Does it ever feel like modern office working has somewhat shifted for the worse in recent years? Sure, remote work is certainly more flexible and convenient, and no doubt good for the mental well-being of a team.
But in terms of distractions, it can feel like we have everything coming at us as once, from endless notification pings to the general buzz of open-plan spaces, but creating an environment where people can actually concentrate and you can keep your staff focused shouldn’t require constant management or complicated policies to achieve, right?
Well, while staff are there to work, and while you can’t really expect to baby them, it’s fair to say that managing your trusted members of the team and helping them present their best effort is worth a little planning. Companies like the Valve Corporation and Google seem to nail it with their unique approach to working culture, but should you have to go that far?
In this post, we’ll discuss some measures you can take to ensure the modern working environment is easier to focus in:
Creating Comfort Zones
The physical workspace matters more than many realize, and it speaks to the novelty of good design more than anything. Careful, glowing lighting, comfortable temperatures, and ergonomic furniture aren’t just luxuries for more expensive offices to enjoy- they’re basic needs for sustained focus. Bean to cup coffee machines in break areas can give staff a reason to take proper breaks rather than spending 20 minutes queuing at the local cafe, and a great cup of coffee also fires them up and keeps them focused too. In addition, small decorative elements like plants or quiet areas for concentrated work make the office somewhere people want to be, rather than have to be, and that in itself offers a nice perspective shift for them.
Setting Collaboration Spaces
Fighting against human nature doesn’t work out well for anyone, especially in a workplace where we have to apply ourselves. People have different peak productivity hours and varying needs for quiet or collaborative time, so setting up these areas for different efforts throughout the day can help, even if you just set up dividers in an open plan office. You might even go as far as to offer flexible working hours to some staff, as they often lead to better focus than forcing everyone into the same rigid schedule. Quick walks, coffee breaks, or just changing scenery can reset attention spans more effectively than pushing through mental fatigue, so allow them to take breaks at their own pace.
Building Trust In Autonomy
Any good leader quickly learns to delegate. Micromanaging attention spans usually backfires for that reason. When staff feel trusted to manage their own time and workload, they often develop better focus naturally because they can manage their energies. Clear expectations about outcomes matter more than monitoring every minute of the workday, so set those deadlines with confidence and keep an open door policy.
The goal isn’t perfect focus all day of course, that’s not realistic or even desirable. Instead, try to achieve an environment where people can find their groove maintain steady progress on important work, and learn to move with them as they develop. It’ll help you to keep your staff focused and reduce staff turnover like nothing else.
With this advice, we hope you can continue to not only help develop staff but also their focus levels over time.
Images courtesy of unsplash.com and pexels.com
