How To Influence Psychology In The Workplace
At the heart of every company, business or brand there is a team of hard-working people. People like you or me, with emotions, needs and anxieties.
Running a successful business requires you to manage your team with these things in mind, establishing a workplace culture that promotes wellbeing and balance.
No matter the size and financial power of your business, there are defined changes that can be made to positively influence psychology in the workplace.
The term ‘influence’ is often misconstrued to have negative connotations around manipulation. The truth however, is that as a leader you have more influence than you think, including the ability to make changes that shape a healthier work environment.
Resolution Interiors are design and fit out specialists and through the experience of working with numerous commercial, public and private sector businesses, we have pointed out a few changes you can make to your office design – to positively influence psychology in the workplace.
Why Positive Psychology In The Workplace Is Important
Positive psychology in the workplace should always have one clear goal – to help your workers flourish. Not only will this have a huge effect on their mental wellbeing, but it can even lead to higher quality output and lower staff turnover.
It’s impossible to ignore the rising challenges everyone is facing, which only seem to be increasing in severity the last few years.
Post-pandemic recovery, record inflation, war, the list goes on. Unfortunately these things are seeping into the working world, as employees are quitting jobs at record rates – with many citing mental wellbeing or misalignment with company policies as the main reasons for leaving.
Positive psychology in the workplace is less about fixing these aforementioned global issues, and more about adjusting the working environment to support your workers and enable them to thrive despite them.
Making actionable changes to office layout, bettering acoustics or specifying facilities that accommodate your workers needs all demonstrate your commitment to the wellbeing of your team.
Improving Workplace Layout For Employees
One of the most common issues in modern offices is poor layouts and confused floor plans. With meeting spaces adjoining quiet areas, or teams being spread across multiple floors in a building, poor layout can create daily friction for your workers and even lead to lower productivity.
Consider the daily routine of your workers when planning your office layout. Is the layout enabling teams to collaborate efficiently? Are noisy meeting areas separated from individual workspaces?
Your office space should work for your business. That means making it work for your workers.
How Lighting Affects Psychology In The Workplace
Poor lighting or dimly lit rooms can cause more issues than you might think. Long exposure to bad lighting can lead to eyestrain, headaches and incite poor moods amongst the team.
Maximising natural light in your office can make a huge difference to both the ambience of the workplace and the wellbeing of those working in it. A study by Cornell University found that natural light in the workplace can reduce eyestrain, reduce headaches, improve mood, reduce drowsiness and even lead to fewer mistakes.
Ensure the maximum number of workstations have access to natural daylight, or if necessary invest in artificial lighting that mimics natural light.
How Acoustics Can Influence Wellbeing In The Workplace
Do you find working in the office distracting? Have your team complained about noise levels in the office? This is more common than you think. 70% of workers cite noise pollution as being their biggest distraction at work.
Some of these issues can be alleviated by implementing better layout, as we mentioned earlier, ensuring collaboration spaces are isolated from individual workspaces. However, there are other solutions that you can implement to improve office acoustics.
Sound proofing materials such as floor underlays or wall mounted noise transmission barriers can help reduce noise transfer to other rooms and even improve sound quality in a space.
Additionally sound absorbing materials such as acoustic wall panelling can help reduce reverb and echo, which can make spaces less distracting and more comfortable to work in.
Specifying Facilities To Promote Employee Wellbeing
The best workspaces are designed and built to accommodate the wider business’s needs as well as those of the individual workers.
Since COVID-19 and workers being forced to work from home, many are now looking for businesses that offer comfortable workspaces and accommodate their individual needs. We should probably point out comfortability doesn’t refer to cushions and blankets in this instance, instead workers are looking for physical, cognitive and emotional comfort at work.
Facilities such as quiet areas, on-site delivery lockers, and bicycle racks are just some small ways you can alter the workplace to accommodate their needs. Quiet areas offer a refuge for workers who are feeling stressed, under the weather or overwhelmed. Amazon Lockers allow workers to be in the office yet still available to accept important deliveries.
Installing bicycle racks on the other hand, promotes your interest in the team’s physical health, offers commuters a cheaper, more environmentally friendly way to get to work and saves them money on cars. Ultimately all these things are a great way to show your business’ alignment with your worker’s individual values.
The goal is to put your workers first. Not at the expense of your business, but for the long-term benefit of your business and culture.
Influencing Psychology In The Workplace By Putting Your Workforce First
As you’ve seen, positive psychology in the workplace really only involves putting your workforce first. One of the most tangible ways of achieving this is by designing and building a workspace that is considered and inclusive to your workers’ needs, both business-wise and personal.
As design and fit out specialists we always advise the businesses we work with to listen to their workforce and note down common gripes and complaints. Opening up to these conversations will allow you to address issues, improve and maximise your workspace to maximise its potential – leading to happier employees and a more sustainable business.
At Resolution Interiors, we specialise in bringing your vision to life through interior fit-outs and refurbishments of new and existing sites, as well as relocations. We work with you to create a bespoke environment that delivers for customers, employees and shareholders alike.
If you have an office building or workspace project which requires expert design and build skills, reach out to one of our team today. We’re always on hand to help and offer any advice!
Alternatively, why not give us a ring on +44 (0)1935 422 700. We look forward to hearing from you.