How to Design a Breakout Space that’s Right for Your Employees

A breakout space is a space where employees of a company can go to relax, eat and interact with other employees of that company. It is a space that is separate and apart from the working space of a company.

Why is the design of breakout space so important? A breakout space is important for employee interaction, collaboration, innovation, productivity, and recovery. Designing the right breakout space requires knowing its purpose, company culture, and color, lighting, and furniture needs to be well thought out too. A breakout space designed for your employees will serve as the venue for innovation where all employees can feel comfortable, relaxed and satisfied.

While your first instinct might be to see this as a waste of space and resources, you would be wrong as a break out space offers numerous benefits to your company. This is because it enhances your employee’s happiness which translates to better employee engagement and eventually to increased productivity for your company.

As someone who has worked (and still works) in an office environment and has had the opportunity to witness the effect a break out space can have on office employees, I can speak for the importance of this element in the workspace.

What is an Office Breakout Space?

A breakout space is an informal working space. Breakout spaces can influence how engaged or not engaged an employee is. This is because a company that has a breakout space shows that it has its employees’ interests at heart.

Breakout spaces can make all the difference to a company of robots who just come to work and do what they are supposed to do without being invested in the company. Employees who are not engaged tend to give less than their optimum performance and are less productive than employees who are engaged.

The existence of one is necessitated even by laws on safety and health. For instance, every employee in an office is expected to at the very least be provided with a flat surface upon which they can eat their lunch. The law also specifies that if an office does not have a kitchen area within its premises, suitable heating facilities and appliances (such as a microwave and kettle) should be provided for the employees so that they can prepare their food and make hot drinks. Also, these appliances should be located in a clean and sanitized space.

If you do not have enough space for a big dedicated space as your breakout space, you could use a little corner of your office, all you would need to do is to add lighting, furniture and choose a design that will encourage comfort and relaxation.

Things to consider in designing a great breakout space

The following should be considered if you are looking to design an efficient breakout space that will be functional and will contribute towards your employee’s satisfaction and engagement:

Which would be a better fit for you?

– Quiet breakout space that enables employees to focus and concentrate or

– A very interactive and fun breakout space where they can make as much noise as they want.

This will help you determine where exactly the breakout space will be located.

Ensure that breakout spaces meant for different purposes are distinguishable from each other. If a breakout space is meant for nothing but the interaction, ensure that it is designed so and if what it is meant for collaboration, ensure that purpose is also glaring.

Ensure that the furniture in a particular breakout space supports the purpose and intended use of the place. For instance, a space meant solely for interaction and fun can house a pool table, a game zone (or something equally as fun and interactive) and their accompanying furniture while one meant for brainstorming and collaborative discussions can house such things as a screen for presentations, power points, side points for placing laptops on and so on.

Providing different types of breakout spaces allows employees to have options and utilize the space that best fits their needs for the task at hand.

Purpose of a breakout space

Breakout spaces are useful for quite a number of purposes such as the following;

1. It can be a place where employees of a company are going to take a break, eat and hold informal meetings.

2. Meetings held in breakout spaces are very productive in terms of brainstorming and generating ideas; this is because the employees are not under any pressure here which enables them to explore the wide reaches of their creativity and think up genius ideas that might (and sometimes) lead to a breakthrough in something the company has been facing and eventually to increased productivity.

3. Comply with laws that govern health and safety. These laws stipulate that staff whose work involves constant use of a computer should be given an opportunity to take frequent breaks from their work stations.

Things to consider when designing an office space

The following are those things that you should keep at the back of your mind when you are designing an office breakout space that will fit your company and your employees.

Furniture: the breakout space is very different from a normal working area, and this should be reflected in everything in this space. For instance, you should invest in chairs that encourage relaxation and allows employees and visitors to your company to relax, furniture that guides their minds away from work and encourages them to take a break from all the activities of their work station. Consider getting super comfortable sofas bean bags and pod seating. All these have the effect of making your employees feel comfortable and relax. It allows them to escape the work environment for a bit and just relax.

Colors: colors have been proven to greatly influence and affect the human mood which is why the color of your break out space is so important. Color will determine if employees feel relaxed or focused. Shy away from colors that are depressing and go for cheery colors that will encourage them to relax and help them do away with stress. Consider choosing between light blue pale green or yellow. You could even use a creative combination of two or three of these colors. You could even branch out and do a little research on color psychology so as to know which color will be best. Also, try to incorporate a little of your brand color in the space.

Texture: the kind of texture of your breakout space will also influence how effective or not this space will be. Go for fun playful textures different from the officious, rigid ones you use in the office.

Lighting: the breakout space is a place where people can come to unwind and relax and as such should have bright, cheery lighting. It would be best if the space has a window directly facing the east such that sunlight can make an entry into the space. If you don’t have a window and cannot access sunlight, invest in circadian lighting which will provide enough lighting to brighten your employees’ moods and help cheer them up.

Kitchen: your breakout space can also serve as your kitchen and contain such utensils as are required for employees to prepare a meal when necessary. The kitchen area is especially useful as this is the site of many-a discussions among employees. It is a place where many employees meet their co-workers for the first time and start engaging and interacting with them.

Choosing the best location for a breakout space

The following are questions you should ask yourself before you begin designing your breakout space as they will help you decide where best to locate the space;

– What purpose will this breakout space serve?

– How frequently will company employees visit the breakout area, how frequently will they make use of it?

– What restrictions will be placed on certain breakout areas (Quiet, focused, for example)?

– What incentives are there to encourage employees to utilize the breakout space?

– What impact and effect will the breakout area have on employees sitting close by?

Probably the most important part of a breakout space is the aesthetics. Go for something daring and bold. Make it a place where employees want to go too. A place where they can have fun while also relaxing and socializing with colleagues consider bringing in potted plants and giving the place an earthy feeling. You could introduce naturalistic sound effects such as a waterfall, sea, and birds chirping. See this as an opportunity to get creative and involve employees.

Other ideas for a theme include space travel, James Bond, Harry Potter, Disney Land and whatever else you feel will go down well with your employees.

You could even do a survey and garner ideas from your employees about what they think will work and what won’t. Observe what will stimulate the creative juices in your employees and use that to create something that will be fun and unique.

Keep the breakout space casual, do away with the stuffiness you would find in a normal working environment.

Pros of having a breakout space

Having a breakout space provides your company with several benefits many of which have already been mentioned. These benefits include the following;

Staying on the right side of the law: a breakout space allows you to fulfill the law and stay on its right side. You get to fulfill such speculations as a flat surface to eat, and a cooking area where employees can prepare meals and drinks (if you incorporate a kitchen into your breakout space).

Help employees stay healthy: sitting long hours in an office staring at a screen can have several detrimental effects on health. Having a breakout space where your employees can escape to every once in a while, can save you a lot in terms of health and fitness costs. A breakout space will be beneficial for both the physical and mental health of your employees.

Foster interaction and collaboration among employees: a breakout space will serve as a place for your employees to interact and collaborate. The presence of interaction in an office environment cannot be underemphasized. This is because it contributes greatly to employee engagement and satisfaction. This will result in a more cohesive team and better team performance which translates to increased productivity from these employees.

Informal meeting place: a breakout space can also serve as a meeting place for your employees outside of the normal meeting place. This removes the officiousness of a meeting place and encourages employees to better express themselves and sort out issues. You could incorporate elements in your breakout space that will bolster this particular use of your breakout space such as benches where laptop computers can seat, power points, and the likes.

5 Ideas for your Breakout Space

Several designs exist from which you can choose which one best fits your company image and employee needs. The design you choose should be aligned with the kind of work your company does.

Collaborative cubicles: if your company is a start-up or something technologically inclined where people are constantly collaborating on projects, this particular design will go well in your company. In addition to having a large space built around a kitchen area, you could cordon off little cubicles where people can relax, discuss and brainstorm on ideas. Equip this with the necessary tools and technology needed for effective collaboration.

Multi-level module: a multi-level module involves several areas with different themes where employees can move between according to their whims and needs. An example is the Airbnb London office which has areas like “The Library” and “The Market Square” which employees can move freely in between depending on the time of day and their mood.

Writable walls: this particular style is being employed by credit card company Barclaycard in England. This enables small teams to collaborate effectively; the writable walls can be used to jot down ideas, suggestions, and resolutions. They can also be used as projector screens for use during presentations.

Flexible furniture: flexible furniture allows you to turn your entire office into one huge breakout space if you so wish. You could separate the furniture into different pieces which allows you to segregate and have meetings in small groups and you could also bring everything together to form one big piece.

Family rooms: this particular design is utilized by Ancestry, a company that has its headquarters near Salt Lake City in Utah. Furniture that helps give the room a look like you would expect to see in a family home are used. This is in a bid to make employees feel at home and interact casually like they would in family units.

Designing the Best Breakout Space for Your Employees

In your quest to design a breakout space that is perfect for your employees, you should do the following.

Do a survey: before you take on the task of designing that space, survey your employees. Find out from your employees what they feel a great breakout space should be. You could provide pointers and examples such as those provided above to give them an idea and help them decide. Gather their opinion on what a great breakout space will look like and take into consideration.

Constitute a focus group: the purpose of this is to have discussions and arrive at decisions that will be universally accepted. Have a focus group where pertinent issues such as which color will best fit the space, what kind of texture should be used for the walls, and so on will be tabled out. The focus group will be the place where things that appear tangled can be ironed out.

Decide on which equipment to use: Another very important thing you should do to have a great breakout space is to analyze and decide on which equipment and utensils would be the best in your kitchen. Would you need a refrigerator, would the money for that be better spent getting a dining area or would both workout?

All these and more are the things you need to do to design a great breakout space that your employees will love.

What is Workplace by Facebook?

Facebook, as we all know is one of the social media giants that has attracted many businesses towards it. Today, many organizations are taking assistance from Facebook to shine in the World Web market. Even Facebook is also helping businesses by introducing many features that set it apart. Recently, Workplace by Facebook has grabbed the attention of many businesses.

So, what is Workplace by Facebook? It’s a communication hub for organizations to collaborate and communicate. Previously known as Facebook at Work, the platform allows employees to replace distribution lists and internal emails. Be it a big or small workplace; every organization needs an effective communication tool and Workplace by Facebook has got them covered.

Workplace by Facebook was launched to bring businesses the benefits of a social media platform. It is a mirror image of Facebook; the only difference is some of the features it offers. In the United State alone, hundreds of millions of Facebook users are making this app a tool for their teams. Perhaps, the platform is a private social network that can be used by both individuals as well as businesses. Businesses can use the platform as a major communication hub where they can send a large volume of videos, audios, and messages along with scheduling events.

Developed with a mobile-first mindset, workplace by Facebook is combined with easy-to-use features and next-gen technology to transform culture, workflows, and communications within the organization. This communication and messaging tool help employees to create profiles make groups, and instant messaging among employees sharing common departments.

This application serves as the central communication hub for both managers and employees. It allows organizations and their employees to send messages, watch and record videos or live stream, which are useful for corporate presentation. The benefits of Workplace by Facebook – it is inexpensive so small businesses can reap benefits from its features.

Benefits of Using Workplace by Facebook

This social network solution is designed for employees and managers. In addition to improved collaboration and better communication, it offers numerous benefits. Let’s have a look at them…

1. Employee Engagement

As the name suggests, employee engagement is about how much staff is investing in an organization and motivated to work. Certainly, employee engagement needs a lot of effort, especially for distributed organizations. And let’s be honest, getting everyone on the same page or a room is a hard nut to crack. Here workplace is a rescuer. It enables knowledge sharing and seamless top-down communication.

It allows open conversation and every employee can contribute to it. Certainly, Workplace by Facebook is designed to focus and engage everyone within an organization. Managers and team leaders can run polls and take the opinion of the employees.

2. Two-way Communication

– It uses live video for direct and authentic sharing

– Auto translates

– Get real-time feedback like reactions, comments, and likes. Share data and information via the News Feed.

Workplace by Facebook is a communication yet a collaborative platform that brings the interface of Facebook to the enterprise. It offers the same features and tools like Chat, Live videos, groups, News Feed and more. It has taken two-way communication to a new level as it permits everyone to communicate with one another.

This enables transparent and better communication that also helps in sharing knowledge and work. Moreover, it also opens the way for feedbacks through likes, reactions, and comments.

3. Effective Collaboration Tools

– Workplace Chat

– Project groups for detailed conversations

– Machine learning means Workplace gets more relevant and smarter over time

Workplace by Facebook is designed to help internal collaboration between employees. It does this by blending the functionalities of messaging and group discussion. Workplace is an excellent tool that combines the real-time urgency of quick messaging with more detailed discussion in groups.

Certainly, this digital collaboration tools like social networks should help organizations improve customer support, automate workflows and encourage employee interaction on a platform they are already used too.

4. Boosts Use of Existing Tool

– Easy deployment with single sign-on and one-click provisioning

– Connect to prevailing tools

– Find the latest applications in the integration directory

– Create custom integrations with the Workplace service partners

Be it a small business or a large enterprise; it is a fact that business owners invest a lot of time and money in workplace tools. As Workplace by Facebook is packed with many familiar features that employees love to use and connects with many existing apps and software businesses already utilize, Workplace by Facebook boosts the adoption and usage of existing tools you’ve paid for.

Features of Workplace by Facebook

Workplace by Facebook offers many features that are helpful for all sizes of businesses:

Groups – Allows users to create multiple groups with teams within the company. Groups allow members to share documents, content, and ideas.

Multi-Company Groups – Groups can be created with third parties, meaning employees can create groups to communicate directly with customers and vendors. Multi-company groups can share documents, communicate, share ideas and interact on the platform.

Work Chat – This feature lets users communicate with their team in real-time along with sharing links and documents. Just like Facebook Messenger, users can also make video calls.

Live Video – If you want to “Go-Live” with your company about the latest product launch, latest development, or breaking news, Live Video on Facebook Workplace alerts employees (or a smaller group of employees) that a live video is in progress. Videos are recorded and indexed to enable future quick search functionality.

Analytics and Admin tools – Managers can also access all data about the latest usage and interactions. Users can read the number of posts or keep on track of everything going on.

Unlimited Storage – If you are concerned about running out of space, then relax! Whether you load pictures, files or videos, Workplace offers unlimited storage.

Security – Data security is the biggest concern for many organizations. Workplace by Facebook ensures that your data and other delicate information will not be published or stolen. Facebook assures that they have come up with several measures that will protect all sensitive information and data.

Notifications and Newsfeed – The main purpose of the Workplace by Facebook is to keep your team updated on what is happening within the company. For that, it makes sure that each user receives a Newsfeed and its algorithm ensures that it highlights what’s important. Moreover, it also notifies users when they are mentioned, receive a new message, or followed!

Latest Features:

Workplace by Facebook collaboration tool has a lot more to offer. Recently, it added some features to make the tool more effective and simpler for enterprises. Here are those features revealed by F8.

New Workplace Live API – This service is designed to add RTMP to the workplace. It is ready to use with a wide assortment of video encoders which includes Black Magic, Elemental and Teradek.

It also offers various identity protection security layers like Okta, OneLogin, Microsoft Azure, and G Suite. Not only this, but integrates with compliance and security providers like CSDisco, Smarsh, Netskope, and Skyhigh.

Other features which are beneficial for enterprises are Chatbots. Facebook has even programmed many bots for the workplace and now it is adding support for TheBotPlatform, Pullstring, Kore.ai, Converse, and Avaamo.

It also connects with the top collaboration tools such as G Suits, Office 365, Box, Dropbox, and OneDrive. It also includes a new interface for checking different files within the workplace.

How Does Workplace by Facebook Work?

As we have already read above that Workplace by Facebook is a space for employees and managers to brainstorm, share ideas, files and communicate with each other. More than a collaboration tool, it connects every size of organizations to familiar features like groups and chats along with integrates with various business tools used by the team to get work done.

Workplace is designed similar to Facebook, but for employees. The primary hub of the tool has a central Newsfeed where users can also set up instant messages or one-on-one video calls through work chat. Integrating with business apps like Dropbox and Microsoft office, it allows users to share images, files, and presentations within the workplace and discuss them.

Workplace by Facebook is ad-free. It means, employees, get less distracted from their work and concentrate more on their professional communications.

Facts about Workplace by Facebook

– The Enterprise Business by Facebook is designed to build trust with customers and brands.

– Workplace informed Walmart (Their top customer) to a security breach that affected millions of customers.

– t is expected that Workplace will start using a new domain in 2019.

Is Workplace by Facebook free?

Workplace by Facebook is not free, especially for businesses. If you are looking to get started with Facebook, request a free trial. As of now, this platform is free for educational institutions and non-profits, but businesses have to pay $1 to $3 per month per profile, depending on the size of the organizations.

Although it’s not expensive, you can explore pricing options for your business needs. You can enjoy three months trial period to get yourself comfortable with the platform. Even if you are not willing to invest in big plans, you can also choose a monthly plan.

Why Workplace is one of a kind?

If you are wondering what makes workplace set apart, then let me tell you there are many aspects that make it one of its own kind. Let’s have a look at them…

1. The platform is designed only for interaction. Unlike other platforms, it doesn’t offer something for users to buy. Even as it is ad-free, so there is no question of distraction.

2. It is Cell/Mobile first. As we have already read above, Workplace is a space for employees and managers to brainstorm, share ideas, files and communicate with each other. More than a collaboration tool, it connects every size of organizations to familiar features like groups and chats along with integrates with various business tools used by the team to get work done. The apps it offers are easy to use. The mobile first strategy will connect all users who are using cell phones. Even replying to clients anywhere and anytime is easier than before apps it offers are easy to use. You can also attend meetings on the go without going to the meeting room.

3. If you have a large group of employees without an official email address, Workplace still allows you to collaborate. (Please note, that users without company email addresses do have a few more steps to complete before accessing the platform). Users love using features they are already familiar with.

The Mobile App

Workplace by Facebook comes with two applications

1, Chat

Chat allows to chat, video and voice call along with sending emoji, audio, video, and images.

2. Work

Work app allows you to keep track of all the conversation. You can see all the conversation in your news feed on your landing page. You can even see the crucial groups to participate.

When you post something from your mobile in a group, it appears on the top. The screen below is generally used to post something to the group. There is also an option of ‘Go Live’ so you can broadcast live into your desired group.

Let’s take an instance and see how useful this feature could be:

Suppose you are the CEO of an organization which is about to launch a new product. So, rather than sending email to the team, you can open a live stream and inform everyone about it. Your team can send you a message and convey their feelings and tell you how proud they are to be a part of your team.

There is also a group view. This view is to show you the latest updates from the team. You can search the information as we have already read above that Workplace is a space for employees and managers to brainstorm, share ideas, files and communicate with each other. More than a collaboration tool, it connects every size of organizations to familiar features like groups and chats along with integrates with various business tools used by the team to get work done or participate in it. You can even chat with the group members which is yet another best thing you can do.

Get Workplace by Facebook on your Computer

Just like your Facebook, Workplace is browser-based that doesn’t need any download. It has been pre-defined into four groups-

– Team and project groups

– Open discussion groups

– Announcement groups

– Social Groups

Let’s have a look at them in detail

Team and projects groups

This is the group where real work is carried out. For long-term adoption of Workplace, these groups are very beneficial. In these groups, a team can share documents and updates. Even they can solve each other problems as well.

Open Discussion Groups

This group is used by the team to communicate or discuss the projects, IT security, customer journeys or project management. These groups act as classrooms that offer all kinds of solutions. For IT or HR also, these groups are one of a kind.

Announcement Groups

These groups are designed for formal communications like the announcement of a product launch or any update. It is combined with a live broadcasting function which acts as a powerful channel.

Social Groups

These are one of the most special groups made by the Workplace. These groups are usually for social activities within the company that includes parties, connecting runners or even connecting people.

Where should you position Workplace by Facebook?

Undoubtedly, Workplace is one of the most influential platforms that compete with IBM, Jive or Yammer connections as they are also used to connect the people within the enterprise. As it also offers chat, video calling and calling, it can be a big competitor of Skype as well. However, Workplace doesn’t compete with technologies like Quip, Google Docs or MSWord. It’s an enterprise communication and collaboration platform.

How to Create a Workplace by Facebook Account

Creating an account in the Workplace (Facebook’s business-oriented version) is not a daunting task. You just need to follow a few steps and get started. Let’s have a step-by-step

Step 1: If you have received an email invite Marketplace, click on the “Get Started” option.

Step 2: When you open the page, you have to again click on “Get Started” again option.

Step 3: Now you have to add your information and then click into “Preview Profile.”

Step 4: Start by accessing the free trial. For that, click on the “Get Started” option on that very page.

Step 5: The next step is about creating a password and inviting co-workers. So, to do that click on “Invite Co-workers.”

Dashboard with Integrations and Analytics

The dashboard of the Workplace by Facebook allows the administrator to view analytics on users, groups, and activities. Also, it permits companies to integrate into their prevailing IT systems. It also allows companies to manage users from the dashboard along with adding and removing users. You can integrate the Workplace with the following platforms:

– G Suite

– OneLogin

– Okta

– Azure AD

– Ping Windows

– Dropbox

Popular Enterprises that are using Workplace by Facebook according to Business Insider, there are more than 30k companies that are using Workplace by Facebook. Some of the popular businesses that are using Workplace are:

1. Nestle

The company has adopted Workplace as its internal communication tool to connect its workplace and to serve the consumers in a better way. Commenting on the Workplace move, the Executive Vice President of the company and Oceania and sub-Saharan Africa, Chief Executive office Zone Asia said that, “Nestle is the people-first environment which relies on the talented teams who is managing more than two thousand Nestle brands across the world. To help employees in developing, the right tools are required, and here Workplace is the right fit.”

2. Heineken

The leading brewer and marketer of cider brands and premium beer have a portfolio of more than 300 regional, local and international beers and ciders. 80,000 employees operate cider plants and breweries in more than 70 countries.

Other companies that use Workplace are- Walmart, Dominos, Starbucks, Air Asia and more.

Is Workplace by Facebook an email killer?

Probably not! Workplace by Facebook offers employees a great way to collaborate, create connections and exchange ideas. Even it could be a great fit for organizations that already possess a great working culture, but it will resort to email notifications.

Workplace by Facebook is ISO 27018 Security Standards Certified

Workplace by Facebook enterprise solution is certified to ISO/IEC 27018: 2014 Standard. This security standard is a privacy-oriented global standard that develops on information security management systems and established on guidelines and controls to protect Personally Identifiable Information in the environments of a public cloud. In short, it means that it will take security seriously.

Why Providing Employees With Great Water Is Necessary

Just like staff pledge to support and uphold a company’s organizational goals upon recruitment, it is in the duty of every organization to ensure the safety and welfare of their staffs. Providing an unlimited source of potable water is one of these responsibilities and in this expository post, you will find out why providing your employee with great water is necessary.

Providing Water for Your Employees

Ensuring that your staff drinks healthy and safe water is one of the primary regulations of the occupational safety and Health Administration (OSHA) that all employers must keep to for optimum functionality of their staff strength.

While it is reasonable to believe that your region’s water is safe, pollutants in the form of halo acetic acids, bacteria, and lead might differ from state to state, according to the analysis made by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This means that you shouldn’t assume that the water your staffs are drinking is safe, it is best if you make an extra effort to confirm the status of the drinking water you provide for your staffs.

A research study from Harvard University shows that more than five million American might drink contaminated water every day. Common pollutants are poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) that end up into water bodies from the various industries across the country. These pollutants toxic substances known to cause abnormalities in the human body blood pressure, kidney, nervous system, and cancer, according to researchers from the Natural Resource Defense Council.

It is therefore pertinent that you adopt sufficient measures to ensure that your staffs and you are consuming clean water within the workplace.

Taking Responsibility For Your Worker’s Safety

It is one of your duties as an employer to have a good knowledge of the water you consume from your local supplier. Purity is a function of the source. Example of a credible provider is one that is controlled and managed by a local authority. The health standards and the affairs of these systems are regulated and monitored stringently by the EPA.

Ensure to check for the consumer confidence report (CCR) every first week of July with your area water supplier. The report shows you the contents of your water and its source. It furthermore helps you know if there are any pollutants found in your drinking water and if the level of contaminants exceeds the health and safety standards, your area’s water supplier should always notify you.

Then again, if you’re not well convinced by your local supplier, you can call the EPA’s safe drinking water helpline at 1-800-426-4791 for more information and find out about the safety and quality of your drinking water within your office.

Frequent checks on the purity and health standards for your office’s drinking water is vital and necessary to help avert legal consequences such as government sanctions or a weak force —resulting in staffs always falling sick. To inquire if your area’s water supply has elements of PFASs, you can reconsider checking with your district’s health department or a high standard laboratory for a water test twice or thrice every year depending on where your company’s location. If required, you can also invest in installing carbon filters within your office’s drinking water channel to help eradicate lead, chlorine, and other impurities.

Going an extra mile to safeguard the purity and health standard of your workplace’s drinking water, is a sign that as an employer, you cherish and value the well-being of your employees.

Irrespective of your business or organization, if you’re an employer in the United States, you are accountable for the safety and welfare of your staffs within the office environment. This also includes providing your employees with healthy and safe drinking water to ensure they stay hydrated throughout the day.

OSHA Drinking Water Standards- By the Books

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) have put in place drinking water regulations and standards that help ensure staffs are provided with good, pure, and healthy drinking water as they work. Here comes the big question, “what are U.S drinking water regulations, and how can you ensure that your employees are drinking the best water every day?”

It is imperative for all U.S based organization (government and corporate) to adhere to OSHA drinking water standards, especially the General Duty Clause of the OSHA Act. The requirements stipulated by the United States Department of Labor mandates all employers to:

– Provide staffs with clean drinkable water in sufficient amounts to meet the health and personal needs of every person in your organization.
– Provide staffs with clean drinkable water and ensure it is for only staff health and personal needs, such as consumption and hygiene.
– Dispense drinking water from a fountain, a covered container with single-use bottles or single-use cups stored in a sanitary receptacle.
– Forbid staffs from sharing drinking cups, and water bottles.

As stated in the above regulations, it is compulsory companies to install a filtration system or filtered water dispenser, thus, providing your staffs with potable water from a credible local supplier is regarded as sanitary according to the U.S standards. Following OSHA’s recommendations, you can provide your employees with water from a hallway sink where staffs wash their dishes and rinse their hands.

Sticking just to the requirements and regulations of the OSHA is ideal, but as a good employer with really big organizational goals and the welfare of your employees at heart, you can go an extra mile by installing a water filtration system within your workplace.

Installing a filtration water system such as a filtered water dispenser can provide a definite solution to drinking healthy water within your work environment and help avoid government sanctions. A filtered water dispenser provides your staffs with healthy, fresh, and pollutants free water. Potable water supplied by your local distributors is most likely to have a small percentage of contaminant, although in very minute quantities, but not 100% fit for a promising healthy workforce. Having a functional filtration system within your workplace helps you entirely remove contaminants, dispense sanitized water, and life-giving refreshment for effective and productive workflow.

Installing a Functional Water Filtration System in Your Workplace

The benefits of paying proper attention to your staff’s wellness are numerous and essential for running a successful business. It pays best when your employees are happy and healthy! Most researches have proven that staffs do better when they’re fit physically, psychologically, and socially.

Despite incorporating lots of welfare programs like flu shots, gym membership, and health insurance, you still need to take that extra step by installing a filtered countertop water dispenser in your workplace. Still wondering why here are some of the core benefits of providing your staffs with high purity, filtered water? Check out some amazing returns for having a good water outlet in your organization:

Increased Productivity

It has been long discovered and proven that there is a connection between dehydration and reduced cognition. Findings from the research conducted Mind Research Institute, and Weill Cornell Medical College’s Brain shows that even the slightest dehydration can lead to the dreaded afternoon slump of staff at the office.

The study reveals that loss as low as 3% can lead to reduced blood flow to the brain, which decreases cognitive performance, response time, and attentiveness. You can avoid dehydration by mounting a water dispenser in the office, offering your employees great taste, refreshing, and healthy water on demand, and all through their stay at work. Providing your staffs with an abundance of pure and wholesome water will keep their minds at work, and their bodies set to tackle any task.

Reduced Downtime

Ever heard that 35% of all gastrointestinal related illness is a result of inadequate water? When staffs demand work off days resulting from health complications, productivity reduces. Moreover, employees get stressed out from handling heavy workload that could result in sick breaks which are avoidable.

Using a functional water filtration system eliminates the chances of your staffs getting infected with gastrointestinal infirmities and reduced business productivity. Installing a well-filtered water dispenser provides your teams with 100% pure drinking water free from bacteria and any form of water contaminants, for a healthy and productive workflow.

Promotes Business-Staffs Relationship

Researches reveal that aside from health, staffs can benefit from a—office water cooler—chat. Everyone enjoys a short break to easy their brain and stress during the day; the quick chat employees engage in while they refill their water bottles, promotes staff’s relationship and fosters unity among teams.

The quick chats do not only boost your company’s productivity and morale, but it also helps improve your organizational culture by creating a causal face time with senior colleagues and supervisors, still presenting collaboration opportunities for staffs to work with colleagues from other departments.

The water refill breaks help employees socialize and create an ample time for colleagues to share their similarities like—hobbies, favorite foods, bars, and restaurants—which can also create in them a sense of belonging and camaraderie in the office.

The health and well being of staffs contribute significantly to the success and growth of your business, and also determines employee’s happiness and longevity. If you’re thinking of an easy way to secure the wellness of your employees, incorporating a water dispenser within your work environment can be a big step to enhancing staff work time productivity, health, and longtime partnership.

Dehydration and Office Productivity

Lots of researches have been conducted over the last few decades evaluating the effects of dehydration on both the human body and mind. One constant discovery that continues to recur is the significance of frequent, regular drinking of water during the day.

These discoveries have revealed that drinking water regularly on a daily routine can positively impact on your cognition, mental performance and significantly contribute to your mood. It is obvious we often undervalue the importance of staying hydrated, particularly within the work environment where high cognitive performance is essential.

With all these known, providing you staffs with not just potable water but healthy drinking water becomes a great investment that will pay off in the long run. Statistics from 2004 Annual reports confirm that absenteeism due to health issues cost UK based employers a large sum of 168 million working days.

This evidence reveals that staying hydrated, known to be an immune system booster and also a good prevention measure for sicknesses like flu and cold, plays a vital role than ever in the workplace. Merely installing a filtered water cooler in your office can help increase employee’s productivity and efficiency.

All through the day, our bodies lose water in various ways—evaporation from the skin and lungs as we breathe, and sweat playing the significant role. Weather and climate factors too, contribute to the amount of water we lose during the day, it best if we learn the habit of drink water regularly as our bodies perform more effectively when we maintain a proper water balance.

Ultimately, drinking water regularly helps the body stay hydrated at all times and enables employees to stay focused and perform best.

Maintaining a healthy workforce is the primary key to high productivity. Ensuring that your staffs remain healthy in both mind and body can greatly pay off. When your employee’s health is intact, there is low malingering, reduced health costs, and a greater staff’s longevity. The easiest and most effective way of combating sickness and helping employees stay healthy is by providing them with great water supply while they’re at work in the office.

Five Productivity Reasons to Provide Great Water

1. Good Cognition and Mental Alertness

Frequent water intake helps our body remain hydrated which is necessary for improved cognition, memory, attentiveness, and high mental alertness.

2. Restored Energy

Continuous completion of the task after task can lead to staff’s fatigue. When our body system is short of water, all the main body organs begin to suffer reduced functionality. When staffs get choked up and tired from work, it becomes difficult to concentrate and achieve results. A chilled bottle of refined, great tasting water from a filtered water dispenser can naturally boost energy and get your workers to Optimum Functionality.

3. Increased Staff Morale

Installing a filtered water system in workplace water channels tells staffs that their interest and well being is vital to your organization. Additional care like that matters a lot to staffs and gives them a sense of belonging and love which can be a big drive on the side of your worker.

4. Propels Efficiency and Productivity

Your company focuses more on achieving organizational thereby increasing workflow efficiency and productivity.

5. Averts Sugary Cravings

Eating junks —like chips, chocolates, biscuits, or a bottle of soda—to suppress hunger might, in the long run, lead to sweet craving among staffs which is not good. Replacing these sugar balls with a glass of water can help lessen hunger and give staffs a natural energy refill to keep them on track before launch time.

Every company’s most treasured asset is its workforce. Catering to your staff’s needs and wellness by providing them with great water will go a long way in improving your organization’s productivity, staff’s healthy, and your company’s reputation.

Is It Mandatory To Provide Your Employees With Potable Drinking Water?

Yes. It is mandatory for all business in the United States to provide a healthy and safe working environment which includes an unlimited supply of clean drinking water to keep them healthy and hydrated at the course of their work.

Enforced by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and backed by the US drinking water laws, The law ensures employees across the country have access to healthy drinking water at their place of work assignment.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) have a set of guidelines and standards to be met by all employers of labor across the country.

However, OSHA does not enforce the installation of a filtered water dispenser or water filtration system. You only have to provide drinking water from a reliable water supply that meets the “sanitary” requirements according to the laws of the state. For example, your drinking water source can be from the sink at the staff break room as long as the water meets OSHA guidelines. The decision to go the extra mile and provide a water filtration system for your staffs solely depends on your choice.

Is It Illegal To Deny Your Employee Drinking Water?

It’s illegal to deny your employee portable drinking water in the United States of America. It is the primary obligation of the employer to provide potable drinking water as stated in the Workplace (Health, Safety, and Welfare) Regulations of 1992. Under this act, an employer in the United States must provide “adequate supply of wholesome drinking water” and must ensure it is always available at a marked location within the office building.

Disclaimer: The Information above is from a general background research and not a form of legal or financial advice for a particular work situation. Talk to a legal professional or an independent financial advisor for any concern you may have on your workplace.

Does Employee Engagement Really Make a Difference

Companies are hard at work to identify and implement strategies to maximize existing human capital, and one basking in a renewed focus with a promising room for improvement is employee engagement.

What is it really? And the more important question is this:

Does employee engagement really make a difference? Companies with a highly engaged workforce make a difference in performance, productivity, and profit when they can get more out of their workers in both the quantity and quality of their products or services while reducing costs in the attraction and retention of talent.

It is not a new concept, but as with other corporate terms that have become overly familiar, casually thrown in conversations and pep talks like a common household name, it has become loosely defined and grossly misunderstood.

Employee engagement is a top company priority. While managers are mostly responsible Opens in a new tab. for an employee’s level of engagement, it is a two-way street and relational, and employees should be given the autonomy to actively take part in the process. Managers and employees should work together as they use these strategies to identify specific engagement hindrances and capitalize on ideas and opportunities to nurture a more engaged workforce.

A Closer Look On Engagement

Employee engagement is a popular organizational concept defined as the extent of how much passion and enthusiasm employees feel about their jobs and how much commitment and value they are willing to make for the organization’s goals and objectives.

It is an essential element for an organization to survive and thrive in a hyper-competitive market.

Leading performance management consultancy group Gallup defines Opens in a new tab. engaged workers “as those who are involved in, enthusiastic about, and committed to their work and workplace.”

Employee engagement breeds genuine loyalty

The level of employee engagement Opens in a new tab. can spell the difference between an employee who chooses to stay and the one who chooses to go where the grass is greener. The ship full of job-for-life workers has sailed long ago and top talent retention is more challenging than ever, but a high level of engagement can help ensure that employees stick around long enough and remain invested in doing whatever it takes to succeed in their jobs. Engaged employees think win-win, and when employees win, the company wins as well.

Engagement begets engagement

An engaged employee finds delight in the very act of doing his job, and getting to work is in itself a prize. An organization that focuses on keeping their employees engaged can boost employee happiness and satisfaction, which can have a ripple effect to customers who are also happy and satisfied with the excellent customer experience that they will be hard-pressed to find elsewhere. It follows that only engaged employees Opens in a new tab. can produce engaged customers.

The Big Picture

Even with the recent advancements in industrial automation and artificial intelligence, people remain to be a company’s greatest and most important resource.

To date, there are no known replacements for common sense, creativity, and critical thinking – exactly the distinct human traits needed to perform well at high-quality yet cognitively demanding jobs Opens in a new tab. in today’s knowledge economy, not to mention the complex decision-making processes for which intelligent machines can’t be programmed but in which human workers natively excel.

Human capital, however, is complex, its very foundation comprising of unique individuals with diverse backgrounds, behaviors, and motivations that affect essential company bottom-lines like performance, productivity, and profit.

The benefits of employee engagement are real and clear, but there is an obvious and alarming disconnect.

A Harvard Business Review (HBR) reports Opens in a new tab. that while 71% of companies regard employee engagement as very important and even place it as a top-three business priority, only 24% say their employees are highly engaged. Another hard blow is delivered on a separate report. Gallup also confirms that the percentage of engaged full-time workers is a dismal 15% and the estimated global cost of disengagement is at an astonishing $7 trillion of money down the drain.

Now that is a lot of wasted profit and potential and behind are millions of workers who lack the commitment and passion to deliver more than what is expected of them, let alone go the extra mile. Those who just put in the time, but not the energy. Those who exert the minimum effort to keep their jobs and the paycheck coming each month until a better offer comes along.

One hundred percent employee engagement is not achievable but there is hope for a solution, in reclaiming what was lost. A number of factors from the same HBR report Opens in a new tab. like performance recognition and individual goal alignment emerged as the most critical to cultivating better employee engagement, but everything boils down to one thing: clear and effective communication.

Overlooking the Obvious

How many employees know their company’s vision, mission, and values by heart? Only 42% according to the Human Capital League.

Another study Opens in a new tab. by Gallup reveals that only 41% of employees strongly agree that they know what their company does and stands for and what makes them different from their competitors. The numbers may differ slightly by industry, but still, there is much left to be desired due to this disparity between expectation and reality.

Throughout his leadership book Start With Why, bestselling author Simon Sinek mentions that “People don’t buy WHAT you do; they buy WHY you do it.” This statement is as significant and true with leadership as it is with employee engagement, but then truth, as they say, is often simple yet overlooked. For employees, job descriptions for example only describe WHAT is expected of them, but not WHAT is in it for them. They only inform and equip, but not necessarily engage.

An effective engagement strategy should then start with communicating the why (purpose, cause, or belief) of a company that looks and feels the same to everyone, everywhere in the company and making sure that employees at all levels understand them to their core, regardless if they have customer-facing or back office roles.

Only then can a company start to talk about performance recognition, reviews, and rewards – all equally important in further driving employee engagement Opens in a new tab. .

Lack of engagement is often a symptom of the ignorance of a company’s why. It is basic human psychology to only care enough about something a person knows well and connects with deeply.

An employee needs to know it in his head first and then feel it in his heart, before he will do it with his hands.

He wants compelling reasons, and reasons are what reap results. If in the company’s why an employee is sold out, he will be all out.

No longer will he harbor the “not-my-job” mentality. He will not only ask “What’s in it for me?” but will go beyond that and ask “What’s in it for us?”

For him it is not just a job, it is a mission.

He will think of himself as an achiever, co-laborer, partner, a contributor with a voice, and not a mere worker – faceless and dispensable.

Only when a company’s why matches its employee’s why will employee engagement be finally realized.

Start with why today to end in employee engagement that makes a difference.

Artificial Intelligence is Changing Employee Experience and HR Management

The emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) has dramatically impacted various industries, offering new potentials and raising critical topics of concern. Its ability to improve cost, quality, and access has made AI implementation appealing to many fields of human activity. One area where AI has been particularly transformative is in human resources (HR) management and employee experience.

The integration of AI in employee experience and HR management is reshaping the way businesses operate, creating new opportunities for improved performance and agility. By leveraging change management models like Lewin’s Force Field theory and the ADKAR model, HR leaders can successfully navigate the challenges associated with AI implementation and lead their organizations toward greater achievements and success.

In order for HR to leverage AI and shape the future of work, proper change management models must be adopted to support organizations in redefining their operations for improved performance and agility. HR leaders face challenges in integrating new technology into existing human forces and leading businesses to great achievements and success.

Change management strategies and policies should consider the forces that lead to change or resistance, as explained by Lewin’s Force Field theory, especially in AI application where fear of the unknown is particularly significant.

Lewin’s Force Field Theory

Force field theory is a model for analyzing and defining decision situations where changes in either direction or magnitude are required. The model explains forces that lead to change (driving forces) and forces that restrain it (restraining forces). In order for change to occur, the driving forces for change must exceed the restraining forces.

Applying Lewin’s model to analyze AI implementation can be understood through three stages: unfreezing, moving, and refreezing.

Unfreezing

HR managers should create motivation and prepare the groundwork for AI implementation. Communication policies should be applied to provide employees with knowledge and support for the new situation. Some organizations fall into the trap of spending most of their budget on the new AI solution, and not nearly enough on training.

Moving

Employees should be empowered to embrace the change and adopt the new working system introduced by the employment of AI in various tasks of the working system.

Refreezing

HR should apply tactics such as praise, reward, and reinforcement to consolidate the use of AI and establish a new order.

ADKAR Change Model in AI Implementation

The ADKAR change management model, developed by Jeff Hiatt in 2003 and introduced as a practical tool by Prosci, provides HR managers with a strong and useful tool to facilitate change, understand employees’ response to AI application, support transition periods, and create the proper environment and skills for achievement and stabilization of new working procedures combining human and AI talents.

The ADKAR model includes five steps for the successful use of AI: awareness, desire, knowledge, ability, and reinforcement.

Awareness

At this stage, employees must understand the nature of change, the reasons for AI implementation, and the risks of not adopting it. Strategies for building awareness include the use of different media to communicate the pros and cons of AI, share HRM goals for adopting AI, and train employees to incorporate AI into their personal working tasks.

Desire

Motivation and personal choice are critical in supporting and getting involved in change. Actions and words of HR leaders greatly influence employees’ desire for change. Strategies for this stage include involvement of senior leaders in addressing concerns about AI application, dealing with issues and problems emerging from the new technology, demonstrating the benefits of AI introduction, supporting change, understanding employees’ objections and concerns about their future jobs, and engaging the workforce in the AI adaptation process.

Knowledge

At this stage, HRM should focus on training for skills and behavior the AI applications need, providing information concerning the function of the new processes and new rules and roles of responsibility related to the new working process. Strategies for developing knowledge include analyzing current and future needs offered by AI application, designing proper training programs for easy AI adaptation, organizing personal coaching for difficult tasks, and involving great users, groups, and forums of AI users from other fields.

Ability

The capability of the workforce to implement AI applications to their working tasks is demonstrated through achievements of

change. The strategies to reach higher performance levels include personal coaching to fill in gaps in employees’ skills and abilities from their experience with AI collaboration, creating a safe working environment to practice the new conditions, and mentoring AI expertise while measuring AI performance.

Reinforcement

At this stage of change management, all actions focus on stabilizing and strengthening the change. Employees are encouraged to support the implementation of AI applications even after their initial adaptation. Strategies to consolidate change include recognizing AI implementation, providing feedback on its use and coexistence with previous procedures, and conducting constant reviews of performance data.

AI application and implementation present significant potential in addressing important challenges, but may also be limited by the quality of data provided and the workforce’s inability to properly integrate the technology. Instead of resisting AI and losing the advantages it offers, HR professionals must cultivate the proper knowledge and background for the opportunities brought by new technologies.

As AI continues to evolve, HR professionals must remain proactive in developing strategies that address the fears and concerns surrounding AI adoption while capitalizing on the benefits this technology offers. By doing so, they will create a more dynamic, efficient, and adaptive workforce that will thrive in an ever-changing business landscape.

What Roles Need Office Space?

I am an aspiring businessman and I was planning what my business and company will be. I wondered how large my staff will be and how many employees will need office space. This led me to research the exact roles in companies that require an office to work effectively.

Which roles need a corporate office space? Virtually all roles in a company require office space. From the CEO to the staff working in the marketing department to those in customer relations. Every role is similar in its need for office space in order to carry out its functions efficiently and in a productive manner.

While it is true that almost all roles require an office in a company; particular roles require it more than others so as to perform efficiently. Also, not all jobs require an office building to function. Some can be done just as easily at home. In this post, we will talk about those jobs that require office space to function effectively.

Roles that Require an Office to Function Effectively

As already pointed out, some roles can be easily accomplished from the comfort of a home, a café, or any other space. However, some cannot be done effectively from any place except a designated office. This is because an office attaches a location to a company and gives a company an official presence.

The office provides those working within its confines an opportunity to work together as well as to collaborate and support each other in the accomplishment of each other’s duties. These things would otherwise be hard (and near impossible) to accomplish without the presence of office space.

Those jobs in particular that require office space for their descriptions to be efficiently carried:

7 Roles requiring Office Space

Auditing: an auditor is one who audits accounts and ensures that they are in order. An auditor checks through the record of a company’s finances (or an individual’s) so as to ensure their accuracy. Such a role requires an office for it to function efficiently. Whether the auditor is part of an auditing firm, is a freelancer, or works in the accounting department of a company; having an office enables efficient performance of the duties expected of this individual. Also, for confidentiality reasons, things concerning the finances of a firm should be done within a firm or organization.
Customer Service Representative: another job that requires an office for efficient functioning is that of a customer service representative. This individual helps sort out issues involving customers and clients of the company he/she is working for. A customer service representative helps provide solutions to issues challenging customers of a company leading to a peaceful resolution of conflict. He/she is the middleman between the client and company and should always be found available and at ’home’ for effective service rendering.
Lawyer: a lawyer and solicitor definitely fall in under the classification of roles that require an office in a company. This role can simply not be accomplished from the comfort of a home. Offices provide companies with an official presence, as has already been mentioned and which better way to ensure that there is an officious air around a company than to get…….an office.
Chief Executive Officer: The CEO is the company itself if he doesn’t have an office, who will? The CEO (Chief Executive Officer) of a company is the person with the final say on matters. This person is the highest ranking officer in a company and has the authority to take steps and make decisions on behalf of the company. This role very definitely requires an office to be accomplished effectively.
Human Resources Manager: yet another role in an office that requires an office. The HR manager is akin to the customer service representative but to the company’s employees. They are responsible for the wellbeing of the employees in a company. This ensures that the employees are productive and that things run smoothly within the organization. This job cannot be accomplished without the presence of a physical office. It cannot be done from the comfort of a home or a café.
Receptionist: a receptionist is the first person clients of a company (as well as intending clients) come in contact with (apart from the security man, that is). They attend to clients’ inquiries and provide help when needed. They attend to the phone, schedule and arrange appointments, set aside conference rooms for events and conferences that involve the company, order for and manage office supplies as well as distribute and ensure that company workers get the company mail. For this role, an office is definitely essential.
Office Administrative Assistant: An office administrative assistant does carry out functions that ease the duties of executives and managers in a company. Their role is quite important as it facilitates the delivery of the duties of the executives. This role renders those very big roles in a company produces. An office administrative assistant writes and transcribes letters for the person (or group of persons) they are attached to. They facilitate travel arrangements, have a hand in communication (through whatever means is available), calculate and make available reports on the expenses incurred as well as the department’s budget.

Criteria that Will Influence Whether Office Space is Needed

There are quite a number of reasons why you should consider getting an office for your company. These reasons set you apart and make it necessary that you secure office space for efficient functioning.

The attraction of new talent: an office space/building speaks volumes about a company’s standing as well as its stature. A lot of things that will influence whether talent will stay and commit his/her future to your company can be read in how and what the office space is like. Financial health, attitude to work, the vision (as well as the steps being taken to achieve that vision), and many other things that will help a talent decide whether to pitch his/her future with the company are exhibited in how the office space is.

Social life: you need office space in order to build camaraderie among your employees. This, in turn, makes them satisfied and happy with the job which results in more productivity and they’re being encouraged that your company is the place for them to be. Without an office space, there is little to no opportunity for your employees to mingle, get to know each other, and build their social lives.

Punctuality: if your company is one that requires meeting upon meeting for efficient and effective performance, then, you need an office space. While it is true that technology has advanced and meetings can be held via the internet, it is also true that network connectivity is not always good. This might result in having to postpone a meeting or in communication during such a meeting nit being effective. Some might even be late to the meeting without a way to contact them and get them to the meeting. An office space eliminates these and ensures that meetings are held smoothly and without hassles.

Accountability: working in an office environment fosters accountability of the employees and helps ensure that everybody is doing their work as they are meant to be. If your company is one that requires that tasks be accomplished fast, you should definitely get an office space. Each employee as somebody that they report to who can ensure that things are being done as they ought to be.

Investors: if your investors advise you to get an office space, then you should. There will definitely be certain factors they will bring into light that will influence their advice which is worth considering.

Health: an unhealthy work office cannot be as productive as a healthy one. Having an office space helps you play a major and direct role in ensuring that your employees are healthy. You can do this by having a doctor on-site within the company premises, scheduling health check-ups and such as well as by incorporating healthy meals into the everyday routine. The employees can even be charged for this with the company augmenting the costs.

Team building: having an office space where all your workers stay together enables them to work together and support each other in the accomplishment of their duties. For example, when the IT specialist is in the same building as the accounting clerk, it is a simple matter of sending word down to him/her when there is a problem with the computer or software the clerk works with. This greatly boosts productivity and allows more to be done in a lesser amount of time.

Training and development of employees: having an office space allows you to organize training seminars and workshops to develop the skills of your employees thereby ensuring that they are more productive and that their duties are carried out more effectively. This has the added effect of ensuring that they have job satisfaction and makes it harder for other companies to poach them as well as easier for you to retain the top talents that drive your company’s growth.

8 Roles that do not Require Office Space to Perform Effectively

An office is used to refer to a working space outside of a person’s home. It used to be the only space where people carry out their job duties. This has changed in the last decade and a half, however, as more and more people work and accomplish their duties just as effectively from places that are traditionally not offices. According to a report by Gallup, about 30 percent of the United States workforce now work from the comfort of their homes with a lot of people believing that they are just as productive as those who work in an office environment.

The reason why these many people can now work from the comfort of their homes is that of advances in technology which provides them the opportunity and freedom to be productive from anywhere they choose. Working away from a traditional office also affords a person flexibility in terms of when to work as well as the volume of time to spend working.

The following are 8 roles that can be easily accomplished without a traditional office building;

Cleaner: while there is a requirement for a store where the tools of those in this profession are required; there is absolutely no need for an office for this particular role. That would be a waste as the person performing in such a role will not require this for any reason whatsoever. Not for bookkeeping, development, and planning of strategy or any other such reason. So, they do not require an office.

Security: those in charge of the company’s security can definitely do without an office. Their job is to ensure the safety of the people and properties related to the company: clients, staff, and assets. A job they can very well do without an office.

Freelance writing: Freelance writing is one of the best job roles that can be accomplished from anywhere in the world and does not require an office building to be accomplished. This role affords the writer flexibility as to fees, time to work, location to work, and many other things. All that is required is that the writer signs up on one or two freelance websites such as Fiverr and Upwork, fills out the required personal details, builds a professional profile, and uploads his/her portfolio. The writer then gets contacted by those who feel like the writer’s profile matches what they are looking for.

Affiliated writer: an affiliated writer role allows the writer to work from home or wherever else they will prefer. This is after securing an agreement with the company that employed them. This practice is more common in digital media houses than in other industries. It gives the writer flexibility, helps him/her save up on expenses that would have been incurred in transport to and fro work (and other things), allows the writer to determine when best to work and other such things. All this time, the writer is considered a full-time employee of the company and is treated as such with benefits provided.

Blogging: blogging is a role that does not require specialized equipment or office space to accomplish. All that this job role needs are a computer and a reliable internet connection. This makes it possible to do this job from anywhere comfortably.

Recruiter: a recruiter is someone who identifies a suitable fit for a role in a company and then works towards recruiting that person for that role. Nowadays, recruiters do not need an office Opens in a new tab. space; this is because companies (in a bid to save cost and space) now outsource the procurement of new talent for them to independent recruiters.

Photographer: Photography is another job role that does not require office space for the duties to be carried out effectively. A photographer takes pictures and this does not have to be in one location. This defeats the point of having to work in an office space. A photographer might as well work from anywhere and still do a great job.

Sales representative: yet another role that can be accomplished out of the traditional office is that of a sales representative. The sales representative is saddled with the responsibility of securing customers and clients for the company. This role does not require an office space to be accomplished as the sales representative move from one location to the other meeting with prospective clients and attempting to convince them to partner and become customers of the company they (the sales representative) represent.

Jennifer Michael – Writer and Editor

Jennifer is a member of the School of Journalism and mass communication at Aston University.

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