including Nature. The vast majority of people will feel happy and inspired if they feel well, as such, they will be more engaged and therefore more likely to communicate and collaborate on the work that they're undertaking. The environment offered by the workplace plays a vital part in this, of course – and this is something that natural design can help with. By introducing more natural light, as well as plants and greenery, this will help to brighten the workplace, as well as improve the air quality, reducing the reliance on artificial lighting.

• Having A Plan: And Communicating It. No matter if a business is thinking about making small changes their current office fit out, or completely refurbishing it, it's vital that there is a strategy in place in order to define and measure exactly what they require from the environment. In terms of improving communication, a business should lead by example and involve its employees in the planning process. After all, it's them who will be working there day-in, day-out. By giving them a voice in how their new environment is created, a business will be able to better-define how they are able to better shape the design towards improving all aspects of the working process – not just the communication aspect. This will no doubt lead to higher rates of productivity, quality of work and general happiness within the business.

Improve Your Office Interiors In Berkshire With Oaktree Interiors

Undertaking a brand-new office fit out offers the ideal way in which to improve the communications of your employees. It will not only lead to your employees feeling more inspired and connected to the business, but reorganising your workplace will also help to establish a branded environment. This makes it perfect for any business who needs to communicate their professionalism, as well as a unique, forward-thinking outlook to any clients.

Here at Oaktree Interiors, our office fitters in Reading value the ability to communicate – which is why we endeavour to create workspaces that not only make the process of communication easy for the people who use the office – but we also create interiors that can communicate to people, saying everything there is to say to anyone, about the business. Having undertaken many successful projects over the last 30 years, we can safely say that if you're looking for innovative, bespoke office design – we are well-placed to help your business to achieve what it needs.

Contact Oaktree Interiors Today To Learn More About Bespoke Office Design

If you would like further information on how our office fitters in Reading are able to carry out the perfect communicative office design for you, please do not hesitate to get in touch with our team today. You can give us a call on 0845 474 3556 or alternatively, you can send an e-mail to hello@oaktreeoffice.com.