7 Office Decor Ideas To Boost Employee Morale

Office decor ideas are becoming increasingly inventive in order to boost employee morale and productivity. With the addition of ping pong tables, Astro Turf, deck chairs and bean bags to the conventional work space, and becoming the 'norm', what can you do to your interior space to get the most out of your staff? 

Here are some office decor ideas to bear in mind for your next spruce up!

• Beanbags

Some modern offices are now providing alternative seating in their communal and recreational areas to allow for flexible working, such as hot-desking. Beanbags, deckchairs and sofas are just some of the increasingly popular choices being adopted by large companies, such as Google, Disney and Unilever. 

Skype are ones to watch with an enticing workspace, promoting productivity with bright spaces, coloured bean bags and chairs. The secret to a successful interior workspace is to marry your brand to your design theme. Make sure your office decor ideas mirror your office personality, brand values and, above all, has a sense of continuity and flow for your employees to enjoy.

Photo credit: Skype.com 

• Social space

Businesses in London have attracted a new type of workspace for their employees. Modern offices are now providing an alternative way to socialise in their office decor ideas, seen with the likes of big companies such as Jimmy’s Iced Coffee and Ticketmaster to name a few.

For example, Jimmy’s Iced Coffee offices have skate ramps, trampolines and walls that are lined with quirky murals and memorabilia. Every week, skate evenings are arranged for employees to relax and wind down the working day. Employees also have stand up desks, making everyone more proactive. The kitchen is communal and open plan and there is no such thing as a dress code. Ticketmaster’s London office is a social hub with an indoor slide and allows employees to play board games, ping pong, Xbox and football as a way of releasing inner creativity.

Photo credit: ticketmaster.co.uk Photo credit: jimmysicedcoffee.com

• Bring the outdoors indoors

An aesthetically pleasing addition to the office is plants. Those who have worked in larger offices may have even witnessed their workplace having had a vegetable patch or crawling vines up their office walls. Although the beneficial nature of their inclusion extends beyond their oxygenation of rooms.

As noted by the Telegraph, ‘extensive research at Exeter University concluded that employee productivity could be increased by 15% through the addition of plants to bare offices.’ Owing to the fact that ‘employees actively engage with their surroundings’, plants also enhance employee morale via offering a focus point, helping to visually stimulate workers and break up the monotony of a bland office.

 Photo credit: innocentdrinks.co.uk

In addition, office AstroTurf is becoming an increasingly popular option for communal areas in recent years, with some even opting for grass-mimicking carpets which can be softer than traditional Astro Turf. Nature-inspired office decor ideas are often used as a statement feature, so would work well with other popular accents, like a countryside wall mural, plants and even wooden seating areas.

Innocent, one of the largest smoothie companies in the UK, have taken the outdoors indoors using benches, plants, bunting and garlands to decorate the office for a summery vibe. Innocent have got it covered as their communal areas are there to boost employee morale and to generate a relaxing environment that improves work ethic and a want to succeed in a welcoming environment.

Photo credit: innocentdrinks.co.uk

• Light, neutral colours

Your choice of colour palette when decorating will drastically affect the ambience and general feel of your office. Pastel colours such as; lavender, pastel blues, aqua and light greens are all perceived to have a calming effect. Similarly, neutral colours such as; magnolia, dusky pink or light grey are also visually soothing. When choosing greys, mochas and beiges; employers should consider their choice of lighting and accessories to ensure that their office does not become ‘drab’ or dull in its appearance, which may have a negative impact on staff morale and productivity.

According to an article on the Daily Mail: ‘Brighter and lighter offices make for happier employees and doubles their alertness. The exposure to bright light also aids in regulating sleep patterns, boosts one’s mood and productivity levels.’ If you find pastels a little too bland, spice things up with a splash of colour. In your kitchen area; a feature wall of bright lime green or vibrant red will help to invigorate and stimulate the mind.

Photo credit: uk.virginmoney.com/virgin

The same goes for sunlight. incorporate the outdoors indoors is to have large glass panels running along one side of the office. It can be difficult to purchase an office which has a natural ambiance of light flooding through; but if you’re fortunate enough to own an office at ground level, with very little around you, you can take design tips from Nicolas Tye Architects and have an open plan office space overlooking the natural beauty of the countryside around you. It’s amazing how much natural light can boost productivity.

Photo credit: Nerida Howard / nicolastyearchitects.com

• Think like your customers

They say Shoreditch is the creative hub for media and tech companies, so Mind Candy, the company behind the children’s game Moshi Monsters, has taken the opportunity to express its brand values like no other. The office encourages employees to think like their customers, and so has created office décor including a wooden tree house and gingerbread house as meeting rooms, woodland logs and branches, colouring in walls and a relaxation area that look like rabbit holes. It’s no surprise that employees have a constant flow of creativity!

When thinking about office decor ideas, bear in mind that your office must reflect your values and will therefore push boundaries. By creating a space that is welcoming to its employees, it can be helpful when coming up with original ideas.

Photo credit: mindcandy.com

• Wall murals

Images of the idyllic countryside, lofty mountains or tranquil, warm beaches act in a manner that is twofold. If your employee morale is indeed high; workers are likely to appreciate and enjoy such images of beauty. However, if employee morale is low, there is a slight possibility that the reminder that they are not sunning themselves on a golden beach and that they are having to defrost the car in sub-zero temperatures at 6 o’clock in the morning could lower morale further. 

Virgin Money did exactly this when thinking about their office decor ideas. When reading or working, workers will see a sky backdrop used on the ceiling, to help employees relax and unwind as many work long hours and don't often get a chance to venture outside.

Photo credit: uk.virginmoney.com/virgin

Whilst it is good to promote employee relaxation and morale; business owners should contemplate the value added for each item. If your company is deciding to decorate the office with modern and edgy aesthetic features such as a lawn indoors, murals and woodland features, make sure it adds to your brand values.

Rather than adapting your office to merely look 'nice' and attractive to employees and guests, your office should reflect your brand ideals and how you wish to create a positive, energised and creative environment that will in turn boost productivity, results and company morale.

Photo credit: ticketmaster.co.uk