Your workspace is more than just desks and chairs – it’s a reflection of your company culture.
The way your workspace is designed and maintained can influence employee morale, productivity and how your business is perceived by visitors. A well-thought-out workspace fosters collaboration, creativity and professionalism while ensuring employees feel valued and comfortable. But how do you strike the right balance between individuality and cohesion, collaboration and focus?
Company Culture
Your office environment should be a reflection of the company culture you want to foster. A well-thought-out workspace not only encourages team-working and creative thinking, but also demonstrates the ethos of the business.
Consider what you and your employees value most. Is it clarity and professionalism? A culture of self-expression and individuality? A balance of both? Ensuring your office environment supports these values helps create a workplace where employees feel engaged, motivated and aligned with the company’s mission.
Different Types of Workspaces
Different workplace set-ups are suitable for different business types. Before improving a workspace, be clear about your company culture and what you want to achieve from your working environment.
- Open-plan offices are designed to encourage collaboration and quick communication, but they can also be noisy and distracting. In such environments, designated quiet areas are essential to support employees who need focus, and rooms where a door can be shut if taking calls or holding a private meeting are necessary.
- Enclosed offices with cubicles or all private rooms can sometimes feel unwelcoming and may hinder spontaneous communication, making teamwork more challenging.
Often, the ideal office setup often lies somewhere in the middle. A balance of open areas for collaboration, private spaces for concentration, and flexibility for employees to work where they’re most comfortable.
Another set-up option is hot desking, where employees don’t have assigned seats. These are popular in hybrid work set ups where not everyone is in every day. This can enhance flexibility and adaptability, but it requires thoughtful planning to ensure employees still feel a sense of belonging and have access to the resources they need as well as somewhere to store their belongings. It also requires good housekeeping to ensure desks are clean and tidy ready for the next user!
Individualism vs. Cohesiveness
Are some team members’ desks covered in sticky notes whilst others are completely clutter free?
Freedom to express individual personalities will help your team to perform better at work. We don’t all work the same way! Having a few family photos on a desk or quirky stationery items allow people to add some personalisation to their space.
But … it’s essential to:
- Be respectful
- Be mindful of what’s appropriate
Respecting others’ workspaces goes beyond just appearances – it’s about acknowledging personal boundaries and different working styles. Avoid commenting on a colleague’s desk set-up unless it directly affects another team member’s ability to concentrate. Ensure that everyone in the office understands that if they have any issues with others’ desks, they should notify their manager.
Office etiquette also includes being mindful of how people prefer to work. Some team members enjoy casual conversations, while others need quiet to focus. Take care to support people with different needs, such as sensory sensitivities. Allowing differences in working styles will mean the whole team can thrive.
Top Tips
Here are vivoHR’s top tips for staff to ensure that the whole team feels respected and the environment remains positive.
- Stay professional
- Respect shared spaces
- Keep your area clean and tidy
- Ensure any mess doesn’t spill into others’ spaces
- Don’t create noise and distractions that interrupt others’ work
- Think about smells – fragrant lunches don’t create the best working environment in the afternoons!
- Pay attention to the basics of safety and accessibility
Why not start your own list? Is there anything which your team needs to work on? Make the etiquette list clear and visible. Highlight to your team the importance of following these tips to make everyone’s workspace happier.
A workspace doesn’t have to be all grey desks and stark white walls – small, thoughtful touches can make a huge difference in how inviting and inspiring an office feels. Adding plants not only brightens up the environment but also improves air quality and boosts mood. Personal touches like team photo walls, graphics of company values, or artwork from local artists can make an office feel less like a corporate box and more like a place where people enjoy spending time. In the vivoHR office, we have several of Rachel’s paintings up on our walls … but not every team has a talented in-house artist like we do!
And let’s not forget the fun factor! Whether it’s a comfy corner for casual catch-ups, a bookswap shelf filled with team-recommended reads, or a well-stocked biscuit tin in the kitchen, these elements create a sense of community and personality. Decals or writable whiteboard walls can also encourage creativity, turning empty spaces into collaborative hubs where ideas flow freely. The goal isn’t to turn the office into a playground but to make it a place where employees feel comfortable, engaged, and inspired.
Employee Morale
A clean, well-thought-out and welcoming office environment plays a crucial role in boosting employee morale. A tidy, organised workspace:
- reduces stress
- minimises distractions
- creates a sense of professionalism
When employees feel comfortable and valued in their environment, they are more likely to be engaged, motivated and positive about their work. A welcoming atmosphere also fosters a sense of belonging, encouraging teamwork and strengthening company culture.
Here are some simple ways to improve the office for your team, without the need to redesign the whole building:
- Upgrade the kitchen facilities: who wouldn’t love a new coffee machine?
- Get a printer that works: everyone gets p***ed off when the printer has ruined their document yet again!
- Buy some comfortable desk chairs: The Health and Safety Executive actually have some best practice guidance on ergonomically suitable office seating.
- Create a space to relax: the break room isn’t for sneaking in some extra work whilst having a bite to eat … it’s for having lunch and thinking about anything other than work!
- Ensure the premises are accessible for anyone with a disability – this includes access to all areas for someone with a physical disability, as well as accommodations for mental health and neurodivergence where IT adjustments and the ability to work in quieter areas or to reduce stimulation may be important.
Demonstrate that your team are important to you by creating a comfortable and positive workspace. An office that is both functional and welcoming shows employees that their needs are a priority, leading to higher job satisfaction and overall workplace happiness.
What Impression are you Giving?
Not only does your workspace have an effect on your employees, it will also impact visitors to your business. Whether you are a customer-facing business, or you have clients and suppliers coming in for meetings, a drab, dark, unwelcoming environment could provoke a negative perception.
When you have visitors to the office, your space reflects your brand. What do you want your visitors to know about you? Here at vivoHR, we think that – whatever sector your business is in – a productive yet welcoming atmosphere, showing that the team is approachable, is the ideal way to present your company to others.
Conclusion
Whether through a balanced office layout, respectful desk etiquette or simple upgrades that improve comfort, small changes can make a big difference in workplace culture. By prioritising a clean, welcoming and well-structured office, businesses show employees that their well-being matters.
Take a look around, what does your office say about your company? What small changes could make it an even better place to work?
If your work environment isn’t an office – how can you apply some of these same principles to a warehouse, your vehicle or a retail space?
For help creating a more welcoming workspace for your team, contact vivoHR on 01252 757359 or drop us an email at [email protected].