Rethinking Productivity: The Workspace Design Checklist Edition

Welcome to Industrious' Rethinking Productivity series, which aims to help you start the new year with your best work yet.

Original content by Sara Seigel, Director of Marketing, Industrious

The workspace design elements that boost your productivity

The design elements present - or absent - in an office space can boost or hinder your productivity. But what aspects of workplace design can make you more productive? We've compiled a checklist of the key design elements that you should look for in your current or future workspace to increase productivity.

Your Workspace Design Checklist

• Comfortable furnishings
• Greenery
• Natural lighting
• Acoustics
• Temperature
• A variety of space types (including focus areas and collaboration spaces)

WHY IT MATTERS: Comfortable furnishings

Poor posture has an array of negative effects including headaches, back and neck pain, pinched shoulders, and jaw pain. Adjust your chair and computer monitor to force yourself to sit tall and make sure your backrest supports your low and mid-back.

WHY IT MATTERS: Greenery

Bringing plants into your office will not only spruce up your workspace and improve the air-quality, but also help boost your productivity. Research shows that workspaces with plants increase productivity by more than 15%. Invest in some plants for your desk to add a decorative touch to your space that also boosts productivity.

WHY IT MATTERS: Natural lighting

Research suggests that workers with better window views are more productive than their peers with worse views. Work near a south-facing window from late morning to mid-afternoon to tap into the power of natural light.

WHY IT MATTERS: Acoustics

Workplace distractions can have a serious impact on productivity. According to a report from Udemy, 69% of employees report being distracted at work by chatty coworkers and office noise. To reduce distractions and increase focus, try using noise cancelling headphones or listen to music.

WHY IT MATTERS: Temperature

Cold office temperatures can freeze your productivity. According to a study from Cornell University, increasing office temperature from 68 to 77 degrees lowered typing errors by 44% and increased typing output 150%. Stay warm by keeping a sweater at your desk or by using a space heater.

WHY IT MATTERS: A variety of space types

The ideal workspace offers a variety of settings to work from throughout the day, designed around specific tasks. In fact, 80% of employees say they are more productive when they change locations, according to the 2018 Workplace Environment Survey. Switch up your workspace throughout the day to be more productive (and creative.) 

Productivity is made up of more than just action items, emails, and to-do lists. Your workspace can affect your mood, happiness, focus, and results. How will you update your space to make your team more productive?