Making yourself at home in the office

With Christmas and the festive season just around the corner we have been thinking about how we have made ourselves at home in the office over the last few weeks.

The Christmas decorations have gone up, tinsel around computer monitors and a Christmas tree in the corner of the office. Perhaps just as much effort has been made to decorate our office, as there has been to decorate our homes. It will be a shame that once back at work these decorations and festive comforts will be taken down and packed away for next year.

This has got us all thinking in our office about how we can continue to make ourselves more at home in the office. Here’s what we’ve come up with.

Allow employees to personalise their desk.

When all the Christmas cards have gone and left your desk seeming bare, then why not add some personal items to make you feel at home. It could be photographs of friends and family, a calendar or something which means something to you. This personal touch shouldn’t be underestimated and could provide much needed inspiration at times!

Add some greenery and plants to the office.

Plants help create a more homely environment and are good for keeping employees happy. A number of studies have now proven the power of a plant. They have been proven to make employees feel more at home, and interestingly improve productivity in the office having a significant effect on concentration and job satisfaction.

Keep office equipment out of sight.

When you’re in the office no-one really likes clutter. Linked to increased stress levels and lack of concentration, there is some weight behind the phrase ‘a tidy desk is a tidy mind’. When coming into work it’s not nice to be reminded of the tasks ahead straight away. But this can be avoided simply by putting work away before going home, returning folders and files to their correct place and keeping yourself organised so that you are not overwhelmed when seeing your desk first thing.