The 5 Most Important Office Facilities
The 5 Most Important Office Facilities
The 5 Most Important Office Facilities
From climbing walls to nap pods, employers are increasingly investing in office facilities due to the benefits that they can create for their business. Great office facilities can increase productivity and wellbeing, while decreasing employee turnover and absence. Of course, you’ll need to provide the legal minimum office facilities , but to get a competitive advantage in the post pandemic office environment you’ll need great placemaking.
Read on as we take you through an evidence backed exploration of the 5 most important office facilities.
1. Informal Meeting Spaces
With online tools increasingly being used for meetings, employers may be wondering whether it is still necessary to have face-to-face meeting spaces within offices. There is a range of benefits to keeping meetings online. Virtual meetings save time and reduce environmental emissions, as well as providing helpful tools which ensure that everyone’s voice is heard. These benefits meant that even before the Covid-19 pandemic, some organisations were already focusing on increasing virtual meetings.
However, research from the American Psychological Society . found that virtual meetings are fatiguing for employees, especially when they are required to have their cameras on. Other research suggests a focus on online meetings can also make it harder to build workplace trust and reduce informal knowledge sharing.
Instead of large meeting rooms, the most effective office facilities have lots of small comfortable seating or informal meeting areas, such as “nooks with comfortable armchairs and sofas” or on site cafés. This would allow employers to benefit from the positive company culture created by face-to-face meetings, while also avoiding the wasted time that can result from large in person meetings.
2. Office Wellbeing and Green Spaces
There is a surprisingly large body of research on the benefits that are created by sites that have green spaces or office plants. While you might expect that plants would influence the air quality of an office space, there are further benefits. For example, research by the American Society for Horticultural Science found that employees took less sick leave when they had plants that were either their own or “located within their view”.
There are a few explanations for how plants can make employees feel better. The calming effect of seeing plants can reduce employees’ perceived stress levels. Another explanation is that areas with plants can create relaxing areas for employees to spend their breaks.
Not only can these benefits be achieved by plants inside the office, but they can also be achieved by plants outside the office. A landscaped space outside of the office can be enjoyed through the window while employees are working, while also form a great place for a relaxing lunch.
Research suggests the presence of plants and edible nature improves self-reported wellness by 15%, productivity by 6%, and creativity by 15%.
3. Ergonomic Furniture
Office ergonomics is widely understood to be an important topic. Its importance is most strongly illustrated by the legal requirements imposed by law. For example, where employees have work which can be done while seated, an employer must provide a “safe and suitable seat”. As with most things in life, ergonomics is not a matter of ‘one size fits all’. Businesses are legally required to provide seating that “meets the needs of the individual”.
Failing to meet these legal requirements will not only create legal liability, but it will also reduce the effectiveness of your workforce. Employees who do not have access to ergonomic office furniture will be more likely to be absent from the office due to the physical impact of improper equipment. Therefore, investing in ergonomic furniture is an investment into your company’s future.
4. Secure Office Access
In 2020, Hubble found that secure office access was one of the most searched for office facilities. It’s hard to think of a disadvantage of secure office access, while the advantages are plentiful. Having a secure office means you are helping keep your employees, your equipment, and ultimately, your business safe.
Axa reported that the most common crime experienced by the businesses that it insures is theft. The average cost of these theft claims in 2018 was £4,600. As insurers recognise the risk avoiding benefits of office security, they often offer lower insurance premiums as a result. Therefore, by having secure access to your office, it is also your profit that you are protecting.
5. Secure Onsite Parking
While it is certainly not the most glamorous office facility, it is one that your employees will be pleased to have. With 61% of people commuting by car, finding where to park all these cars is a big issue. On the one hand you could view this as an issue that only impacts the employee. However, as with most things, an issue for an employee quickly becomes an issue for the employer.
Most modern offices are not built with enough parking spaces for all of their employees. If employees struggle to find parking, they are less likely to be at work on time. Additionally, the stress of finding a car parking space can significantly damage employee morale. The negative effects of employees not having access to onsite parking can also extend beyond the business. Employees frequently over-using on street parking can cause residents to become frustrated with your business. Finding an office location with plentiful parking provision is a real bonus.
Finding the right offices and office facilities:
The importance of having great office facilities for your employees cannot be underestimated. Whether legally prescribed or not, office facilities can strongly impact the future of your business. Having the right office facilities can assist in creating a loyal, healthy, and productive workforce.
Here at RTC Derby, our office space benefits from 24-hour manned security as well as a large secure onsite car park. Our large office spaces to rent leave you plenty of room to create informal meeting spaces and to have any plants that you desire. Our large on site café’s provides an ideal spot for an informal meeting over a coffee. And, our fully landscaped gardens give a stress free place for employees. To find out more about renting our Derby office spaces, check out our brochure or contact us.
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