If you’re in a hurry to improve your office atmosphere and productivity, but don’t want a solution that costs the Earth, we understand your pain. There’s nothing we love more than a quick and easy win which brings results. A freshen up of the office can do just that.

Here’s our list of the 10 easiest office decor tips:

 

1. Add Some Artwork
2. Use Feature Lighting
3. Cover Up The Wires
4. Update Storage (Digitally and Physically)
5. Use Booth Seating & Breakout Space
6. Add Plants And Greenery
7. Freshen The Air
8. Install Colour Schemed Accessories
9. Switch To Hot Desking Layouts
10. Use New Desks

1. Add Some Artwork

Adding some interesting artwork to an office wall can brighten up the workplace no end. If all your office currently has is an old picture from an awards evening and a free calendar from one of your suppliers, adding some creative inspiration will inject some life into your office.

Motivational quotes in an impressive graphic design style and enigmatic art pieces which always show you something new are a great way to promote creative or relaxing thoughts. Updated decor makes for a happier atmosphere in your office and an improved sense of wellbeing. The eventual result of this is improved productivity and a healthier bottom line.

2. Use Feature Lighting

Assuming that your integral lighting system is either too new to warrant a replacement or upgrade, or your budget does not permit an electrical refurbishment, installing some stand alone feature lighting will benefit your workspace.

Desk and floor lamps can be purchased to add some thoughtful finishing touches to an office as long as they’re in a complementary style.

3. Cover Up The Wires

And tidy up the ugly side of an office set up generally. This tidy-up means organising your computer and telephony equipment properly and putting cables and power leads out of sight.

Besides being a potential trip hazard on the floor or something which can cause drink spillages on a desk, trailing wires are unsightly and encourage wider untidiness. Wires look like clutter and, as we’re sure you know, clutter breeds more clutter.

Tidying wires and cables away will set the tone for a tidy and clutter-free office.

4. Update Storage (Digitally and Physically)

Another means of doing away with clutter is to make sure your colleagues in the office don’t need to store items on their desk by having perfect digital and physical options.

Having centrally located storage, such as lockers, drawers or rolling wall storage, where employees can keep their personal items and documents not currently in use will leave the general workspace clean and tidy. Your furniture and floor space will be appear bigger and more organised too.

Another step is to go paperless in your office, at least as much as possible. But to facilitate this you need to have safe and secure online, cloud-based storage. And then implement a company wide electronic only filing system.

The benefits include: helping the environment by using less paper, as the average UK office worker uses 10,000 pieces of paper per year; lowering company overheads by not needing as much physical storage space; lowering spend on stationery; and speeding up the filing and retrieving process. All of this results in better working practices, a more efficient and more successful company.

5. Use Booth Seating & Breakout Space

Given how rare it is that your office is ever at full occupancy, it’s more than likely that you can afford to use some of your floor space for booth seating and/or breakout space. This furniture and space is great for giving staff a place to full rest up for the rest of the working day during lunch or break times, but they also make for a stylish feature inside an office.

Outside of lunchtime use, they also offer an alternative place for workers to sit when completing solo or high-concentration tasks.

6. Add Plants And Greenery

Visually pleasing and proven to boost mental wellbeing too, adding plants and greenery to the office is a surefire winner.

Working alongside plants and greenery has soothing effects on the mind and has even been linked to boosting productivity directly. Even just a few plants can improve productivity by 15%. And they look great too.

7. Freshen The Air

Whilst plants and greenery and the other features mentioned take place of the visual elements, don’t underestimate what an effect freshening the air can have on your office atmosphere and general feel.

Be sure to pick a clean, neutral scent that isn’t too strong; the subtle effect will be a great finishing touch on top of all the other changes in the list.

8. Install Colour Schemed Accessories

Now that your desks are clear from clutter and all the cables are out of the way, there should be more room for some accessories. Issuing staff with a few desk accessories (pen holders, notebook and paper trays, drinks coasters and ornaments) which are all in a matching colour and style can lift up a previously bland and drab office interior.

9. Switch To Hot Desking Layouts

More fundamental changes can be implemented too. Hot desk seating is the seating arrangement where nobody has a permanent desk. Instead, employees site in different places depending on who they’re working with, what they’re working on or even just what mood they’re in.

Switching to a hot desking layout will require some central storage and a lot of encouragement towards staff who see their desk as their home-from-home, but it will be worth it.

The agile working movement gaining momentum as the rest of the world finally wakes up to the fact that offices workers being tied to one particular work station all day is detrimental to both physical health, mental wellbeing and general productivity. We’ve written more on this issue here.

10. Use New Desks

Consider using new desks. Whether the purpose is to liven up the office by using brighter coloured desks than what’s currently in place or because you want to get rid of mismatched desks, buying new is an option. You may also need different sized desks to facilitate your new office layout.

Whether it’s just one or two, or a whole host of desks for the entire workforce, take a look at the wide range of desks on offer in our store.

Need help finding the best desks for your office?

Working at an inappropriate desk can be harmful to productivity and morale. In our guide we explain which desk is best for each role to help you choose the best furniture.