Want to keep your employees happy, engaged and excited to come to work?
Let’s face it. Staff morale has never been lower. Between burnout and disconnection from work, employees are not feeling it at the moment. But here’s the thing…
Most employers are looking in all the wrong places to fix it.
The reality is that simple office upgrades that don’t break the bank can massively improve how your employees feel each and every day. No major renovations or huge investments of cash and time.
Cosmetic Office Upgrades That Impact Morale (& How To Get Started)
- Why Office Cleanliness Matters (More Than You Think)
- The Psychology Of Office Cleanliness On Employee Morale
- 5 Office Upgrades That’ll Instantly Boost Morale
- How To Make Your Office Someone’s Happy Place
Why Office Cleanliness Matters (More Than You Think)
Let’s look at some facts.
Only 31% of employees in the U.S. were engaged with their job in 2024, according to Gallup. That means nearly 70% of employees walked into their place of work, disconnected and unhappy.
That creates massive issues with productivity, sick days, and employee retention.
What most employers fail to realise is that a large percentage of employee disengagement comes from the physical work environment. The space your team spends more than 40 hours a week has an enormous impact on how they feel about coming into work. From the office lighting to whether or not the break room is clean.
Clean Office Means Happy Workers
And guess what’s the easiest way to improve your office environment?
Yep. Keeping your office clean is one of the most simple ways to turn employee morale around.
Employees Who Feel Appreciated = Customers Who Feel Appreciated
One important thing to note here is especially important for certain business environments.
Needless to say, the cleanliness standards will be different for an accounting firm versus a medical facility.
Medical facility cleaning requires you to have a near-photogenic level of cleanliness. After all, you’re working in an environment where people’s lives depend on you and your staff feeling comfortable and safe.
Not only will your staff feel better about coming into work, but your clients will feel better about visiting your facility.
Medical cleaning services like Precimax Clean Perth allow medical professionals to focus on what they do best by providing exceptional cleaning services.
The Psychology Of Office Cleanliness On Employee Morale
Most people don’t think twice about how clean their office is.
But it’s important to note that how clean an office is perceived to be can massively impact how your employees feel about coming to work.
Did you know 94% of employees surveyed say they feel more productive when working in a clean office?
Room To Improve
If your office is dirty, cluttered, and poorly maintained you’re almost certainly losing productivity and employee morale.
Again, this is especially true for businesses that work in sensitive environments.
As mentioned above, medical offices have to keep a very clean work environment for their staff and their clients.
Simple Ways To Keep Your Office Clean
Cleaning doesn’t have to be expensive or difficult.
Here are a few tips to keep your office feeling fresh:
- Keep lint rollers and wipes by the coffee machine.
- Refill your toilet paper before it runs out. You wouldn’t believe how many places have left the ‘oops’ sticky note on the roll.
- Reinforce cleaning with your overnight cleaners. If your office uses an overnight cleaning service, reinforce with them how important certain things are to you.
- Wash the dishes in the break room. This one is shocking, but true. A poster on the break room wall is not a substitute for washing dishes.
5 Office Upgrades That’ll Instantly Boost Morale
Alright, now that’s out of the way. Let’s get into some cosmetic office upgrades that’ll make your employees excited to come to work.
Upgrade Your Lighting
Believe it or not, your lighting can severely impact how your employees feel when they walk into the office.
Blue or white lighting is known to cause headaches, fatigue, and eye strain. When your employees aren’t feeling their best, productivity goes down.
Swap out your bulbs for LED or warm lighting. Open blinds and let in as much natural light as possible. If you have desk areas, provide desk lamps for employees to use.
Not only will the new lighting save you money, but it’ll brighten up the mood of your office.
Invest In Comfortable Chairs
This should go without saying, but if your employees are sitting in uncomfortable chairs all day, they’re going to be miserable.
Chairs and desks can be expensive. Don’t feel like you have to overhaul your entire office space.
Replace the chairs that get used most with ergonomic ones. Slowly move workstation by workstation to make the change.
Provide A Comfortable Break Room
Having a clean, comfy place for your employees to take a break is crucial.
Your break room doesn’t need to be the Ritz-Carlton, but throwing down a comfortable couch and some nice coffee can really add to the morale of your employees.
Think about it this way, when you’re having a rough day at work and you get to take a break to sit in your favourite sweatpants. Instant mood booster.
Declutter Your Space
Here’s a fun fact.
Visual clutter affects your employees’ ability to focus.
When their workspace is cluttered and disorganized, your employees will feel overwhelmed and stressed.
Start cleaning up your workspace by throwing out old equipment and broken chairs.
Bring in cabinets to organize your office supplies. If you can’t fit everything away, start a ‘clean desk policy’ where employees have to wipe their desk at the end of the day.
The cleaner your office is, the better your employees will feel when they walk into a clean work environment.
Improve Your Air Quality
Last but not least. If your office has poor air circulation, your employees won’t feel their best.
Service your HVAC filters, and throw some indoor plants in the office. If you have windows open, cool air can circulate.
The happier your employees are, the happier your customers will be.
How To Make Your Office Someone’s Happy Place
Tackle one office upgrade at a time. You don’t want to overwhelm yourself and your employees.
The best place to start is cleanliness. Deep clean your office and change your lighting.
Once you’ve tackled those two, pick one of the other upgrades and repeat until your office is an absolute palace.
Your office should be a place where your employees enjoy coming to work.
Above all, your office is a reflection of you.
If you care about your employees keeping your office clean and a nice place to be, your employees will notice and they’ll appreciate you for it.
Benefits of Upgrading Your Office
Small office upgrades can go a long way when trying to improve your employees’ morale.
The world is in a place where employee happiness has never been lower. Simple things like cleaning your office and upgrading your lighting can change how your employees feel when they walk into your office.
Remember:
Don’t neglect your office and expect your employees to be happy.
When was the last time you had someone deep clean your house?
You’d be pretty shocked when you came home to see everything spotless right?
The same thing applies to your office.
Keep your office clean. Upgrade your lighting. Provide comfortable furniture for your employees.
These small changes will spark a difference in your employees and they’ll notice.
Employees Who Feel Appreciated = Customers Who Feel Appreciated