How to create an office that will motivate the employee?

Employees are the backbone of the company. Nothing influences the company's success more than a committed employee. It is important, therefore, for the employee to feel at their best in the company, to be motivated, full of creative ideas and willing to work. So what influences the employee's commitment? How can the organization of the office help motivate an employee to act? Be sure to read this article if you want to find out how, by motivating an employee, you can improve and develop your company.

What influences the employee's motivation?

A good employee is a person committed to the life of the company, who believes and believes in the brand's values. The most important thing in motivating an employee is that they know that their work is important and essential for the company. If his work is appreciated and he feels that he is fulfilling and self-realizing in the work, a natural state of intrinsic motivation will develop within him. However, this alone is not enough to maintain the same level of motivation over and over again. Thus, three psychological needs were distinguished that must be met so that the employee's enthusiasm and the level of his motivation do not decrease, and even increase constantly.

Need for autonomy

In his research work, Dr. Edward Deci distinguished three psychological needs that significantly affect the state of human motivation. They are: the need for autonomy, the need for competences and the need for relationality. The first of them - the need for autonomy, is related to the employee's conviction of their independence, choice and responsibility for the consequences of this choice.

An office that addresses this need should give the employee a free choice as to where the employee wishes to perform his duties. Working hours and the sequence of actions performed should depend on the employee. The need for autonomy speaks primarily of giving choice and not limiting the employee.

Need for competence

Another need, according to the theory of self-determination, is the need for competence, which manifests itself in the employee's sense of having sufficient competence knowledge, and skills necessary for the tasks assigned to him. A competency support office is an office that can assign appropriate tasks to the right people and teams in order to fully use the potential of each employee. An important issue in meeting this need is also organizing various types of courses and training for employees, which allows them to develop and expand the scope of their skills and competences.

The need for relationality

Did you know that most ideas come not from work, but from casual conversations with colleagues? A common space for exchanging opinions and building relationships with other employees is conducive not only to maintaining the employee's well-being, but also to maintaining his motivation. This is what the third need is about - the need for relationality. That is why it is so important that the office is able to organize a common space for meetings between employees from different parts of the organization without disturbing the quiet work of other people.

How to use the given principles in creating office space?

Office space has a huge impact on the employee. In a place where he feels good and meets his basic employee needs, he will have more motivation and willingness to work, and will also be more creative. Therefore, when arranging an office, it is worth paying attention to the three needs presented above. Here are some practical solutions in office arrangement that will increase the work efficiency and motivation of your employees.

A place for work and total concentration

In order to perform the tasks entrusted to him effectively and focused, the employee needs a private space for this. It is important that it is tailored to a specific employee. Not everyone works most efficiently while sitting at a desk. Some people have the most ideas and are most creative when they are standing. Others prefer to work in a reclining position. It is important to fulfill the need for autonomy and to give the worker a choice.

An increasingly common solution in offices is open space work rooms, in which private zones of different people touch each other. This can cause various problems such as unnecessary noise, confusion that will not allow employees to fully focus. You should then take care of the appropriate acoustics in the office. You can read more about how to create the right acoustics in the office here.

In order to minimize noise and unnecessary confusion, it is worth thinking about separating zones that will divide the walls. Acoustic panels will also prove useful, as they will dampen the sounds that are transmitted. Materials like carpeting will also minimize unnecessary murmur, heel knocking, and other noises.

A place to integrate and build relationships

Zoning has another advantage as well. It can bring people responsible for the same project closer together, creates a meeting place for the exchange of ideas and ideas, and also reduces unnecessary movement between departments in the office. Moreover, such space organization additionally meets the needs of relationality and competence. Co-workers are then divided into teams competent for their tasks. They then have the opportunity to exchange knowledge and experience with each other, learn from each other, and at the same time integrate and get to know each other.

A place to relax

A zone where employees can rest, take a break from work or eat something is not only important for their mental health, but also motivates them to continue working and makes it better and more effective. Such a room is also conducive to casual meetings and conversations between employees, which increase their creativity, thinking and meet the need for relationality. A specially designated rest area will ultimately be used for private conversations, rest, and food, thanks to which employees will not take these practices outside the zone. The employee will get used to the fact that the workplace is to work and rest in the area designated for this purpose.

Employee satisfaction and the work environment

The research of Dr. hab. Agnieszka Lipińska-Grobelny and Marta Jędrasik on the relationship between the attractiveness of the workplace and job satisfaction. According to the presented research, the arrangement of the office has a significant impact on the employee's satisfaction with work, and as you know, a satisfied employee is more effective, more creative and will stay in the company for longer. According to the respondents, the greatest impact on job satisfaction is the quality of lighting, furniture, temperature, as well as the space for informal meetings. This shows that employees themselves show the need for relationality in the company - that is, having a meeting place and building relationships. In addition, respondents often indicated the noise level in the workplace and the presence of plants, which is why acoustics in the company play such an important role. It is also worth taking care of the presence of vegetation in the workplace, which, as research shows, is a fully emotional aspect in job satisfaction. Employee satisfaction will translate into employee satisfaction, results and the general atmosphere in the workplace.

The office, its arrangement and what it offers to employees significantly affect their motivation to work, creativity, well-being as well as the effectiveness and quality of work. That is why it is so important that the workplace meets the basic needs of the employee, gives him the opportunity to choose, as well as self-fulfillment and personal development, because employee satisfaction translates into the success of the organization itself.

Contact us and we will help you arrange an employee-friendly office. Our experts in the field of work ergonomics and interior design will advise you on the best solutions for your company, thanks to which the efficiency and satisfaction of employees will increase, and thus your profits will also increase.