Maintaining a high level of efficiency with simple office improvements

Posted on 31 Mar 2017 by The Manufacturer

With the market being as competitive as it is today, gaining a competitive advantage often means making fine adjustments and getting the most out of available corporate resources.

A lot of manufacturing businesses are starting to take active steps towards improving their production lines for maximum efficiency.

However, it is worth noting that there are simple improvements that can be made to the office part of the business in order to maintain a high level of efficiency. What happens on the factory floor depends just as much on the decisions made in the office. If you’re serious about improving your business’s efficiency, here are some simple office improvements that are known to have positive effects on productivity.

Better lighting

Lighting is by far the most frequently neglected aspect of most offices. A lot of businesses simply go for the brightest, flattest lighting setup for their office space, thinking that that is the best combination to go for. In reality, employees tend to be more productive when working in a slightly dimmer, warmer ambience.

Switching to lower-powered LED lights is one of the best things you can do to improve office lighting. LED lights have more accurate colours and come with a wider variety of colour temperature selections, so it is easy to get the interior lighting of the office just right.

A warmer lighting configuration, paired with the reduced power – and brightness output – will help employees stay comfortable for longer in the office. This, in turn, can help reduce the number of breaks needed throughout the day, pushing the business’s efficiency level to new heights. The use of LEDs will also lower your business’s energy bills substantially.

Open-space design

Another approach that can greatly boost efficiency is altering the layout of the office. This is actually simpler than you think, especially since you can now find the best local tradesmen and stage a remodelling project in no time. Newer colours and a better office layout will also help with routines and boredom; they give employees that extra boost in excitement that will alter their productivity levels for the better.

Open-space offices are notoriously efficient. Employees can communicate better with each other. This type of office layout also encourages better cooperation and teamwork. On top of that, the new layout will utilise office space more efficiently.

Modify traffic

While working on the new office layout, it is also a good idea to manage office traffic better. Have you ever calculated the amount of time needed to go to the printing room? Can employees get the supplies they need quickly? Map out the common traffic routes within the office and you will quickly see opportunities for improvement.

These routes are easy to improve, plus you will get an even more substantial boost in efficiency by the time you are finished. By moving the network printer to a better location, for instance, employees can complete their tasks faster and have fewer distractions to worry about. Similar to the previous tips, this will help improve office efficiency by a big margin.