Poor working conditions have a direct impact on employees’ satisfaction and productivity. However, the extended period of pandemic-induced remote working actually decreased productivity because of unfavorable working conditions at home and unproductive employees being even more lethargic, thus slowing down the company’s progress. Now, the pandemic restrictions are relaxed, and companies are thinking about improving the workplace environment for the benefit of both the organizations and in-office employees in the long run. Nonetheless, there are challenges to overcome.

Significance of a Healthy Work Environment

A healthy work environment gives you and your employees multiple ways to connect and collaborate, boosting your company’s culture and employees’ morale and retention. Therefore, it is essential to improve poor working conditions to maintain a favorable work environment when you reopen.

Here are some to-be-improved poor working conditions that impact in-office employees’ productivity:

1. Lack of Technology

   Technology is crucial for enhancing the employee experience. Slow, inefficient, or outdated technology won’t help improve employee satisfaction while decreasing their productivity and passion at work. Therefore, use integrated, cloud-based technologies to streamline work and help employees collaborate easily.

2. Poor Workplace Hygiene

   Having a clean and hygienic place environment is extremely important for the proper development of employees’ work. This is especially true after the pandemic, where it is recommended to keep your surroundings clean. Shared office spaces and facilities are prone to spreading germs and harboring high levels of bacteria and viruses. So keep your office clean and germ-free so that the employees can work without being affected by diseases.

3. Ineffective Workplace Processes

   Like workplace technology, it is crucial to look at your work processes and find ways for improvement. Sticking with the same old processes may not be sufficient to meet your evolving needs and changes, so ask your team about the workflow issues they face and do the required changes and customizations to overcome them.

4. Improper Space Allocation

   Due to your negligence, your employee may lack the space and resources to give their best. It is not about allocating the right amount of space per employee but about whether they can comfortably perform their tasks in the given space.

   Employees should be given spaces where they can focus on work and easily collaborate with others. It would be even better if you use the latest desk booking software to allow your employees to find convenient spaces and reserve the seats in advance.

5. Unreasonable Workload

   A stressful work environment which has lately emerged is a big factor concerned with the employees’ productivity. Not only can it negatively impact your employees’ productivity, but it also reduces your organization’s advantages in the long run. You need to take serious measures to minimize these stressful work environments so that your employees can achieve maximum efficiency.

6. Badly-Lit Workspaces

   Poor lighting can lead to fatigue, headache, anxiety, and eye strain, thus decreasing employee productivity. To avoid this, redesign your workplace in a way that provides access to natural light. According to a survey, 70% of employees reported that having access to natural light has increased their productivity, while 33% of employees said they felt they had insufficient access to natural light.

7. Lack of Work-Life Balance

   Now, the workplace is not restricted to four walls, and work time is not limited to 7-8 hours a day. Employees work wherever and whenever, even while traveling or waiting for dinner. Therefore, a healthy work-life balance is essential for them.

   According to the Gallup study, 53% of employees said a designation that allows them to maintain a flexible work-life balance is crucial to them, 51% of employees said they would change their job to have a flexible work schedule, and 37% said they would switch to a job that has off-site working options as needed.

   Therefore, you must help your employees achieve a good work-life balance by providing them with flexible arrangements while ensuring their workloads are manageable.

8. Poor Company Culture

   Negative company culture will decrease employee engagement and productivity. Generally, employees would like to quit the job if the company culture does not meet their expectations. However, you can create a positive company culture by:

9. Honoring your employees’ outstanding work
10. Retaining talented employees
11. Establishing strong core values and reinforcing them across your organization

12. Inconvenient Work Environment

    Wobbly desks, broken chairs, clanging pipes, and noisy ambiance create a poor work environment and could easily distract employees, reducing their engagement at work. Therefore, address such issues and create an environment that keeps your employees engaged and focused at work.

How Can You Improve Employee Productivity?

Follow these steps to enhance working conditions that help improve employee productivity:

Increase Employee Productivity with QuickFMS Return-to-Work Solutions

Our hot desking software and space management software can help you create a favorable work environment while meeting your ever-evolving workplace requirements. With our space management software, you can effectively manage your office space and monitor the used and unused spaces.

QuickFMS hot desking software helps your employees reserve their convenient space even before arriving at the office. Both our tools are secure, easy to use, and can seamlessly integrate with your existing platforms, allowing you to create a productive yet flexible work environment for your employees.