How to Personalise Your Workspace

Employees often work long hours reluctantly while looking forward to weekends or vacations. What if your team members loved where they work? Imagine them looking forward to being at work every day. Depending on how things are at your office, it may sound like a pipe dream, but finding a space your employees enjoy being in is indeed possible. Plus, it will make a significant difference in the long run since they will be more productive and happier overall.

With the average Aussie spending around eight hours a day at their desk, creating a comfortable and inspiring workspace is now more essential than ever. Boost efficiency, increase creativity, and encourage teamwork by having your staff personalise their working area. Here are 9 tips on how to personalise your workspace.

1. Finding The Right Layout

Figuring out the right office layout is vital to personalise your office space. Having the right layout can make all the difference in creating a space that lets your employees feel like it’s their own. With so many options, how do you know which one is right for you? You can use these 3 factors to guide you throughout your decision-making process.

Functionality

First and foremost, your layout should be functional. Consider how you plan to use the space and what activities will take place there. There should be enough room to walk around without bumping into things. Walking around during breaks will energise your team members and improve cognition.

Style

Once you’ve determined the activities that will be done in the space, narrow down your options. Do you prefer a professional office design look or a more relaxed one? Do you want something classic or modern? Consider your style and taste while keeping your team members’ general demographic in mind.

Budget

Unsurprisingly, personalising your space comes at a price. Consider your budget when choosing your office layout. Make sure to do plenty of research until you find something that fits your budget and needs. Don’t jump right into the cheapest option unless that fits your exact requirements. Invest with the next 10 years in mind.

Taking the time to find the right layout for your space will pay off in the long run. Personalising your space with a design that suits the needs and tastes of both you and your employees will let you create a stylish and comfortable space that operates efficiently for years to come. Try our FREE Space Planning service to get a headstart on this!

2. Organise and Inspire

Organise your desk

Imagine a desk cluttered with papers, pens, and other items. What does that convey? What about a pristine desk, well-organised and with everything in place? Which one relays a sense of control and capability?

Generally, a messy desk reflects chaos, and a tidy one reflects order. Nevertheless, those with messy desks can yet be great at their job. Get your desk to reflect your personality and set it to your comfort. Let your employees do the same by instructing them to take some time out to organise their desk and workstation. After all, it’s where you spend most of your working hours.

Computer desktop decluttering

Similarly, a messy computer desktop can also leave you feeling stressed and overwhelmed. It can be highly beneficial to regularly practice a desktop decluttering day. Set a simple but stylish background that inspires creativity, manage your files into neatly organised folders, and eliminate things that lack purpose.

Similarly, you can organise your computer by creating folders for different topics. For example, you could have a folder for work-related documents, another for personal files, and another for downloads and miscellaneous items. Sorting your files this way can save you time and hassle when trying to find specific documents.

Another tip is to use file-naming conventions that make it easy to understand at a glance what the document or file contains. For instance, including the date in the filename helps you see recency and easily sort items chronologically. Simple steps like these can help you stay organised and efficient.

3. Invest in a Comfortable Chair 

We’ve all been there — toughing it out with an aching back while stuck in an uncomfortable chair and unable to focus. It’s challenging to be productive when in pain, and more so when it’s a daily occurrence. Hence, investing in a good chair is essential for productive team members.

A comfortable and ergonomic chair supports your back and makes it easy to focus on work. With the right chair, your employees can work comfortably and efficiently by avoiding unnecessary pain and inconveniences from sitting in an awkward position all day. It may seem small, yet it can significantly affect productivity levels. So if you’re looking for ways to boost your productivity and personalise your space, consider investing in comfortable office chairs.

4. Add Personal Photos or Artwork

Adding personal photos or paintings is one of the best ways to decorate and personalise your desk at work. This addition transforms your work area into an inspiring space where pictures of family and friends help remind you of those who matter most.

Artwork can add a touch of personality and flair, making your desk a truly unique space. It can make your space feel special and inviting and give you something to look at when you need a break from work. Whether you frame a favourite photo or display a piece of original art, adding personal touches to your desk will help create an inspiring and personalised space.

5. Get Plants or Flowers 

Office workers spend most working hours sitting at a desk in a cubicle surrounded by harsh fluorescent lighting and piles of paper. It’s no wonder many find their work environments uninspiring. A straightforward way to brighten the space and improve air quality is by adding some sort of vegetation, such as a plant or flowers.

Fostering our innate connection to nature, plants in the workplace offer numerous benefits. For instance, they purify the air by absorbing carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen and also help reduce noise levels. Additionally, studies have shown that having plants in the office can improve concentration and creativity, lower stress levels, and lead to fewer sick days.

6. Use Inspiring Colours and Patterns 

You can paint your office wall with matching colours and patterns to complement the greens from the previous tip. A colourful workspace can do wonders for productivity and creativity. Warm colours like orange or yellow encourage feelings of optimism, while cool colours like green and blue foster calmness and serenity.

Adding a colourful rug, planter or piece of wall art and choosing complementary colours gives the best effect. Go ahead and put your own personality into your workspace by using colours and patterns of your choice. Also, make sure your room is equipped with adequate lighting.

7. Shine Some Light

Adequate lighting helps reduce eye strain, improves productivity, and creates pleasant workspaces. Unfortunately, there are still many instances where employees operate in dimly lit offices, cubicles, and classrooms. If you relate to this, consider these three things to brighten up your space.

• First, use natural light by opening blinds and curtains during the day. Natural light regulates your body’s circadian rhythm, making you feel more alert during the day. Then, if possible, position desks near windows.
• Secondly, in the absence of ample natural light, supplement natural light with artificial lighting, such as desk lamps and overhead fixtures.
• Finally, ensure the lighting is of the correct type and intensity for the space.

These straightforward tips should help create a more inviting workspace.

8. Snacking Options

Adding a spoonful of sugar to your coffee or tea can actually improve your alertness and cognitive function since it releases dopamine in the brain, enhancing mood and motivation. Meanwhile, the caffeine in coffee or tea provides an additional energy boost.

Likewise, keeping healthy snacks nearby can help with concentration. If you feel peckish, you can reach for a snack instead of getting up and looking for something to eat. This can help you stay focused and avoid distractions. And if you’re working on a project that requires a lot of mental energy, having healthy snacks on hand helps you stay fueled, keeping your energy levels up.

Encourage Employees to Personalise Their Workspace

A personalised workspace can benefit both the employer and the employee. Personalised cubicle design allows employers to support their team members’ ability to do their best work without interruption. By allowing employees to set up and decorate their workspaces as per their preferences, you help foster positive attitudes and better engagement at work.

Employees feel more comfortable and enthusiastic about their work when the work environment aligns with their self-image and improves their sense of belonging. Moreover, giving workers more control to personalise their office space offers employees the freedom to inject a sense of identity and personality into their workspace, making them happier, more efficient and motivated. 

So, what are you waiting for? Get rid of uninspired, generic office designs, and personalise your office space today. See how it can help boost your overall office energy and happiness. After all, a happy worker is a productive worker!

Direct Office Furniture is a family-owned and managed business operating in WA for over 30 years. As office furniture specialists in Perth, we offer a wide range of office furniture in Melbourne, Sydney and all of Australia. We have Office Desks, Chairs, Workstations, office Storage, Tables, School Furniture, Café Furniture, and Office and Desk Accessories.

Save time and money by browsing through hundreds of products right now on our e-commerce platform. Our minimal lead times and in-house delivery and installation teams are also here to serve. Contact us or call 1800 849 117 to find out how we can help you personalise your workspace.