Wendy Macphail Employment Law Services

How can you cost effectively increase your employee's productivity by 30 per cent?

If employees increase their productivity within their work environment, then everyone benefits. The business they work for will thrive, hopefully they will be rewarded accordingly by their employer and they will enjoy a sense of achievement. A British researcher Dr Craig Knight visited New Zealand recently and informed us that it is really quite simple to ensure employees are 30 per cent more productive.

The answer is to allow employees to choose plants and art work to enrich their workspace.

The results of Craig's research are contrary to a recently held view by many employers, being that minimalist work spaces, free of distractions, lead to improvements in productivity. Craig says his research shows the opposite is true.

Craig says that historically there has been no real psychology behind the development of the office space, which has resulted in pseudo-psychology filling the void, with no science to back up assertions.

By contrast, his views are backed up by eight years of research at the University of Exeter.

Craig says that when you enrich a space, people's sense of well being increases by about 30 to 40 per cent. People become more comfortable and content and their productivity goes up by about 32 per cent, with no loss of accuracy. He says that 'it's almost a shame that the figures are that big because they seem unrealistic”.
Craig's research consistently showed the more control people had over their work space, the happier and more motivated they were in their jobs.

Relating Dr Craig Knight's research to our everyday lives, it makes sense for employers to allow their staff to create their own identity in their environment. The result of such an approach is increased productivity with no decrease in accuracy. This is arguably the most cost effective strategy for a business to increase productivity by 30 to 40 per cent.

This article is intended as a point of reference and should not be relied on as a substitute for professional advice. Specialist advice should always be sought in relation to any particular circumstances and no liability will be accepted for any losses incurred by those relying solely on this article.
For more information on the benefits of an empowered workspace
visit www.prism-identity.com