4 Tips for Transforming Your Office into a Space Employees and Clients Actually Enjoy

Home is where the heart is. But it doesn’t have to be the heart’s exclusive location. Companies like Google and Apple understand the need to transform the workspace into a place that inspires people to want to be there and do their best work.

When you initially set up your office, you very likely designed it with productivity in mind. Budget was probably also a factor. You picked up a few rows of cubicles from Cubicle Discount Emporium.

You then caught the clearance sale from Desks and Chairs R Us. After that, it was a simple matter of finding some second-hand office phones, and Windows XP computers before calling it a day. Oh, and you bought a plant for the corner. Nice.

The only thing you don’t have in your office is a happy and inspired workforce: the one thing you absolutely need. Without starting from scratch, there are a few things you can do to get it. Here are four:

Inspirational Murals

How much time do you, your employees, and your visitors spend staring at the walls? Chances are, it is quite a bit more than you realize. Some part of your brain is processing the wall all the time. Because the wall is almost always in view, even if only at the periphery of your vision.

If you were going for neutral indifference with your wall color choice, congratulations. You probably achieved it. The real question should be, is that really what you wanted from your employees and visitors. If so, do nothing. If you would like to do something more useful with all that wall space. Try going for inspired motivation.

Fortunately, it is easy to find custom wall murals that can fill your eye-space with scenes of nature, space, artful designs, or even unicorns. Your mural choices are limited only by your imaginations and whatever you can provide in a picture.

These are perfect for leased spaces as they are easy to install and remove without damage to the wall. You can choose picture frame sizes, or customize them to fit any portion of the wall. It is a great way to transform the time your office occupants stare at the wall into something truly productive and inspiring.

Standing Desks

Not everyone can stand up all day. But everyone who can stand should stand from time to time throughout their workday. The problem with standing is that it means stopping the work that is being done for a couple of minutes while you stretch, get some coffee, and catch up with coworkers. That's probably going to take more than a couple of minutes come to think of it.

A standing desk can encourage standing while eliminating the need for work interruption. It is not just about maintaining productivity. There are a number of benefits to using a standing desk. Including an option for a standing desk will make all the difference for many of your fitness-conscious employees.

Device Choice

More control is one of the trickiest but most fruitful changes you can make in your office. It is tricky because if you let go of control of the wrong thing, your business quickly unravels. That fear leads many companies to try and control everything as if their employees were small children.

One of the best ways to unleash an employee's productivity and creativity is to let them use the device of their choice. Allow them to choose whether they want to use a PC or Mac, iPhone or Android. You don't even have to provide the device. Embrace BYOD. They can get a lot more done on the device they already know, love, and use every day.

The Outdoors

Sometimes the best thing you can do for your in-office employees is to provide a way for them to get out. A couple of tables and a bench can do wonders for a moment's refreshment and peace of mind. Extend wifi so that a person can bring their laptop and work outside on a nice day.

Combine that with inspiring murals, standing desk , and their choice of device, and you will transform the office from a place people go to work to a place where people can be their most inspired and creative selves.