A motivated workforce is essential for the smooth running of any company; however, in the caring industry it is even more vital. A lack lustre attitude and the subsequent negative vibes will undoubtedly rub off on others, which is obviously not ideal for the wellbeing of recovering patients.
Maintaining a motivated and proactive team can be a constant challenge for managers, with many uncontrollable factors influencing the overall mood of a department. To determine the factors that have a negative effect on a workforce, office power and ergonomics supplier CMD carried out an independent survey. Here’s what the survey revealed:
Untidiness
Almost half of the responses (44.5%) related to mess and clutter — either from a messy work station or from visual untidiness in the surrounding area, such as trailing wires.
It is commonly known that untidiness can be counterproductive to clear thinking, so it is no surprise that an abundance of clutter can be distracting for workers. It is also easy to feel overwhelmed when surrounded by mess, which can result in staff becoming impatient and even short tempered — two traits that are unacceptable in any working environment — not least when caring for patients.
The good news is that excess clutter can easily be addressed — primarily by a general de-clutter. Furthermore, investing in some office basics such as filing and shedding facilities will prevent messy piles of documents from re-accumulating (this also provides safety benefits). Cable tidies are also a great way of tidying trailing wires away out of sight. They also have the added advantage of preventing potential trip hazards.
Lighting
Another cause of distraction was insufficient lighting, attracting 34.7% of the votes.
As nursing professionals are under increasing pressure to work long shifts, whilst remaining high spirited and positive when dealing with patients, it is essential that working conditions aren’t acting against them.
It goes without saying that the wrong type of lighting can make even the simplest tasks harder. Lighting that is too bright can trigger headaches and make employees feel on edge; whereas, lighting that is too dim can cause eye strain and lethargy. Poor lighting is also a prime culprit for creating a ‘low mood’ and can also make it difficult to remain focussed on a task.
Achieving a ‘one size fits all’ level of lighting can be difficult, especially in an open plan work environment. Wireless lighting is a great solution for creating a pleasing lighting level for all employees, as brightness and temperature can be adjusted remotely on a light-by-light basis.
Plug sockets
Lack of available plug sockets and charging options brought in a combined total of 18.9%, highlighting that being unable to ‘plug in and go’ was a bone of contention amongst employees.
The inability to charge a depleting phone battery undoubtedly increases irritability amongst workers, creating a niggling distraction which can divert focus from the task in hand.
Advancements in technology now enable power modules to be positioned on top of desks, or built into desk surfaces, allowing employees to instantly power up laptops, tablets and mobile phones without having to crawl beneath desks in search of the elusive free plug socket. Wireless charging hubs for mobile phones are also ideal for communal areas so that staff can easily charge their phones during breaks.
Simple measures to create a productive workplace
As the survey results highlight, it doesn’t take much to disrupt the productivity of a workforce. On the flip side, however, these issues are easily addressed. Simply looking around the workplace and identifying areas of excess clutter, messy wires and poor lighting will go a long way towards turning a negative workplace into a proactive one.
