How to improve the quality of working life through the work environment

The quality of working life is one of the keys to productivity and employee satisfaction. The work environment therefore plays a central role in employee well-being. Feeling good about their company has a direct impact on their productivity and commitment. And their expectations are much higher today: the office is the place where they spend the most time outside the home. So how do you create a healthy and pleasant working environment? And what impact does it have on employees? This article provides all the answers.

What is the working environment?

The notion of the working environment regularly comes up in discussions with employees. But what exactly does it mean?

Understanding the working environment

The working environment refers to the material and human conditions of the working environment. It ensures the necessary health and safety conditions that comply with regulations. It concerns the place itself, but also the corporate culture.

Today, employees' demands in terms of well-being at work have changed. The health crisis has given rise to questions and new needs that have changed the way people work.

Quality of working life has become a central issue for companies. It is now a factor in employee loyalty, motivation and productivity. If employees appreciate their working environment, they will be more committed to the company.

The main components of a work environment

Here are the main components of the working environment:

• The workspace: the configuration of the offices, the ergonomics and comfort of the workstations, the lighting, the ambient temperature, the physical conditions, accessibility and mobility.
• Company culture: atmosphere, shared values, shared moments (e.g. during coffee breaks or meals), outings and activities organised by the company.
• Working conditions: jobs and tasks that meet employees' expectations and help them to fulfil their potential, respect for work-life balance, flexible working hours, benefits.
• Management: caring and listening, conditions for welcoming new employees, career management and training, internal company communication.

How do you create a good working environment?

There are ways of ensuring that the working environment becomes a positive and motivating lever.

The best ways to improve the working environment

There are several ways to optimise the working environment:

• Improving the working environment: it's important to make the premises comfortable and attractive. This involves not only the quality of the equipment, but also the lighting, the colours and the presence of a relaxation area.
• Reinforce the corporate culture by transmitting its values to employees so that they make them their own. This will unite them around the employer brand.
• Establish effective corporate communications that are simple and friendly, to encourage exchanges and collaborative working. Encourage initiative and personal development.
• Offering fun activities from time to time to bind teams together and encourage moments of cohesion outside the office.

Tools for creating the ideal working environment

We offer you a presentation of different tools to improve the working environment:

• Set up an intranet with a space dedicated to exchanges and collaborative working via a chat such as Shareplace. This will reduce the number of emails.
• Focus on fluid access to information and documents with a Document Management System (DMS). This avoids time-consuming searches for documents.
• Automate certain tasks so that employees can devote themselves to tasks that add more value. This is particularly useful for payroll and HR departments.

You can also apply the 5 S's method: this management method helps to optimise the working environment. It involves 5 simple steps:

• Eliminate unnecessary work or processes.
• Tidy up to avoid wasting time.
• Clean or do self-maintenance to avoid problems.
• Define precise rules for the workplace to keep it clean and pleasant.
• Respect the above rules and make them part of a routine.

This method is based on participative management and shows results in terms of collaboration and productivity.

Impact of a good working environment

Impact of a good working environment

A good working environment has an impact on employee motivation and satisfaction. According to this study by Oxford University's Saïd Business School, 12% of employees are more productive when they are happy. In a positive environment, employees tend to be more organised, focused and efficient.

According to this Gallup study, 50% of employees leave their jobs because of management. The feeling of not being listened to, the lack of communication and consistency, and the lack of appreciation are also reasons for leaving a company. To retain teams, you need to listen, make communication essential and put the individual at the heart of your thinking.

The challenges of a suitable working environment

An environment conducive to employee well-being:

• Takes care of their health and respects the balance between professional and private life. This results in fewer work stoppages due to stress.
• Reduces factors that hamper performance: noise pollution, a continuous flow of e-mails, too much time spent in meetings. (Source: Wimi). In these examples, employees' attention is monopolised by nuisances or tasks ancillary to their job. To stay focused on their work, these factors of inattention need to be reduced. Collaborative work management software can save time and increase productivity by reducing the need for email exchanges and meetings.

What to remember? Work environment and productivity

The work environment influences team productivity. If it is not optimised, it can affect the quality of work, efficiency and employee satisfaction. It is therefore important to rethink the layout of the working environment, its conditions and its management. This means not only adapting premises and workstations, but also strengthening the corporate culture and improving communication. Focus on fluidity and collaborative working by offering employees high-performance tools. Opt for benevolent, consistent communication that values the individual and his or her well-being.

Design your offices with Deskeo and benefit from an incomparable quality of life at work.