The Office and You – Has it gone too far?

It is a common known fact that human beings will spend more of their time working than not. Logically, this means that wherever we choose to work should incorporate and comfortable and positive environment. Take, for example, the average office job between the hours of 9 and 5 with a moderate pay check. People have survived for quite a few decades before us with little or no comforting furniture, designed to cater for their needs. In modern times, we have the health and safety industries cracking down on employers, lengthening the time people are allowed for paid leave, making them more lenient in keeping less efficient staff members on board and making sure the employee’s needs are provided for.

In fact, there are whole industries that have been created for the purpose of fulfilling these new roles in employment needs and satisfaction. Take, for example, the ergonomics corporations. Ergonomic equipment is specially designed to cater for the needs of its users, and office ergonomics does this for employees in the corporate world. While these products may improve the comfort of staff, thereby increasing quality of work, as well as the amount done, it’s a very large investment for any company which may not produce as satisfying results as originally thought. Workers given more perks in the job are not guaranteed to repay their employers for it by working harder. In fact, what encourages people more than anything to work harder is money. Money is a solid and certified way to reward your employee’s, and as an employer you are more likely to get a better reaction when the prospect of increased wages are concerned.

It is only in current times that the health care of a company’s employee’s are so carefully considered. As staff members are afforded more workers rights than ever before, it would make sense that allowing your employee’s a more comfortable environment in which to work would be met with less enthusiasm than initially perceived. Although, this doesn’t necessarily mean that employees do not deserve these benefits. Any worker is entitled to his/her rights, and companies shouldn’t be motivated solely to improve worker satisfaction only to gain more labour from them. Alternatively, surveys have been carried out in which there was a direct link between employee satisfaction and engagement, and organisational performance and success. Also, lower satisfaction means a higher turnover of jobs, as workers are much more likely to leave their jobs in search of somewhere with better employee treatment.

It is up to the individual then, albeit each person or each company, to decide on whether the health and safety standards that are implemented today are too much. Whether the investment a company makes to improve its employee’s satisfaction will ultimately prove cost effective by allowing for an improved performance and better standard of work. It is the company’s choice as to how much they choose to invest in this sector of business, as the best way to find their answer is through trial and error.