Productivity continues to be a hot topic amongst today’s employers, joining the equally debated conversation on workplace wellbeing as two of the most dominant themes of 2017.
It’s no surprise that employee productivity and wellness are linked, but Bisley’s recently syndicated Wellness Together research on wellbeing in the workplace and the latest Leeseman study has revealed that the physical work environment plays a larger than expected part in how well employees felt they were equipped to carry out their job.
The Wellness Together study showed a clear correlation between productivity and how well employees felt catered for in their workplace, and how important personal storage was to an employee’s output.
Highest levels of productivity amongst workers who move around
Bisley’s research found that nearly half of employees surveyed felt their workplace did not enable them to be as productive as they could be. 37% felt that different spaces for different tasks would help, whilst 38% cite workspace flexibility as important. Unsurprisingly, one fixed space doesn’t suit all tasks – or all people.
The figures support Leeseman’s findings that those employees who were most mobile and not tied to any single work station reported the highest levels of productivity (67%).
But, before employers rush to remove all physical permanence for staff, the Bisley study shows that personal space is a critical component of workplace design and employee wellbeing.
Mobile storage helps with performance
The beauty of permanent personal storage is that it can also be mobile and, according to the study, employees already recognise that fact.
‘Personal storage within reach’ was ranked as the second most popular change or addition to workspace storage by workers, whilst ‘mobile storage’ came in third. The survey also revealed that mobile storage was more important to those in higher managerial positions (31%) compared to administrative workers (9%).
Whether mobile or not, personal storage continues to feature heavily in workplace requirements. Nearly a third of employees ranked own lockers or personal stowage space as important workplace facilities. Whilst a dedicated desk is becoming less of a mainstay in today’s flexible workplaces, it’s clear that personal storage, especially furniture on wheels or castors, is becoming increasingly essential.