Business Benefits: The Great Outdoors
Owning a business means taking on huge responsibilities. Not just for big budgets and winning big clients, but for a staff who are willing to work for you. When you have to lead a workforce, you become responsible for their personal happiness as well as their jobs. People rely on their jobs to live, to provide them with purpose and to be an escape where they can reach their goals. As an employer, it’s only fair that you make a big effort to meet those goals and give your staff a good experience in their role. When you own an office, a big part of that experience at work is to provide good facilities and show people that you are impressive!
Think about it, big players like Google and Facebook are renowned for their impressive office outlay and setups. They know that the way that they have set up their offices are designed to provide a sanctuary for their staff, while adding value to the property itself. Being the type of company that is going to provide vending machines, slides instead of stairs and games rooms is a good thing. Work is a place people have to be to earn money and progress themselves, but that doesn’t mean it has to be a silent prison. We spend a huge chunk of our lives in the workplace, so it would make sense that we would choose somewhere that benefits ourselves. When you chose your office building for your company, what made you pick it? Was it the fact you could buy a building and renovate it? Whatever the reason, you are the person in charge and you need to consider how you can use every area of your office building to your advantage.
A lot of commercial property owners buy based on the look of an office; the shape of the building, the height of the trees nearby and even the outdoor space, and there’s a good reason for it. Not only is the building aesthetic important to be able to impress clients and competitors, the outdoor space can be utilised for the staff on board. There is enough research out there to show that spending all day long inside is not good for health. Overexposure to recycled air from the HVAC and the harsh and unnatural lighting can play havoc with the health of your staff. So, making sure that the outdoor space is spruced up and ready to go is important. Not only will your staff feel healthier and better, they’ll feel far more looked after and be loyal to you for it. It’s a win-win situation all around. If you get your outdoor area looking amazing while being functional, you can improve memory, sort out their stress levels and get them forging good relationships in the office. So, how can you create a wonderful outdoor space for your staff that will pay off for you in the long run?
Rooftops & Balconies. Most urban spaces lack a little greenery or an area for a deck outside. Instead, they utilise rooftops and balconies as their little pieces of fresh air for staff. Bringing in a company like Retracom to install sun shades and awnings over the roof space means that people can enjoy the great outdoors without burning in the heat of the sun; rooftops often add little shade. You could really help your staff by installing outlets and ensuring that the company Wi-Fi signal stretches enough so that when things inside get too stuffy, people can venture out. Enjoying a change of scene can make a lot of difference and help people to clear their heads.
Patios. Building onto existing green space with a patio can be an easy way to help your staff escape for a while. You could make it quite the impressive space and provide tables for your staff to enjoy an outdoor lunch. This could also be a prime summer meeting spot for your clients, allowing them to feel as impressed as you’d hope with your offerings as a company. You see, an outdoor patio provides a level of peace and quiet from the bustle of the office and working outside can have an excellent effect on the vitamin D levels of your staff.
Walkways. Some companies are lucky enough to have purchased office buildings with land on them. You could turn some of that land into a miniature park, with winding paths, shrubbery and trees and even benches lining the area. Sometimes you need to get away from your desk and stretch your legs, well, your staff need the same from you. A space that is full of walkways can get people out and moving, which can help ideas to flow more freely and people to get a little exercise in their day.
Your staff are going to benefit massively from having an outdoor space to work from during the day. You can pretty much guarantee reduced stress levels, which equals happier staff. When you offer an outdoor working/lunch area for staff, you have to make a point that it’s not just a space for the office smokers to take a break, it’s a space for everyone to be a part of, including you. Allowing your staff the freedom to sit outside to work with a company laptop instead of in a stuffy office with a desk is going to change the way that you do business and the way that your staff perceive you. You want people to view you as someone who is gracious and is lenient; that doesn’t mean that you are a pushover as a leader, it just means that you understand give and take.
Caring about your employees is crucial to workplace success and offering a stellar benefit like an outdoor workspace can help you to attract the top talent – people in a good position seek out the companies that have the best benefits. If this is something that you can offer, then you should be hot on it today. The great outdoors could change your company!
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