Is Your Office Space Ready for Summer?

For those of us who work in offices, summer can be a testing season. The heat can make you feel lethargic and snappy, and you can’t always help your mind wandering to the continental poolside bar where you are soon to be holidaying.

The good news is there are plenty of ways to stay productive and tackle the challenges summer brings. We’ve compiled a list of great tips to ensure your office ready for heat, and even offer some great design ideas for your office refurbishment or fit out.

Read on for our top five…

Keep Employees Hydrated

According to a study conducted by the University of East London, drinking water can result in a 14% increase in productivity. This is particularly important in the humid summer months when you perspire more and need to stay hydrated to cope with the heat.

Water machines are one option, but the good news is that tea and coffee also count as water intake. With some smart office space planning, you can introduce a tea point with a hot water dispenser. This is great for smaller offices where there may not be enough room for a café area.

Need inspiration for your tea point? Check out the tea point Rap Interiors designed for Diversified Communication’s fit out in Brighton.

Prevent Flies

When a fly enters your office and won’t leave (despite your attempts to chase it with repellent spray), it’s annoying and distracting. What’s worse, flies are a big risk to human health because they can cause contamination when they land on food, work surfaces and equipment. That inevitably can lead to employees taking sick days, meaning productivity suffers.

To ensure your office is ready for the invasion of the flies, there are several things you can do. For example, you could put fly screens across windows or introduce control units (aka fly boxes). You could also reconfigure your office space design to include a designated eating area. That way employees won’t leave food on their desk or around the workplace, which is exactly what the little devils want!

Create A Summer Vibe

According to a survey by Office Genie, workplace design is the most important factor when it comes to staff happiness. Therefore it’s important to keep your office up to date with a refurbishment when it starts to look a little ragged.

To create a summer vibe, choosing the right colour scheme is especially important. Before you consult a refurbishment company to begin painting, make sure you check out Pantone’s vibrant colour palette, which is accompanied by handy descriptions to help inform your decision. Primrose Yellow, for example, is “marked by enthusiasm, good cheer and sunny days,” while Island Paradise is said to be “emblematic of tropical settings and our desire to unwind.”

Pantone’s colour of the year is Greenery due to its “fertile attributes”, which is perfect for a summer refurb. This ties in with the biophilic office design, which brings the outside in with plants, walls of foliage and natural light, thus helping employees to relax.

For more inspiration, don’t forget to check out our blog and video on new office furniture trends from Clerkenwell Design Week. This year there was a big emphasis on colourful, geometric patterns which would also be fitting for a summer aesthetic.

Stay Cool

Studies have proved that hot weather tests our tempers, which can lead to aggressive or violent behaviour. This is the last thing you want in an office, so you should make plans to ensure your employees remain cool.

You could, for example:

• Switch to LED Lights – LED Lights are much cooler than incandescent or CFL blubs, so switching over is extremely beneficial when it comes to the summer. You could also get reactive LED lights that turn off when people leave the office, which helps to reduce energy bills.
• Keep tabs on your tech – Make sure your computers are not overheating, or that no team members are bringing in a hot, whirring laptop. If you feel like it’s time to upgrade your equipment, check out the way Hudl have integrated technology into their workplace.
• Introduce Blinds – It’s a simple solution, but can help to prevent solar heat gain through windows that can significantly add to the temperature of a building.
• Keep your HVAC system clean – Ensure that your HVAC’s ducts, filters and fans are not clogged with dust or debris. A clean system will deal with the heat more effectively.

Encourage Exercise

Employees may feel more inclined to cycle to work or jog during lunch during summer, and encouraging this can be very beneficial to your company. Studies have proved that regular exercise not only boosts productivity, but improves overall the health of employees – meaning less sick days.

Introducing office showers is a great way of encouraging exercise. While this may require some expert office space planning (or even a refurbishment if you have existing showers), if you’re aiming for long term success then this can help to attract talented employees.

More businesses are starting to see the benefits of creating a healthier environment for their employees. This has seen a rise in the popularity of equipment like height adjustable desks, which allow employees to stand up while working.  While that may sound uncomfortable for some, it is worth noting that standing up can have several health benefits, including less obesity risk, reduced cancer risk, longer life and better posture.

Need a Refurb? Speak to Our Office Interior Designers

Are you looking to make changes to your office this summer? Rap Interiors are an award winning fit out and refurbishment company with over 25 years of experience. For cutting design solutions that will set you up for future success, contact us on 0333 600 1234 or email refurb@rapinteriors.co.uk