Building Outdoor Working Spaces that Create Comfort for your Employees

Everyone loves the great outdoors and all of its benefits – connecting with nature, soaking up the sun and getting some fresh air just to name a few. You don’t really associate the outdoors with a formal office space, yet more and more offices are becoming progressive with their work environments for several reasons including increased productivity and revenue. Instead of adding on to your current office space in a traditional manner, is it smart for you to invest in an outdoor office space?

The Benefits

Putting Your Employees’ Needs First

Spending more time outdoors can reduce stress, increase levels of vitamin D, improve sleep, and improve your immune system. If your employees have the option to work outdoors, these benefits will improve their overall health which means fewer sick days, better focus, and more productivity overall. By having an outdoor office space, your employees could gain all of these benefits and work at the same time.

Promotes Problem Solving and Decreases Burn Out

Cooperation and teamwork is vital to any collaborative work environment. Studies show that more time outdoors is correlated with less mental fatigue and promotes creativity. People are more likely to problem solve and be more open to compromise when they are in a better mood. By having an outdoor office space, your employees can get more tasks done more quickly together.

Attracting Talent to Your Team

Millennials are always looking to work at progressive offices. Being competitive isn’t just about salary and benefit packages anymore. It’s about what type of work environment you provide. After all, your employees will spend the majority of their workdays at your office and how your office space will affect their personal lives is important to them. If your employees are able to have the flexibility to spend time working outdoors, your new hires will perceive your outdoor workspace as a perk. It may give you an advantage over other offices that don’t offer progressive outdoor work environments.

Putting Your Customers at Ease

Think about the last time the weather was nice and you chose to dine outside when you went out to a restaurant. Think of how that enhanced your experience at that restaurant, and now think of how a similar outdoor experience could improve your client meetings. Investing in an outdoor space and being able to meet with clients outdoors will elevate their experience with your company. It will set you apart from other companies and make you stand out in their minds just like your favorite restaurant with outdoor seating does in your mind.

Cost of an Outdoor Space

Creating an outdoor space for your staff to take breaks, meals, and even hold meetings in is a cost-effective option. If you already have an appropriately sized and located outdoor space on your property, making it more functional can be accomplished for significantly less investment that the addition of the same square footage under roof. Starting with well-designed andinstalled hardscaping, creating a shaded seating area for meetings, installing proper lighting, and getting weather resistant outdoor furniture is a much easier task than expanding your office with a traditional add-on. Adding plants and attractive landscaping will enhance the overall look and appeal of your new outdoor space. And on top of that, greater employee productivity will lead to increased revenue in the long run.

Technology

Because of wifi, bringing technology outdoors is easier than ever. Make sure that electricity is available for powering up devices during meetings and that any technology can be brought indoors or protected from inclement weather.

An outdoor office space can boost staff morale and increase their ability to serve customers. The outdoor office space will not only have a positive impact on staff but will give your customers a unique meeting experience that will help you stand out in a competitive market. And compared to the cost of adding on a traditional office space, an outdoor space is more cost effective not only because of its benefits, but because outdoor infrastructure is less costly than creating an indoor space from scratch.

Get in touch, and let us help you get started on your outdoor workspace today.