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The importance of increased working space
If the average person spends one-third of their life at work, adequate work environments become prime considerations for both employee satisfaction and retention.
Imagine you have a full schedule of tasks to finish in your day. Your “to do” list keeps growing and you’re organizing all the details in your workspace as you plan your actions ahead. It’s something most people can relate to. How much different is it when you have a large, spacious area, free of distractions and clutter, compared to a tiny desk that’s cramped with files, papers, books, tablets and notes. You could have boxes of supplies at your feet, or inventory that’s spilling over into where you work.
It’s way more difficult to concentrate and to focus on getting organized. Sometimes a mere four or five square feet more can make all the difference. Now compound that difference across the entire organization. Possibly hundreds of people hindered by a lack of space preventing them from accomplishing great things for your business. A little more space for each employee could be incredibly transformative (and very profitable).
Job satisfaction and workplace happiness aren’t buzz-words today, they’re practically a key performance indicator (KPI) for company success. Workplace environment and employee mental and physical health are tied together. And it’s up the company to ensure that their personnel – the most valuable asset a company has – is able to perform at their maximum capacity.
Many factors lead to employees success, and their surroundings contribute in a meaning full way. What size of working space is sufficient depends on the nature of the work and cultural perceptions, of course. However, having all the resources they need to work well is essential – including adequate space within which to work.
Job dissatisfaction leads to unhappiness at work, which expresses itself with higher levels of stress, disengagement and lack of loyalty - each with significant costs that ultimately are detriment to performance. Harvard Business Review reports health care expenditures are 50% greater at organizations with elevated levels of stress. The dangers of disengagement are similarly costly. In studies by the Queens School of Business, disengaged employees:
- Were 37% more often absent
- Involved in 49% more accidents
- Produced 60% more errors and defects.
The results of disengagement resulted in:
- 18% lower productivity
- 16% lower profitability
- 65% lower share price over time
Lack of loyalty is a third cost. Research shows that workplace stress leads to an increase of almost 50% in voluntary turnover. People start searching for other work, decline promotions or resign. The turnover costs associated with recruiting, training, lowered productivity and lost expertise are significant (replacing a single employee costs approximately 20% of their salary).
It's important to recognize when it's time to increase your working space. Here are a number of reasons why it’s worth investing in an industrial or manufacturing work setting that provides the space and environment that encourages and develops employees to their fullest potential.
Spacious working environments contribute to positive physical and mental health
Successful employees require more than just a fair salary and vacation time to be engaged. They want to know they are contributing to their team’s performance and doing their part to make the world a better place. It’s one reason so much emphasis has been placed on an organization’s mission and vision. People can work anywhere; they want to believe in what the company is doing to be truly loyal. Organizations need to reward this loyalty by provide adequate resources to work, and that includes plenty of space to avoid feeling crowded and confined.
People measure their status in the size of their working space, whether it be in an office or in a work area along an assembly line. It’s part of the culture and values a workplace can foster and makes personnel feel that their company cares about their mental and physical health. The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety suggests that a single workstation should be at least 42-square feet per person. Providing enough space to work comfortably is an essential component of healthy ergonomics, which can help prevent chronic physical injury and is tied to good mental health. Small changes like providing sit/stand desks and encouraging space for movement have amazing impacts to the energy of employees. Unhealthy employees ultimately cost the company money.
Space creates constructive connections and collaboration – Open spaces, a current design trend in offices, tend to encourage collaboration. Management can mix with employees to share ideas, be creative and foster innovation. Simple measures can be taken to create a more open environment. Think about the location of workspaces in relation to production line organization or building layout. These changes cost little to nothing but can contribute greatly to improving team dynamics and increasing engagement.
Spaces to provide respite and breaks – As often as we need team members to collaborate, time and space should be reserved to allow people access to quiet opportunities and relaxation. Independent thinking and private meetings encourage creativity and problem solving without interruption. Companies should offer a variety of spaces for employees to choose based on their preferences. Small breaks to decompress can boost productivity and prevent employees from burning out. Sometimes getting away from the usual setting for a few minutes can refresh energy levels.
Increased productivity – Happy employees are productive employees. An individualized workspace contributes to happiness that can increase productivity by as much as 12%. Designing your building’s workspaces and environment with your team's happiness in mind will directly increase overall productivity.
More space creates safe and secure storage – High on the list of employee needs that lead to job satisfaction and engagement is a sense of security. It may seem obvious, but team members are less likely to be distracted if they know their possessions (coats, purses, bags, etc.) are stored somewhere safe while they are working. Change rooms and secure locker rooms make a huge difference, especially during winter where people have more outerwear to leave somewhere. Complementing this secure storage for employees is having enough safe areas for stationery, items for sales and supplies to prevent theft (shortage), loss or spoilage.
Appealing workspaces help attract future talent – An engaged workforce is important, but companies also need to look to the future and see what they can do to set themselves apart from the competition when it comes to attracting new talent. As a younger demographic replaces a retiring one, employers need to understand that they only know innovative workplaces, modern open-concept designs that encourage interaction. Your workplace design will need to accommodate their preferences.
Greater storage and working space help grow your business
Space considerations can become complicated very quickly. It’s easy to focus on the requirements for equipment, offices and inventory but accounting for the human element is an essential component for increasing productivity, engagement and happiness. Storage is always important for business, whether you’re a small organization or large multinational corporation, and companies can always use more space. The more the better. More space means more space to work, more freedom to collaborate, less clutter, better organization and, simply, more space to create, store and sell.
Whether on a gross or marginal basis, companies benefit from lower costs and team productivity by possessing secure space to work and storage. Team members can access materials and resources more easily, saving time to finishing tasks and keeping projects organized. The additional space you allocate to your team adds great value, especially when it can be added in an affordable and easy to build way. They’ll appreciate having more room for their activities, safe and secure premises for their possessions and spending their days in a comfortable and modern setting built around their needs.
Let’s get started
Pre-engineered metal buildings offer the flexibility you want no matter the size of facility you need. Our rigid-frame system means your project can be completed faster and at less cost than with traditional concrete and wood construction. Summit Steel Buildings’ pre-engineered walls systems ensures your metal building is expandable. You never need to worry about outgrowing your building space. Future expansion is quick and inexpensive by adding onto your length with additional modular units. You can be assured you’ll be able to address future capacity without being locked into an existing concrete construction. It’s one way you can address future needs without compromising current operations. Speak with one of our representations to get started. We look forward to helping you determine the size of space your team is going to need.
About the author
Frank Melo has a construction engineering and business background with over 25 years of experience as a business owner and contractor. He was born in the Azores on the island of São Miguel and moved to London, Ontario at the age of two. After studying architecture, Frank graduated from Fanshawe College’s civil engineering technology program. He divides his time between projects primarily in Ontario and British Columbia. Frank can be contacted at Summit Steel Buildings at (778) 951-4766, by email at frank.melo@summitsteelbuildings.com or you can connect with him on
LinkedIn.
