The importance of furniture and office environment design on employees' well-being

• Flexible design; open space and rest areas for employee comfort
• Flexible office rooms
• Biophilia and green space
• The importance of good lighting
• Acoustic office
• A place to call
• Comfort in the office; height adjustable desks

To increase efficiency and motivation, it is better for employees to work in beautiful and bright spaces equipped with many amenities. A well-furnished and welcoming office, perhaps decorated with subtle details, improves mood, stimulates concentration, and fosters creativity and a spirit of collaboration among colleagues.

Creating an ideal office means matching the purely functional aspects, related to the practical needs of the work, with the aesthetic aspects that prioritize the well-being of the employees. To do this, there are many solutions: including creating outdoor environments, lounges with sofas, chairs and cushions and in some cases even gyms.

Flexible design; open space and rest areas for employee well-being:

A pleasant office, whose goal is the mental and physical health of employees, is actually a dynamic environment where you can work, walk freely, communicate with colleagues, and have spaces for relaxation; Flexible design is the right answer to these needs, because it allows you to arrange offices according to momentary and temporary needs. Thanks to the office partition, panels and furniture that can be easily moved and separated, offices can be redefined according to the tasks and needs of the day.

The basic concept of flexible design in the office environment is the creation of open space; The office is a large environment that can be changed and divided in a short period of time without effort.

After the quarantine due to the corona disease and the experience of smart work, research has shown that in the office, employees like to maintain their privacy and feel "protected" while working, but at the same time, they do not want to be completely isolated from others. do Flexible design meets this need because it uses dividing elements in a way that only partially covers the area where employees work.

Flexible office rooms:

In order to make employees feel at home in the office environment, informal workstations are becoming more and more popular. Gradually, the era of rigid and rigid arrangement of chairs and desks, which are generally very uncomfortable, will end and work environments will be created that are reminiscent of the living room or the study of the home environment. For this purpose, a few well-made elements are enough: a comfortable sofa, a nice office desk, a good Wi-Fi connection and a soundproof partition to reduce background noises.

Open spaces based on the idea of ​​flexible design include the existence of shared workstations. These spaces are areas furnished with spacious desks, ergonomic chairs and acoustic partitions that are perfect for working alone or with colleagues.

In the offices designed in this way, the role of the old and traditional meeting room has faded. Each workstation can temporarily become a section dedicated to discussing work topics: to limit the environment, movable walls, which can be modulated according to the number of participants, and some office furniture are sufficient. After the session ends, you can quickly restore your previous workstation.

Biophilia and green space

Contact with nature is always energizing; Immersing in beautiful green spaces induces relaxation, joy of life and stimulates imagination. Humans have an innate desire to be close to the natural world of which they are an integral part. This tendency to focus our interest on natural reality is called biophilia, which literally means "love of life."

Contact with nature reduces anxiety, stress and aggression. Recently, there is a growing tendency to integrate elements derived from the world of plants in the workplace, which are also a source of inspiration for office furniture.

To better organize green spaces in the office, in addition to adding beautiful plants, you can use vertical gardens, which is another current trend. Vertical gardens are very pleasant in terms of aesthetics and touch; Features that create a sense of well-being and eliminate stress. Also, the use of green walls is very useful for separating spaces and improving air quality.

But referring to the natural world can also be done through other measures that are necessary to make offices greener. When choosing office furniture, it is better to prioritize natural materials such as wood and stone.

It is also recommended to make maximum use of natural light and provide large windows and glass walls. If there is a yard and a terrace, it is recommended to consider outdoor spaces for lunch breaks and meetings.

The importance of good lighting

An office with large windows and good natural light affects your mood, makes you happy and stimulates creativity. Natural light is rejuvenating and does not tire the eyes. On the other hand, to ensure good visibility on cloudy days and in the darkest hours, it should be integrated with artificial light.

The choice of technical lighting requires a lot of attention: it must be homogeneous and balanced, without disturbing or dazzling reflections. From this point of view, the use of LED lights is preferred, which saves energy and provides efficient lighting.

Typically, different office work areas require different types of lighting. In desk-equipped workstations, dedicated lighting is not always necessary. However, if the general light is not enough, it is recommended to use floor lamps add.

You can also use a lamp to illuminate your computer monitor, but be careful never to point it at your face or screen. On the other hand, in transit spaces such as corridors, there is no need for constant lighting. In this case, it is enough to install motion sensors that turn on the light only when people pass by.

Acoustic office

Noises are always a source of stress and make it impossible to concentrate and have negative effects on the quality of work. Therefore, the office should be a quiet and peaceful place.

In an outdoor environment, sounds can be reduced with false ceilings, walls and partition panels. Also, vertical plants have the power to reduce background noise and provide the relaxation needed for effective work.

Place to call:

In a large office, a section with more privacy can be created to allow employees to make phone calls undisturbed. For this, you can use special booths - phone booths - designed to ensure privacy, without completely separating the employee from the surrounding environment. These booths are soundproof, made of glass or panels, and are also very comfortable, as they are equipped with useful support surfaces for a PC or note-taking.

Comfort in the office; Height adjustable desks:

In open-plan offices, where work is dynamic and you have to move from one workstation to another, desks must be versatile, that is, designed to adapt to operational needs, but at the same time to promote well-being. Employees' physical health, avoiding their stress and fatigue are useful.

Height-adjustable desks are an excellent solution to these needs, as employees no longer use desks bent over when they have to work standing, which reduces fatigue and prevents injury-related problems. It becomes the spine.