A ‘happy workplace’ ideal is designed for business in the present time. Designing an office to the Smart Office concept is the first and important step towards the aim of becoming a happy workplace, leading to improved productivity and outcomes for the company. Employees respond to a good working environment and drive the success of the company. A well-equipped office supports creativity and enhances performance every working day. These outcomes enable success to be reached sooner and more sustainably.
Happy Workplace: The Key to Success for Business That Should Not Be Overlooked
It is said that an office is like the second house of salarymen. Certainly, a pleasant home is one that is designed with the happiness of the residents in mind with facilities that respond to their needs. This idea can be applied to office design as well. Burnout and overtiredness experienced by employees, often leading to decreased performance have, most likely, a root cause from a poorly-equipped and designed work environment.
This is an important point that should not be overlooked by companies. Office design and renovation that focus on the concept of a happy workplace by changing design approaches with relevant, modern technology create a considered working space, one that suits the activities performed therein, is pleasant to spend time in and supportive to the nature of the job. This contributes greatly to the well-being and motivation of employees, allowing more focus on their tasks at hand. This work environment will encourage far more job satisfaction and create good working relationships. Such positive improvements drive future development and enhance productivity.
Happy Workplace: Eight Aspects of Happiness Designed Specifically for the Benefit of Employees
The main idea of a happy workplace pays attention to factors that promote the well-being of company personnel such as human resources. When the mental and physical health of employees is considered, performance will undoubtedly improve. The Happy Workplace concept includes eight aspects of happiness as follows:
- Happy Mind and Body: promoting mental and physical happiness.
- Happy Heart: promoting the generosity of personnel.
- Happy Society: promoting a harmonious work environment.
- Happy Relax: promoting a relaxing environment.
- Happy Brain: promoting the development of knowledge and cognitive abilities of employees.
- Happy Soul: promoting good morals for living in personnel.
- Happy Money: promoting good saving and expenditure planning.
- Happy Family: promoting a warm and stable family environment.
The eight aspects of happiness (above) can be also applied to improved office design and renovation in order to create a happy workplace as follows:
Happy Body for Promoting Good Health – Office design that focuses on selecting appropriate, quality furniture and ergonomic office equipment will help employees work healthily and happily, avoiding the common office syndrome of discomfort while working.
Happy Heart for Promoting Generosity – To provide a shared working space for employees from different teams or departments to work together, share their ideas and creativity and build strong working relationships. This helps to promote friendship and a sense of generosity that leads the company to sustainable success.
Happy Relax for Promoting a Relaxing Environment – To create a happy workplace, companies should assign an area for refreshment allowing employees to take time out during working hours. The refreshment area can be enhanced as a green space, an easy way to include a naturopathic approach to the office. This approach leaves employees refreshed and ready to return to work with renewed creativity and effectiveness.
Happy Brain for Promoting the Development of Knowledge and Cognitive Abilities – A design offices concept that helps employees focus more on work without distractions. Companies are encouraged to provide employees with brainstorming rooms that are convenient and supportive to team working activities.
Happy Soul for Promoting Good Morals – This helps create a happy workplace for employees of every religion. The office design concept focuses on arranging space for employees to offer worship in their daily religious practices according to their beliefs to help promote peace in the workplace. This could be by providing a Muslim prayer room, designed as a calm and quiet room for religious practice. This helps promote concentration for employees both before and during their jobs.
All the above-mentioned points help us realize the importance of good office design – the starting point in creating a happy workplace for companies that encourage and motivate their employees. When employees can work happily in the workplace, their creativity and performance will undoubtedly improve. Therefore, it is not an exaggeration to say that a happy workplace is halfway on the road to success.
Key Points
- Office design is an essential element in today’s workplace. Applying the happy workplace concept to design by creating spaces suitable for shared working activities will help increase productivity and the overall success of the company.
- Office design that focuses on the changing environment by creating a fulfilling atmosphere at work can only encourage and motivate employees, helping address burnout and inactivity. Creating a happy workplace is the key to success for Thai business.