leadforensics Employee Happiness And Office Design | Oaktree Interiors

In 2012 Google set out on a journey to discover the best way to boost workplace productivity, Years later, they discovered that the 'secret' was to be nice. Does this mean that office design has no affect on productivity, or could it still affect the psychology and productivity of your workforce?

Keeping your staff happy

One of the most important things regarding workplace wellbeing and productivity is a focus on keeping your staff happy and motivated whilst they are in the workplace. You could choose to take inspiration from Google and provide things such as free lunches and haircuts; however you could also look to your office interiors and design your workplace in such a way that it creates a happier and more ‘homely’ office environment.

The impact of office design on your employee’s mood

Choosing an office interior design that caters to the needs of your employees can be very advantageous for a number of reasons. For example, it could help to create a feeling of workplace camaraderie; possibly making them feel more valued in the workplace.

So how can you boost the happiness of your employees? Here is a quick list of two suggestions.

  • Creating a welcoming environment.
    Making your workplace a welcoming environment isn’t just a good idea with regards to creating a good first impression for visiting clients. It is also a fantastic way to make your staff feel valued in the workplace.

    Creating a welcoming area includes many different aspects of office design. You need comfortable furniture to sit on and a good selection of office supplies and equipment. For example, if your employees will by typing on keyboards all day, perhaps you could provide a selection of keyboards which are designed to reduce fatigue.

    Additionally, consider the lighting in the office environment. Whilst it is important to note that you do not want the office space to be too bright, you also do not want the lighting too dim either. Perhaps a useful way to find a good balance is to introduce dimmable lighting, which also has the advantage of giving your employees a sense of control in their workspace.

    Also, to further add to your employee’s choice in creating a welcoming environment. You could provide them with a choice of different fragrances for the office air fresheners. Indeed, many fragrances are up to personal taste, whilst one person may find the scent of vanilla to be calming and inspiring, another may find it distracting. As such it could be very advantageous to allow your employees to make the decision regarding the office scent, this way your staff can decide what they would like the office to smell like.

  • Don’t forget about the use of colour.
    Another fantastic way to influence the happiness of your workers is through your use of colour throughout the design of your workplace.

    If you have never considered the psychology of colour and how different colours could affect your employees and your business’ branding, you might be interested in reading our previous blog titled “How Important Are The Colours In Your Office?”. It contains lots of information regarding a variety of different colours and their meanings; providing you with help choosing the right colour for your workplace.

    For example, if you’re interested in colours that could help boost the happiness throughout your office environment, perhaps you would be interested in the colour yellow. This colour is considered a very friendly colour and it is often associated with feelings such as joy. This colour could be paired with a grey, which is considered by many to be a practical and mature colour, presenting a space as stylish and modern.

What about the next generation?

For years blogs and articles have discussed the needs and desires of millennials within the workplace. However, with the oldest members of Gen Z starting to enter the workplace, it’s important to consider the needs of younger employees.

With regards to Gen Z, it could be very advantageous to look away from traditional office design structures such as office cubicles. Indeed, as Gen Z have grown up in a world where people can work anywhere with an internet connection, this provides you with lots of freedom in your office design. For example, you could include lots of homely furniture aiding in comfort and boosting creativity. Additionally, you could create a breakout area in order to give your employees somewhere to build collaborative co-worker relationships whilst taking a break from their sometimes stressful work activities.

However, one should not forget about the previous generations. Indeed millennials and Gen Y do have their own needs which should be considered. As such, it is very important that you speak to a talented office interiors business with many years of experience.

Office design from the Oaktree Interiors team

The team of office interior professionals at Oaktree Interiors have nearly 30 years of industry experience. Our in-house design and office space planning team can provide a professional design solution for your workplace that creates an imaginative yet functional environment; meeting the unique needs of your business.

We have no 'house style' at Oaktree Interiors. As such, every proposal we make is created to meet the unique needs of the client. So if you are searching for an office design solution created to meet the unique needs of your business, get in touch with our friendly team today and request a free consultation.

Contact our team today

If you are interested in a professional interior design service from Oaktree Interiors, please do not hesitate to get in touch with our friendly and dedicated team.

Additionally, if you have any questions regarding the office interiors services that are available, our friendly team will be happy to answer your queries. To speak to a member of staff, please call 0345 2186955. However, if you would prefer to contact our team using the internet, you can do so using one of the methods below.

  • To contact us by email, please send an email to,
    hello@oaktreeoffice.com.
  • You could also contact us by filling out our contact form.
  • Or you can use the “chat with us!" feature in the bottom right of your browser.
Leave a Comment