If people are going to come to your business and sit down at a desk for 7 to 8 hours every day for five days a week, it’s in their interest and yours that you should ensure that they are comfortable. Comfort doesn’t just come from having hot coffee in the coffee machine or having the right swivel chair at the right size desk. Comfort is so much more than that and as an employer, you are able to offer this perk.

We are living right now in a world where the market is based on employees and what they want. This talent tight market is one that you cannot miss out on, and employees are finally realizing that they are able to ask for benefits and perks to make themselves more comfortable. Whether it’s adding welcome and self-care packs to every desk in the office that includes things like hot water bottles and Accurate Gel Packs for any back pain, tokens for the vending machines or even a lunch voucher once a week, you need to consider the comfort of the people that are working for you. Below, we have some easy ways that you can make employees comfortable at work.

• Make the space feel welcoming. The office is somewhere that business happens, but it doesn’t have to look that way. It’s time to dispense with the chrome and the closed feeling of walls and cubicles. Make work feel collaborative and homely, and people will be far more comfortable integrating into each other’s teams and sharing ideas. If you have a break room with a few extra amenities, or a lunch area with an actual canteen, you’re going to make people feel like they are more at ease and more comfortable.
• Encourage open communication. Comfort is not just physical. And people get very upset when they feel like their concerns do not matter to you. If you create a workspace where employees can voice their feelings on things that they think to be improved and you actually listen to these things, you’re going to have a much happier workforce. You don’t need to pit people against each other, but you do need to think about how you resolve conflict.
• Let people work from home. One of the best ways to make sure that your employees are comfortable, is to give them the option of where they work. The pandemic has taught businesses that they don’t need to be rigid in their location for work. You don’t need to have everybody in the office with you for them to be effective, because they are clearly effective wherever they are. If people want to wear pajamas at home while they work, what does it matter to you as long as they get the job done? The Key2Success Planner has tools to help your team collaborate no matter where they are located.
• Allowed casual dress. The time for suits and ties and tailored clothing is not now. Life is too short to be buttoned up and uncomfortable all day long, and while you may need business attire for meetings, day-to-day business wear can be something as easy as jeans and people will still be comfortable within the business. People will work better when they are comfortable, and the faster you learn that the better.

The Key2Success Planner can help you and your team be more productive. Check it out: