Inexpensive Ways to Improve Your Business’s Work Environment

People spend a great deal of time at their places of business, so it’s important that they are spending that time in a pleasant work environment. It shouldn’t be news to you to hear that when employees enjoy the atmosphere of the workplace that they are more likely to care about their jobs and put forth 100 percent effort. If you think that your business could use some improvements, but you can’t afford to spend too much money, there are still plenty of things you can do around the office to create a more positive work environment.

Beautify Your Office Space

Something as simple as improving your office’s appearance can have a drastic impact on your employees’ spirit and motivation. If your office walls resemble those of a drab prison cell, then that’s exactly how your employees will envision them. Having the walls painted with bright colors would be the best solution, but if you can’t afford to do that, there are other options, like hanging photos. Similarly, if the majority of your team is confined to small cubicle spaces, those walls could dampen the mood as well. You could encourage your employees to brighten up the office by decorating their cubicles. This will also give employees an outlet for self expression as well as help your team members get to know each other better.

A Place to Escape

If your business is currently lacking a break room, then that is something your employees are surely missing. If employees are unable to leave the premises during their break time or lunch hour, then they need a place they can go to escape work from time to time. A break room can provide a place to eat lunch, so employees aren’t forced to eat at their desks. It can also provide a place for socializing or just a place to go to when frustration strikes. If your office doesn’t have a room designed for this purpose, you could easily transform an unused office into a break room or even rearrange some cubicle structures to create a lounge area.

Bits and BaublesThere is a multitude of little things you can do around the workplace that can make a world of difference to your employees. An easy way to discover what these things might be is to walk around the office and take note of little details that are missing that you would enjoy. Some examples could be:• A couple magazine subscriptions in the break room• A coffee pot for everyone to use• Mints at the reception desk• Plants• Wall decorations

You could also consider some one-time purchases that could really make everyone’s lives easier, such as:• A paper shredder• A fax machine• An extra phone for the break room• A headset for your administrative assistant• An updated copy machine• A water cooler for the hallway

Improving MoraleFinally, and perhaps most importantly, focusing directly on morale is a great plan of attack for creating a positive atmosphere. If you need some help coming up with ideas for improving morale, don’t hesitate to ask your administrative assistant or employees for their input. Usually, it’s the little things that count. For example, do you acknowledge your employees’ birthdays? Do you publicly recognize your employees’ anniversaries with the company? Doing this doesn’t have to cost much money—simply having everyone sign a card or gather for five minutes in a conference room to applaud and cheer can mean a lot to someone.

Try to come up with some other activities that encourage your team to socialize with each other and allow them to take a brief break from the stresses of work. Some activities you could try include:• Potluck lunches• Seasonal parties• Contests with prizes• An employee of the month program• Social outings on weekends• And more