Tag: Workplace Wisdom

If you do even the quickest search for ideal desk set-ups on Pinterest, you will be greeted by thousands upon thousands of inspirational ‘deskscapes.’ From minimalist Mac setups to multi-screen tech-heavy setups, there is a whole chorus of arguments all claiming to have the right answer.

But one thing that we’re certain of is this: the way you set up your desk will have a huge impact on your working day. The technology you can easily access, the comfort level of your seating arrangement, and how inspired your surroundings make you feel will all feed into how productive you are.

It’s probably fair to say that there is no definitive ‘perfect’ desk set up. The ideal desk will differ from employee to employee, so it may be wise to allow each member of your team a level of freedom and personalisation when it comes to setting up their own personal workspace.

Whether you’re preparing to set up your own workspace, a selection of meeting rooms or a whole fleet of office suites, we’d advise keeping the following three considerations in mind.

Ergonomic furniture

If you want your team members to be as efficient as possible, it’s important to consider their comfort. Badly considered desks and desk chairs could lead to aches, pains and even limiting health conditions such as carpal tunnel syndrome. As many as a third of office-related injuries are believed to be caused by poor workstation set-up.

According to ergonomic principles, the ideal workstation should place the top of the monitor at eye level or just below, with the monitor about an arm’s length away from the body. The chair is arguably the most important element to the whole thing, since it is the chair that needs to support you properly throughout the vast majority of the working day. 

 It needs to be easily adjustable in case others might need it too, and it should provide support to the whole body when it is seated in a variety of postures. You know that a chair is ergonomically sound if it allows good circulation in the thighs and allows the posture to be maintained with little physical effort. But possibly the most vital consideration when choosing the chair is to ensure that, in height and overall dimensions, it is suited to the type of desk you have opted for.

Keeping the necessary tech close by

The twenty-first-century office runs on technology. Your team will constantly be using digital equipment such as a laptop, smartphone, tablet, webcam, microphone, scanner, printer and smart screen. If you want your employees to be as productive as possible, it makes sense to ensure they have vital tech equipment to hand.

Keep the computer monitor between 20 and 40 inches from your face to minimise the risk of eye strain. Also, adjust the monitor so that the centre sits nicely at eye level. Or, if you are a wearer of bifocals, set the monitor around 15 degrees below eye level so that you can see it comfortably when you tilt your head back slightly to look down at it.

Keeping the space aesthetic

We humans are generally visual creatures. Simply put: we like things to look nice! The way a workstation looks will most certainly have an impact on how productive your team members are on a day-to-day basis. And from files to bottles of water, the general clutter of an office desk can be extremely distracting. Even something as simple as having computer wires on your desk can impact productivity.

Although there’s no specific ‘perfect’ desk set up, as you can see, there are plenty of things you can do with your desk to create a more positive impact on your employees.

The serviced offices at WorkWell are fitted out with high-quality and compliant furniture meeting all the above requirements. Taking on serviced office space here removes the worry of having to meet the requirements yourself! If you’re hoping to rent an office in Leeds or Harrogate, why not find out what WorkWell can offer?

Read More about Benefits of video conferencing

Is it the cup or the goal that makes your employers work hard?

I recently read the ‘wikihow’ post for how to get your team motivated. I loved it, it’s how I would like to think I work with my staff.

The players have to pull together, work as a team, and surprise opponents with collective vivaciousness, dexterity and solidarity.

As World Cup fervour mounts across the globe, it highlights the need for teamwork in all walks of life, and none more than the workplace.

Should employers aim for the goal or aim for the cup?

While football inevitably creates individual star players who create stunning solo moments from time to time in a match – hence the sought-after title ‘Man of the Match’ – a team triumphs with greater ease when its players are collectively on form.

The same model of mutual talent, hard work and teamwork can be applied in a working environment.

A bit like on the World Cup football pitch, there will be employees who are more highly skilled, experienced, qualified and hardworking than others. An employer naturally wants to hold onto these ‘star’ employees, develop and nurture them the same way Alex Ferguson did to the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo. Unfortunately for England, Ronaldo is not on their squad, but what England does have is a team of more than proficient players.

Encouraging employees to work together, collaborate, and spark ideas off each other helps breed innovation within the company. Creating a culture that encourages teamwork and collective productivity in the workplace will help your company effectively ‘score goals’.

But we all know scoring goals isn’t enough. What we all really want is to hold the cup.

This is when trusting employees by providing them with a flexible working pattern and environment could prove an invaluable step in the right direction to surpassing rival companies and moving into a leading position in your trade, effectively lifting the ultimate prize – the World Cup.

I got this lovely little infographic from ‘How to build the habit of engagement’

Five top reasons to set short-term goals

Setting goals is an inherent way to steer a business towards growth. Similar to Roy Hodgson’s squad, the only way to lift the trophy is by scoring goals. Setting short-term goals is vital if a business is going to compete with competitors and evolve from the limitations of being a start-up into becoming an established, larger company.

Take a look at the following top five reasons for setting short-term goals.

1-      Service goals

Setting goals related to improving customer service might be primarily short-term term but they will ultimately contribute to long-term growth. Goals related to improving customer satisfaction will help your business maintain client respect, attract more potential clients and create strong customer retention.

2-      Social goals

As the small business ideas publication Inc advises, short-term goals should also focus on social aspects. For example, providing goals that focus on giving back to the community will help increase a company’s PR, how they are seen within the local community and inevitably ensure the business is deemed with greater respect.

3-      Set cashflow goals

One short-term goal that ultimately affects long-term outcomes is to maintain cash flow control. Effective cash flow management enables a business to keep a tighter leash on costs and ultimately promote company growth. Cashflow problems waste time and money and ultimately threaten a business’s survival.

4-      Strategic thinking

Setting short-term goals helps businesses think within more strategic terms. Strategic planning is a “systematic way of planning for the future” and helps create a sustainable means to long-term survival. As Bacal and Associates, experts in helping businesses create workplace success, state, strategic thinking is a vital component in the success of any business.

5-      Building a better brand to create growth goals

Creating a more defined company brand through logos, business stationery, a slogan, and decisive company colours will help craft a more defined business which is consistent. Projecting your company’s personality and what it stands for through its logo, website, and other marketing avenues will help create effective branding, ultimately driving long-term success

Top reasons for setting long-term goals

According to Forbes, 8 out of 10 entrepreneurs who start a business fail within the first 18 months.  Setting long-term goals gives businesses direction, a greater sense of purpose and a better understanding of possible roadblocks, which all help drive long-term success.

Take a look at the top five reasons for setting long-term goals.

1-      The bigger picture

Having long-term goals in place enables CEOs, directors and business owners to see beyond the challenges of ‘today’ and have a clearer understanding of the working landscape in 12 months’, two years’ or even five years’ time.

2-      Maintaining motivation

Being bogged down with arduous and difficult tasks week in week out can lead to low company morale and the feeling of constantly treading in deep water. Having long-term goals in place helps us to see beyond the challenges of today. Knowing there is ‘light at the end of the tunnel’ helps boost company morale, ultimately creating a more contented, proactive and inspired workforce.

3-      Creating a compelling vision

As the Goal Setting Guide states, short-term goals are invaluable in helping companies create momentum; they are merely stepping stones to greater, sustainable success. Working out where you want your company to be in five years’ time, how many employees you will have, and what volume of clients will be on your books, will create a compelling vision. Sticking to this compelling vision could ultimately mean the difference between boom and bust.

4-      Helps you become more realistic

Having lost 1 – 2 to Italy, Roy Hodgson’s squad realistically knows that if they are going to make it out of the group stages in the World Cup, they need to defend better and score more goals. Short-term goals are great for nurturing immediate success and profit, but setting long-term goals provides businesses with a realistic vision of what is either possible or impossible to achieve.

5-      Be better prepared for potential obstructions  

Having a long-term strategy in place provides businesses of all sizes and industries with clearer direction. Having a solid direction in place will help your business be in a better position to anticipate setbacks. Being able to anticipate potential problems ensures companies are better prepared for potential roadblocks that inevitably stand in all businesses.

If you want your company to retain ownership of the cup, setting solid short-term goals that act as stepping stones to long-term goals will put your company in a much better position to not only still be in existence in five years’ time, but to be thriving.

The England manager Roy Hodgson believes there are goals in his World Cup squad and the team has the necessary ammunition to buck statistics in Brazil. Whether England has what it takes to lift the cup, we’ll have to wait for the World Cup drama to unravel in the next few weeks.

If you enjoyed this post, you may also enjoy our blog on how to grow and stay inspired with communal working.

Meanwhile, if you require a modern, communal, well-facilitated and inspiring location for your business, come for a viewing of WorkWells co-working space in Leeds and Harrogate.

Crafting an ‘eggtastic’ working environment at Easter

Technology and workplace evolution

Once upon a time not too long ago anyone who had their own home office, or even merely a desk, was an author, professor or company director. With the advent of the internet, email and mobile technology, dynamic working is now attainable to the masses. Fusing working from home with going into the office.

Hybrid working

A study carried out by the Confederation of British Industry showed that teleworking rose from 14% in 2006 to 46% in 2008. This figure has continued to rise and according to data from the Trade Union Centre (TUC), approximately four million people in the UK now work from home permanently, with millions more occasionally working from home.

With the obvious advantages of telecommuting, namely avoiding commutes to work and increased productivity, more and more employers are opting to give their workforce the homeworking option.

British Telecom was one of the homeworking pioneers. As far back as 1986, British Telecom began a telework scheme. Today 15,000 of the company’s 92,000 employees work from home. At HSBC, 15,000 out of 35,000 members of staff also have the option of working remotely. The company argues homeworkers save on average, £6,000 a year, take fewer sick days and are 20% more productive.

The shift toward remote and hybrid working has also contributed to the rise of co-working spaces, where independent professionals, freelancers, and employees working remotely can benefit from a structured yet flexible office environment. This change is not just altering traditional work patterns—it’s redefining our understanding of workplace efficiency.

Technology’s role in the workplace

Just as technology has revolutionised remote work, it has also reshaped how we operate within an office environment. Technology is encroaching into most areas of our lives, including how we run meetings. Thankfully, these technological advances are improving the dynamics of how business meetings and conferences work, making them ever more efficient and effective.

Technology has streamlined workplace communication, ensuring that interactions are permanently recorded via email and collaboration platforms rather than relying on word-of-mouth exchanges. This shift has improved accessibility, efficiency, and the ability to communicate seamlessly across teams and time zones.

The benefits of technology for the workplace

How technology breaks down workplace barriers

Whether it is routing calls effectively, having access to internal systems or being able to monitor productivity amongst employees, it is all made possible with the use of cloud-based technologies.

Increased collaboration

Cloud computing enables companies to deploy communication tools, apps, and shared databases, making collaboration effortless. Businesses can now integrate new tools while phasing out outdated systems more seamlessly than ever before. What once took months to implement can now be introduced in weeks or even days, significantly boosting efficiency and agility.

Small businesses gaining a competitive edge

Whilst using cloud-based systems was once a privilege for larger organisations with bigger budgets, now smaller companies with smaller budgets have access to these technologies. This gives smaller businesses a competitive edge against larger competitors, by being able to access the same technology-assisted tools.

For example, video conferencing—once an expensive, enterprise-level tool—is now available to businesses of all sizes. This has made remote meetings, international collaboration, and virtual networking as accessible to startups as they are to multinational corporations.

What are your thoughts about the homeworking revolution? Are you, like HSBC and British Telecom, in favour of giving employees the flexibility of virtual offices? Or are you more on Yahoo’s wavelength, who’s CEO recently banned remote working as part of a new “era of collaboration?”