You obviously know all the major office essentials. Computers, pens, desks, chairs, etc. But to really get the most out of your team (and to keep everyone from hating their job) there are a few things you should have in your office that you probably overlooked.
1. Time to Browse
I know it probably doesn’t make a ton of sense, but giving your employees time to browse the web aimlessly actually will increase productivity. For the typical office worker, surfing the web for useless things like “How to Low-Key Name Your Baby After Taylor Swift” and videos about Puppy Trains is like plugging into a cell phone charger – it completely brings us back to life.
While you should just take my word for it, I realize you probably want some data to back this up. Finnnnneeeeeee. Here it is.
A study done by the National University of Singapore tested three sets of workers. The first group had to go straight through their tasks without a break (that’s harsh). The second group was allowed 10 minute breaks, but they couldn’t use that time to surf the web (so who knows what they did?). The last group was allowed to explore the glory of the internet during their breaks (because they lucked out).
The results?
Those who were allowed to browse the web reported less fatigue and boredom while showing greater proficiency at tasks. The researchers claim this is due to employees choosing to look at things they like during their break time, and it can be less demanding than other work, or even break time tasks.
Your next move: Don’t crack the whip so hard at random browsing. Your team just needs to shut their brains off for a few minutes.
2. Messaging
The email inbox is the 21st century prison. Get your interoffice messaging done faster and more efficiently by using a messaging program to quickly communicate from desk to desk.
Isn’t that just email? No, silly. It’s not. Here are the reasons why messaging programs are better.
- You don’t have type to in email addresses.
- You can have instant group chats.
- You don’t accidentally hit Reply All.
- You divide internal and external communication.
- You can share files faster.
- You won’t have to stand up ever again.
- Most of these programs are free.
Since you’re obviously an avid reader of the Revelry blog, you know how much we like Slack. But you can use Skype, AIM (yes, it’s still a thing), or whatever else you choose. The goal is create faster communication within your team.
Your next move: Get chatting away with a messaging program.
3. Live Plants
How do I feel about live plants? They’re growing on me.
Plants enhance the overall appearance of your office while giving your employees and guests a welcoming homey feel. Not only that, but plants are good for you too. They can reduce pollutants in the air and reduce stress.
That’s all good and well, but plants can also be used as a really good looking barrier. Place them strategically to hide things or people from view. So feel free to put a 12-foot fern behind your desk. That way, no one will see what you’re Googling.
If you’re really adventurous, you can get an interesting plant that can become a conversation piece. I know how bad you’ve been dying to have this conversation:
“Wow, what an interesting plant. What is that gooey substance it’s oozing?”
“Oh yeah, you like that? What you’re seeing there is nature’s 5th most dangerous poison. Don’t breathe in too deep!”
“Are you sure that’s safe to have here?”
“Sure it is! Now let’s go talk about your baby’s healthcare.”
There are a lot of plants that are really easy to care for and won’t poison babies. It’s a simple way to make your environment a whole lot better. Here are some good suggestions.
Your next move: Get something green.
4. Food
This one is pretty self-explanatory, but I’m going to explain it anyway.
Food is fantastic. If I could just eat forever without getting full (or fat), I would. Food does more than make people happy and keep them alive; it brings people together. In a lot of cases, employees interact with the same set of other employees on a daily basis. Food is an excuse to mingle with coworkers you normally wouldn’t. This gets employees plugged into what’s happening within the company overall and can be a hotbed for new ideas.
Organizations all have their own strategies for providing food. Some make food an event, like Pizza Fridays or Monday Morning Mimosas (I wish that was real). Others, have food out all the time, like free vending machines and endless cereal bars (that is real).
You can also mix the two. Here at Revel, we have a snacks (which are now healthy snacks, bummer…), a pop machine, and our kegerator available at any time. Then, we like to sprinkle in events like Tailgate Monday to bring everyone together even more.
If you’re really a big shot, you’ll do what the big tech companies do and get free catered lunches for your staff. But again, that’s only if you’re a big shot.
You next move: Get groceries.
5. Something Fun
We all know having fun is more fun than not having fun. With me? If you care about performance, talent retention, and profitability, then you need to let your employees cut loose every now and again.
Having fun at the office creates a stronger commitment to the organization, a desire to work harder and stay longer, and greatly decreases turnover, which are all aspects that lead to company success.
On Fortune’s “100 Best Companies to Work For” list, 81% of total employees said they worked in a “fun” environment. So, what does that tell you? If people are having fun at work, then ultimately, the company will succeed … or that working at a successful company is fun. Either way, it’s a good thing.
Having a great atmosphere can be used to improve your employee’s performance as well. Incentivize your team with awesome activities and cool perks. For example, if your team meets or exceeds their quota, have a barbecue for the last two hours of the day. If you break a sales goal for 6 months straight, buy a pinball machine for the breakroom.
Think about it: you spend more time at work than at home, so you might as well make it as enjoyable as possible.
So be honest, how many of these does your company do? The cool part about this is list that they’re all really easy (cheap) to implement and can have a big impact on your office environment. And hey, we wouldn’t say this stuff if we didn’t believe it – see how many of these things you can spot us doing around our place.
By Drew Curi
Copywriter + Office Improver
