In case it’s slipped your notice, it’s ‘a bit’ hot across Britain at the moment! We’re currently experiencing a heatwave that’s been at its highest in over 40 years. But does the weather’s ambience make you a feel a little fatigued when sitting at your desk?

Unlike a summer’s holiday getaway to a warm foreign country, where you’ll no doubt be relaxing by the pool and lapping up the sun’s rays; the same cannot be said when you have to get up and go to work – without a pool to jump into.

Are you currently sitting in a cramped office that may not have air conditioning or any other mod cons? Maybe it’s time to consider your office space for the future.

Perhaps as a result, productivity in your office has been hugely impacted, or maybe your staff are literally melting from the heat at their desks? Office space can be notoriously hot and if your office isn’t equipped properly it can lead to high temperatures leaving staff hot, drained and lethargic which in turn will reduce that all important productivity.

With this in mind, The Approved Code of Practice and guidance suggests the minimum temperature in a workplace should normally be at least 16 degrees Celsius or at least 13 degrees Celsius if the work involves rigorous physical effort. However, these temperatures are not an absolute legal requirement, nonetheless employers have a duty to determine what reasonable comfort will be in their particular workplace circumstances.

Thus, The FMJ reported in 2014 that around one third of workers lose productivity due to uncomfortable office temperatures. 29% of workers estimated that they don’t work for between 10 – 30 minutes a day due to it being too hot or too cold. Around 6% of office workers felt more than 30 minutes per day was wasted where they could not work efficiently because the office temperature was not conducive to working efficiently. When these results are fully analysed it suggests that around 2% of office hours are wasted each year due to problem office temperatures.

If your company is feeling the pinch of restricted productivity, an Office refurbishment is a great idea to reassess your working environment and identify key issues that lead to a better future for all concerned.

It also eradicates the need to move premises, but having said that, sometimes moving your business is just not possible. If you’re existing business premises are tired, worn, run-down and not motivating to employees. The ABS Group can assist you with your office refurbishment and will help you to assess your building for improvements.

By inviting us to review your existing offices, we will carry out a workplace and property appraisal and develop office planning schemes that will revive the office environment and make better use of the current structure to introduce new, improved facilities and expand your workforce.

With extensive experience in occupied refurbishment projects, as office refurbishment contractors, we know that your staff cannot be disrupted, so our contracts managers will work alongside you to develop a suitable project programme. Our duty to health and safety also ensures we can work in and around your workforce if necessary.

Call The ABS Group on 01245 360060 to discuss your project today!

If productivity has decreased and staff creative spark is little more than a faint flicker, pointing an accusatory finger and gruffly questioning their work ethic is likely to shatter any lingering morale.

In most cases, employee production and joy is closely linked to their atmosphere, which means the right working area can greatly increase efficiency and exuberance in one fell swoop.

Rather than paying a small fortune installing a driving range or a hammock for every employee, though, all it takes is a dollop of inventiveness and a bit of your time to foster a creative environment.

Brighten the Space

Nobody wants to work in an environment where the walls are a murky shade of grey and the staff room wouldn’t look out of place in the Shawshank Redemption. Consequently, it pays to familiarise yourself with colour theory, which attributes certain feelings to colours (blue is stabilising, red is energising, for example) and allows you to strike the right balance in your office

Welcome Natural Lighting

It’s hardly a secret that natural light benefits our health and boosts creativity, so if your office isn’t making the most of its natural light sources, it’s time to change your viewpoint. Additionally, exposure to daylight leads to more restful sleep in the evening and can alleviate workplace stress and depression.

Grab Some Greenery

It may sound simple, but by providing in a range of office plants for your workplace, the collective wellbeing and productivity of your employees – not to mention the profitability of your company – will improve dramatically. In fact, studies have shown up to 50 per cent of office-based workers would work an extra hour a day if they liked their surroundings. Winner!

Clear the Clutter

Walk into any office around the globe and you’ll find workspaces littered with more clutter than you can shake a stick at – but this apparent desk-based disorder could be detrimental to your employees’ productivity and creativity. As a result, try to encourage a clear desk policy and ask employees to avoid unnecessary paperwork, which should also cut down on waste in the workplace.

Embrace Ergonomics

If your employees sit in uncomfortable office chairs and are hunched over an unsuitable desk for eight hours a day, it’s highly unlikely to foster a creative environment. Therefore, make sure you embrace ergonomics and invest in specially designed office chairs, as well as encouraging your employees to sit properly to avoid any long-term damage to their bodies.