The concept of a standard working office with dingy square cubicles divided by flimsy partitions is becoming a thing of the past. You know the ones – they were featured in that classic Matrix scene in which Neo first had to evade the agents by ducking down behind them. Like the Wachowski brothers’ classic, these were popular in the 1990s, but a lot of modern office workers have never heard of them. Office design has come on leaps and bounds in the 21st century, and now there are some seriously innovative ideas about what to include in order to boost morale. One thing that is becoming common is a games room.
A Games Room at Work?
Putting a games room into an office design may sound totally counterintuitive. How can you get your staff to do any work if they are busy bashing away at buttons on an arcade machine? Obviously, business owners need to limit the amount of time people spend gaming and make sure the room is only used during scheduled breaks. If this is done, it can be an excellent way to boost morale and keep employees happy.
There has been plenty of research into the effects of having a content workforce. According to Forbes, burned out employees are more likely to quit, and paid sick-leave costs employers $160 billion annually. If workers have a good reason to turn up, and their day has a healthy balance between work and play, it could actually benefit the business in the long run.
69 percent of workers say they would increase their productivity if they felt more appreciated. Therefore, providing employees with something as rewarding as a games room could actually see an upturn in the profitability of a business.
Other Quirky Office Ideas
There are numerous quirky office ideas coming into fashion now which are used as a way to make employees happy and enhance their potential when it comes to the actual work. It doesn’t just have to be videogames and arcade machines in a games room. Business owners could opt for offerings like table tennis or pool instead, in an effort to encourage people to move and enjoy some exercise.
In addition to specialist rooms, the office layout has been totally revamped. Now, there is more of a focus on everyone being able to see each other, nobody having an assigned work area, and lots of natural light wherever possible. In some places, they don’t even have desks and chairs, and instead opt for sofas and bean bags. Anything goes.
Insurance is a Must
Business owners who are looking at ways to mix things up in the office in an effort to increase productivity need to make sure they have the right insurance. Imagine having to fork out for hospital bills for an employee who was accidentally hit in the head with a pool cue, or crashed into the corner of the ping pong table when trying to pull off a trick shot. General contractor’s liability insurance is the best option to cover against incidents such as these, and the reasonably-priced plans available online can save much larger costs in the long run.
The great thing about the modern office is that there are no rules. Business owners are free to include whatever they want and design the space in any way they desire. A lot of the new additions, like games rooms, can boost morale massively and make workers more efficient.
