Health And Safety


Stress is a useful tool in the workplace but only to a degree. Good stress can motivate employees to get tasks completed on time. Good stress can motivate employees to lend a hand on large projects or put forth a bit of extra effort. But too much stress can do the opposite. It can cause employees to crumble under the psychological pressure of due dates and project requirements. That is why it is imperative that companies work to reduce stress in the office.

Music

Music is an incredibly powerful tool. Studies indicate that music can actually alter our brain’s perception of time. This is why fast music with a heavy base (such as rock or metal) helps to encourage people at the gym work faster and harder. It is also the same reason why classical music slows down the mind and the body. The beat and the tempo of the music will actually cause your brain to think time is speeding up or slowing down. That being said if your employees are particularly stressed about a project playing classical or calming music throughout the hallways or the lobby or even in each office can inspire them to calm down and perceive time as moving slowly. This can alleviate stress in the office. If of course an individual needs to meet a fast-approaching deadline music with a bit more of a beat would be more effective. In either case music plays a big role.

Colors

Different colors evoke different emotions. That is why it is so important to choose carefully. For example: light blue has a calming effect on people whereas bright orange induces anger. Your office needs to have a sprig of color here and there in the form of artwork or furniture or even plants. A stale white office will appear communist in nature and will not encourage productivity. Different colors may be better suited to your company’s purpose or mission so bear this in mind when picking out the color scheme.

You can brighten a room with a nice piece of art or a plant in addition to colored furniture or painted walls. Art for example will bring a workspace to life and improve the flavor of your office space. It can be a series of books available in the break room or paintings hung on the wall. It can even be sculptures placed in the hallway. Seeing plants thriving in a window or passing a beautiful painting as employees saunter down the hall will help to reduce stress.

Lighting

Lighting plays a major role in reducing stress. People cannot thrive under a series of harsh fluorescent lights. Soft lighting can make all the difference in terms of the feel of a room. It can mean the difference between your office feeling welcoming and your office being a prison to which employees are confined. That being said your office should use natural sunlight from any window as often as possible. If you do not have windows perhaps installing them would bode well for employee productivity.