When it comes to productivity within a workplace, the functionality of the space itself is key.
So much of what we do on a day to day basis falls on the shoulders of where we do it. It’s why some people work better in a noisy environment and some people need absolute silence, or white noise, to get their tasks done.
Finding yourself losing functionality in your workplace is a very common issue, and luckily there are many ways to circumvent this problem, from things as simple as getting a well-designed laptop holder to better manage your computer to things as complex as a new work routine with a clearly defined schedule. To help you further your office’s ergonomics, we’ve put together a list of six ways to get more functionality out of your workplace.
Become Self-Sufficient
One of the things that sets a great employee apart from the good employees is their ability to work autonomously. Teamwork is a great thing to thrive in, but working effectively by yourself and without constant management is a key skill that only a few people usually possess in a workplace.
Unsurprisingly, it is these individuals that tend to go further within that business continuity plan.
Try asking all the questions you need answered at the beginning of a work day or project, and work through on the info you got at the beginning. Learning to ask the relevant questions early on will put you in good stead with a manager that doesn’t need to manage you, and will also make you more functional in your workplace.
Manage Time
Your time management skills could be second to none, or they could be closer to none at all, but there is always room for improvement no matter where on the scale you sit. A lot of the time, people get bogged down in checking emails, browsing social media, and generally switching between tasks instead of focusing on one or the other. The process of refocusing your attention on your work after a departure eats up more time than you may realise, and is actually the main time waster in your day.
Communicate
Learning to communicate effectively with your co-workers and management personnel is sometimes tricky, as everyone communicates differently and understands things in different ways. The key here is learning the ways to get the clearest message across to your colleagues and eliminating any uncertainties in the message you’re trying to send. This will cut down on having to explain things several times and having work done incorrectly the first one (or two) times.
Organize
Organizing your desk and surrounding workplace area can help to boost your productivity, as the condition of your surroundings usually indicate where you are at mentally on any given day. If you’re having a stressful, chaotic day at work, it’s likely that your desk will reflect this and compound the issue. Clean up regularly and you’ll have more room to work and think more effectively, too.
Avoid Distractions
Chatting to coworkers on a friday about your plans for the weekend is a great way to wind down in the final few hours before the weekends, but it doesn’t do anything to help the you that will be scrambling through extra work to catch up on monday morning. Put your phone away, focus on your work and try not to get tied up in long conversations where possible, you will find your workload seemingly lessening at an alarming rate, and unwittingly you have become much more functional by virtue of your concentration.
Change Locations
Finally, there is a change in location if all of the above doesn’t do enough.
Some people find they work better in the sunlight, and some work better sequestered away in a cubicle but finding what you need to be your most efficient worker is a huge step in the right direction for functionality. Fortunately with industrial weather stations, you can track and manage all of this data ahead of time in order to create the perfect working environment.
If you have an office, rearrange your office and see if the new arrangement suits your work style better. If you can work outside of the office, try working from home or a nearby cafe and see how that works. Trial and error is the best way to find what works for you, and you will almost certainly be different to your co-workers.
With these tips in mind, approach functionality with a bit of familiarity in mind, and watch how quickly your work day goes.