If you run an office then you will know only too well how the pace and quality of work seems to ebb and flow from day to day. Naturally you want the team to be firing on all cylinders as often as possible, so it is up to you to ensure that you have created an environment in which your staff can do just that. There are a great many office desk hacks which you can find online at places like https://www.businessbacker.com/ that will talk about how to get the best out of your staff. We are going to look a little wider than that today and focus on rules which you should implement in the office, to ensure maximum productivity at all times.
Smart Planning
The first place to start is to look at the layout of the office, and think about whether or not it makes practical sense. For example if the printer is a heavily used item, but it is situated a 2 minute walk from most desks, think about how many minutes of work time you will be losing each day. Consider how the operation works in your office, and then move furniture and equipment around accordingly.
Cleaning Rule
It has been scientifically proven that physical clutter on desks and floors, leads to people being far less focussed and with low levels of concentration and organization. With this in mind there should certainly be a no clutter rule in the office, which everyone must follow.
Breaks
Aside from the usual breaks such as lunchtime and any short breaks in the afternoon, you should look to randomly give your staff 5 minutes here and there each day. It can be really easy for staff to get bogged down in their work, chained to the office desk all day, and they need respite. Pick random times when things are quite quiet, and call a 5 minute break where the staff must go out for fresh air. This may sound counter-productive but the renewed energy that your staff will have from a short, impromptu break, will reinvigorate them and help them to work better.
Exercise
More and more news is coming out that details the huge number of physical problems that office workers have, as a result of their job. To counter this, and to help increase their productivity and reduce sick days, you should encourage exercise in the work place. This doesn’t need to be something large, there are simple yoga techniques which can be done right from the office chair.
Penalties
Once you have put these rules in place, it is important that you have a penalty system for those who don’t follow them. This will be something aside from the disciplinary process, and it will have a bit more of a fun element to it. For example if someone receives 3 strikes for having clutter at their desk, they will be given some chores to do, or they will have to buy a cake for the office or perhaps even pick up someone else’s work. This penalty system will bring people together, and make your staff more focussed on the rules, and ultimately more productive.