Home topics workplace hr-and-staff Advice Advice Editor's Choice Advice How workplace design affects employee productivity Guest Author October 24, 2014 If you think workplace design is something only large corporations have time to analyse and deploy in their immense and rich working environments, you’re in for a surprise. Small and medium-sized business owners can also influence the productivity of their employees through some relatively small changes applied to their workplace design. Here’s all you need to know about how to arrange your office to help your employees become more engaged and productive. Why does workplace design matter? A recent study conducted by the UK government found out that simple workplace changes, such as good lighting and reduction of background noise, can limit absenteeism by 15% and increase employees’ productivity by 2.8% and 20%. The report also pointed to the role of good workplace design in increasing worker satisfaction, motivation and staff retention. By providing a well-designed environment, employers can boost the creativity of their workers and affect the company’s success in attracting and retaining customers. Poor design, on the other hand, leads to a higher level of stress experienced by the employees. Noise Some people work well despite background noises, but the vast majority of workers find excessive sound annoying and distracting. When buying equipment for your office, make sure it doesn’t emit noises – beeping smartphones and loud telephone conversations conducted in open space office can significantly lower the productivity of your team. According to the National Institute for