A few years ago, engineering and software firm Autodesk began thinking seriously about how to use its office space to improve employee productivity. The basic idea was quite simple: change the layout so that it optimized a bunch of parameters, such as access to daylight. 

 

The actual solution to the problem was more complicated than the designers initially believed, though. It turned out that the only way to get a handle on the issue was to use machine learning to optimize the layout of the office, given all the constraints. 

 

 

Autodesk eventually succeeded in creating an office using AI that fulfilled the company’s criteria. Workers were able to access natural light, move quickly between workstations, and find “happenstance” opportunities to chat with each other and share their ideas. The result was an estimated productivity increase of around 20 percent – something that more than paid for all the R&D involved. 

 

Your company doesn’t have to go to the same extremes as Autodesk did. But there will be many ways you can improve your baseline performance dramatically. Here are some proven office hacks that increase worker output per hour. 

 

Allow Workers To Install Multi-Monitor Setups

 

Take a quick walk around your office and count the number of browser tabs the average worker has open at any particular time. What do you notice? If it’s five or six, then perhaps a single monitor will suffice. But if it’s several dozen, then there’s a good chance that your people need multi-monitor setups. 

 

Don’t underestimate the effects that more screen real estate can have on average productivity levels. Having a larger display area means that workers can access information faster and don’t have to switch tabs so often. Furthermore, they also tend to feel more relaxed and confident while working, knowing that they have more space. 

 

 

Shorten Your Meetings

 

A lot of companies engage in long, laborious meetings that don’t really get anywhere. Not only does this hurt morale, but it also takes people away from their work – and that’s a big problem. 

 

Here’s an idea: have fewer and shorter meetings. Try to create a template that employees must use if they want to organize a gathering. And ensure that every session has a purpose – something it needs to achieve. 

 

 

Install Quality Printers And Copiers

 

We’ve all worked in offices where the printing and copying equipment is sub-par. You spend all day long waiting by the machine, trying to get the darn thing to work. 

 

Companies need to avoid this type of interruption in workflow at all costs. Having less-than-ideal equipment can sap productivity and eat into worker morale. 

 

Ideally, you need units that process paper in sufficient volumes and connect wirelessly to your terminals. Find a printer and copier dealer in your area that offers both products and installation and find out from them which solutions are most beneficial for your setup. 

 

Get Your Team Moving 

 

 

Sometimes meetings are unavoidable. You need to exchange ideas with your colleagues. Here’s an idea: host a walking meeting with your colleagues. 

 

This strategy effectively kills two birds with one stone. It allows you to discuss whatever issue is on your list while getting physical activity too. 

 

Evidence suggests that the more people move, the better able they are to think. They also feel less stressed when they return to the office. 

 

If you want to optimize further, you might organize your walking meetings for the early hours of the afternoon when most people feel sluggish after lunch. Getting people moving on a daily basis for 30 minutes can help improve concentration levels and stop them from falling asleep at their desks. 

 

 

Allow More Light Into The Office

 

 

We all know that people are at their best when there is more light getting into the office. Studies show that natural light reduces stress and helps them focus for longer. It can even enhance their overall sense of wellbeing. 

 

Promote Healthy Habits

 

You can’t control your colleagues’ habits while they are outside the office, but you can promote healthy lifestyles while they’re at work. 

 

For instance, you could organize an expert to conduct a workshop, telling people how to eat more healthily. You could also modify the food on offer in your canteen if you have one, stripping out the junk and replacing it with something better. 

 

Promoting healthy habits can be framed positively too. You can point out the importance of vitality instead of focusing on the things that people need to cut out of their lives.