Manage The Workload: The last thing you want is a tired, demotivated team, with a mad rush of everyone working away like little elves, to get everything done before Christmas & New Year. Get organised with the workload and if it’s an especially busy period for your business, have a clear plan of action for how your team will be able to achieve everything ahead of schedule. Make sure it’s an atmosphere of drive and determination, as oppose to stress and pressure. Set targets and goals that have meaning; pulling together that team spirit for support and motivation.

Consider Flexible Working: When family commitments take over ahead of Christmas, a great solution to overcome this is by offering flexible working- whether this is by utilising shared spaces closer to home (Read more here: https://loc8commercial.com/blog/flexible-offices-future-work/) or enabling single parents to work from the comfort of their home temporarily from the end of school term. The key is to sitting down with your team to find out what they want and need, then working with them for a win, win situation. Happy staff, and targets hit.

Celebrations and Awards: No matter how big or small your company is, award ceremonies are perfect for recognising, rewarding and motivating your staff. And what better time to do it than the end of the year? Whether it’s a simple thing within the workplace, or by hosting a big event- end-of-year celebrations help to keep those spirits high! Similarly, Christmas Work Parties. Practically everyone has them right? So if you don’t, get your organising caps on! It could be simple after-work Christmas dinner or drinks, but it really helps to bring everyone together, and gives staff something to look forward to, towards the end of the month.

Festive Fun In The Office: At a time when people would much rather be our doing their own thing or spending time with their loved ones, creating a fun and friendly atmosphere in the office makes all the difference to morale. Think- background Christmas tunes in the office, lunchtime office decorating (possibly even going all-out with a tree!) Christmas Jumper day, festive cakes & treats, or even some Christmas competitions. How about- a prize for the best decorated desk?! Think outside the box for how to make it a fun -yet productive- working environment.

Secret Santa With a Twist: So aside from making your workplace feel festive, you can also get your team into the Christmas spirit by organising a Secret Santa… Everyone’s name goes into a hat and one-by-one they pick a name out in secret, for which they then have to buy that person a gift! Make this even more fun, by giving it a gift-buying theme. EG. ‘One Thing That Makes You Fabulous’… This works particularly well for a tight-knit group of coworkers, and might still be appropriate for gatherings where everyone knows each other at least somewhat well. It adds a bit of fun and can bring everyone closer together. You can also do your bit by writing individual thank you notes to every staff member, to give on the day of the gift-giving! Short, sweet, but personal, and it shows your staff how much they really matter.

Rewards and Incentives: Different people are driven by different things. Some need to feel valued & appreciated, some need recognition & rewards, and some are driven financially. Understand your staff and what drives them the most, using appropriate incentives- especially when hitting targets. Make sure your ‘Christmas gift’ is one that matches them!

So ho, ho, ho- there’s just a few ideas to get you started. What do you find works best with staff motivation throughout the holiday season? Share your ideas below! And have a very happy Christmas!

The post How To Keep Staff Motivated This Christmas appeared first on Loc8 Commercial Blog.

‘Giving up on your goal because of one setback is like slashing your other three tires because you got a flat…

And sure, it may be easier said than done. But remember, you’re not alone. How do we know? Well let’s share a few stories from some of the best…

Bill Gates: The richest person in the WHOLE WORLD. Yep, his first business failed. And it failed bad. The Traf-O-Data was a device that could read traffic tapes and process the data, yet when he went to sell it- the thing didn’t even work! Did Bill give up? Let it knock him down or defeat him? Of course not. In fact, his business partner -Paul Allen- later went on to explain that despite it not being the success they’d hoped for ‘it was seminal in preparing us to make Microsoft’s first product a couple of years later.’ They learnt from their mistakes, and used it as fuel and knowledge to build bigger and better things. Talk about a winning mentality!

If we’re on the topic of failed companies….

Henry Ford: One of America’s foremost industrialists, Henry Ford revolutionised the car industry, founding Ford Motor Company and become the first to apply assembly line manufacturing for cars. He was one of the three most famous and richest men in the world because of this. Yet to begin with- his first two car companies failed and left him completely broke! However, he didn’t let it falter his confidence, which is why he was able to create the great legacy he has left behind today.

Colonel Sanders: This guy was in a similar place. Despite founding one of the biggest fast-food chains in the world -KFC- at the incredible age of 65, Colonel’s famous secret chicken recipe was rejected over a 1,000 times before a restaurant accepted it. Yep, he was a businessman of sheer grit and determination, also proving that age really is just a number and you should never give up on your dreams.

So who else do we have? Well-

Stephen King: best selling author and movie sensation… You don’t get where this guy is without being pretty damn good! Yet believe it or not, in the early days- he was constantly rejected by publishing houses and even threw his first book in the trash! It’s brutal, disheartening and incredibly tough, but did he let it stop him? No. He kept going despite the knock-backs and went on to sell over 350 million copies of his work.

Walt Disney: Similar to King, Walt was fired from the Kansas City Star because his editor felt he “lacked imagination and had no good ideas.” Pfft, try telling that to kids now! Several more of his businesses failed before the premiere of his movie “Snow White” and I’m pretty sure we need no explanation to that! He went on to become the guy who redefined American childhood and made massive developments in the production of cartoons.

If we’re moving on to entertainment, one of the biggest recognised figures right now- you have to look no further than Mr Cowell. Love him or hate him, this guy is a role model for many….

Simon Cowell: Reality television judge and producer, entrepreneur, and philanthropist, Simon is worth more than £300 million for his Syco Entertainment company, which has  sold over 200 million albums and achieved 180 number one singles worldwide. Despite this, it certainly wasn’t an easy ride to get there. See, by his late twenties, Simon had made a million dollars but also lost a million dollars. Yep, how about that for a kicker! But he picked himself up, learnt from his mistakes and became one of the biggest forces in reality television.

We also have the likes of Richard Branson who had dyslexia and did poor at school- but despite low grades and ‘failures’ in education from an early age- he pushed through all the challenges and obstacles that came his way; becoming the fourth richest person in the UK! Albert Einstein also had a challenging childhood and didn’t even speak until the age of four. Yep, many people thought he would never make anything of himself and his head was just in the clouds… Who’d have known those clouds were whirling up genius concepts that would literally change the world! And let’s not forget Thomas Edison, who failed 1000 times before creating the light bulb. Yep one THOUSAND! His response to failure?

“I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”

Legendary… And the list could go on and on.

See, wherever you are right now: it does not matter. What matters is where you want to go, and what you are willing to do to get there. Don’t see setbacks as failures, see them as learning opportunities and have fun building yourself back up or working around them.

What’s the biggest mistakes you’ve made in business and how did you overcome them?

The post Forget Failure: Why The Best Will Never Give Up appeared first on Loc8 Commercial Blog.

You ready? LET’S GO!

It’s All in The Mindset – To actually become the most productive person around, you must first decide to be so… Get committed to it, and keep it in your mind throughout the day so that if you find yourself wasting time, you can quickly get back on track. Don’t beat yourself up about any of your past habits or failures; and certainly don’t compare yourself to anyone else. Instead focus on what you’re working to achieve now and know that you can do it. See, making the decision and committing to it is half the battle. Once you’ve made up your mind, you will begin to challenge yourself to see just how much you can accomplish in any given day. You’ll start to find things that work for you, changing your habits to optimise productivity and keeping that momentum and motivation going, to see more and more of the results you want in your work and your life.

Get Organised – How can you expect to get everything you want done, if you’re not even clear on what exactly that needs to be? The solution?- Knowing your short-term and long-term goals, and then planning your workload the night before to ensure you’re creating the stepping stones to get you there. Write a list, running through all the things you MUST do and then all the things you SHOULD- which you can only move onto once all the essentials have been ticked off first. This is important, because it’s all about prioritising and not getting distracted. If you find new things you need to do throughout the day- don’t do them immediately (unless that’s required)- instead pop them on the ‘after’ list so you don’t need to worry about forgetting, but can work through it at a better time. This helps to deal with overwhelm and gives you a more strategic approach. You also need to keep looking at your list and thinking more about the outcomes, as oppose to the actual tasks themselves…

– What is my outcome in all of this? What’s really important and taking me closer to the end goal?

– Is everything on my list really needed?

– Are there any things I can do in a different way which would be faster, but still get me to that end goal I need?

– Is there anything on here that can be delegated or outsourced to save time/ increase effectiveness?

Getting lots done, doesn’t always mean you’re getting the most out of your day. In fact, the 80/20 rule says that you often get 80% of your results from 20% of the things you do. So doing more of the 20% is the best way to skyrocket your success. Make sure you’re spending your time on the most important things; taking the time to really analyse what you’re doing and why. When you plan your day the night before, you also wake up ready to hit the ground running knowing exactly what you’re doing and where it’s going to get you.

The Hour Of Power – Now there’s lots of different things you can do to organise your work and plan your day; it’s all about finding what works best for you. We are however aware that procrastination is the silent killer, so to destroy this and really ‘get things done’, get into the routine of using the first hour of your day, as soon as you’re all set up and ready to work- to tackle those things you LEAST want to do, but know are actually the most important. This will set up your day in the right way, giving you a greater sense of achievement and starting how you wish to go on! Try it, it works!

Dealing With Distractions – So we know what we want to achieve, we’re in the right headspace to achieve it, but inevitably things are going to happen throughout the day to try to steer us off course. Phone calls, emails, people coming in and out your office, demands, distractions. It’s normal. To ensure they don’t take us off-path however, we have to stay focused. As mentioned above- use lists to get organised and those new demands that come in throughout the day- write them down for when your main priorities have been completed. If you work in an office, set up a “Do Not Disturb” sign when it’s time to get important work done. If you work from home or outside of an office, set a policy so people know not to call or interrupt you during certain time blocks. Schedule calls so you can plan around them, allocate your time wisely and get that head knuckled down when it needs to be!

Refresh, Recharge – Now no-one can be a complete working MACHINE. And if you are- you’ll start to burn yourself out if you’re not careful and then what good are you?! Short breaks throughout the day are important. It helps to keep concentration high and avoid a brain-block. The best way to take a break is to not stay sat down at your desk but instead get up, get moving and that blood circulating properly again! To make a habit of it- take time at lunch to go somewhere that takes you away from the office environment. Have your food, have a lunchtime stroll and you’ll come back with a clear, focused mind- ready to tackle the rest of the afternoon head on! If you’ve also completed a big job, get up, give yourself a pat on the back, have a quick stroll around, a glass of water, maybe grab a quick piece of fruit then get back, ready to crack on with the next job! It doesn’t need to be long, but this burst of movement and energy will make all the difference. Diet also plays a big part in productivity, staying hydrated, staying healthy. What we put into our bodies greatly affects our focus, energy and well-being throughout the course of the day, so you may find it’s worth looking into this more too

Whatever you do: make sure you have clarity and direction. Time is one of our most valuable things. It’s something we can never get back. Commit today to getting more from your day, and I promise: you will never look back…

It’s also important to have the right working environment to maximise productivity. If you’re looking for a new space- get in touch for free, impartial property searching and advice. See our full services here:

Written by Blue Monkey Social Media

The post How To Increase Productivity: Getting The Most Out Of Your Day appeared first on Loc8 Commercial Blog.

Quality office space brings many benefits to a business and when it’s done well it can create a positive environment where teams can flourish. In a recent article on Fast Company, Kay Sargent, director of workplace strategies at infrastructure solutions provider Lend Lease said, “In the last four to five years, we’ve all been focusing on sustainability and the impact technology has in an office. During this time, we’ve forgotten that we’re designing for people. Now there’s a real focus on trying to maximise human potential, performance, and productivity.”

OFFICE SPACE WITH PEOPLE IN MIND

Designing office space with people in mind has taken a major leap forward since 2014. According to Miguel McKelvey, cofounder and chief creative officer of coworking office space WeWork, productivity is about enabling collaboration in the workplace.  He said, “With the popularity of open floor plans, it’s certainly important for people to have a sense of privacy. People need a space that they can go to make a conference or Skype call.”

One important reason to make sure your office space is well designed is the rise in work place stress. According to the Office of National Statistics one in five employees is suffering from work related stress. Leading US expert on workspace, Monica Parker from Morgan Lovell said, “Every decision in the workplace has a profound impact on workforce wellbeing, and an office is the living, breathing representation of a company. It should be the duty of any socially responsible employer to create a healthy, engaging environment for their staff. And, while the recession has tightened purse strings, showing people how they are valued in hard time’s results in less sickness, higher retention and ultimately better performance.”

The increased cost associated with better office locations can often be outweighed by the considerable benefits that employees will find from easier access to transport links, often reducing journey times to work and the added benefit of great local amenities like cafes and shops. Improvements to the work-life balance can reap huge rewards for businesses that place their employees at the heart of the decision making process when seeking new office space.

REMOTE WORKING IS THE NEW DESK SPACE

Many businesses are embracing remote working, but not everyone wants to work from home, preferring to travel to a place to avoid the usual distractions around the house. Peter Thomson from the Henley Business School said, “People still need to meet to exchange ideas, so the office has to change to be more like a place to have meetings, rather than just doing the work.”

He went on to say, “Not everyone can or wants to work from home. Many of us actually enjoy travelling to a separate workplace, which can offer an opportunity to socialise, to make friends and, in some cases, even partners. Yet business owners would be wise to learn how changing their office environment can make their offices more happy, productive and creative.”

One of the more diverse elements affecting productivity can be smell. In 2014 office provider Avanta commissioned a team led by Ruth Mastenbroek the former president of the British Society of Perfumers, to create Ascent, a bespoke scent designed to improve brain activity. “Smell is the most powerful of the senses, and is best able to influence brain activity,” says Mastenbroek. “Aromatherapy probably isn’t the first tool you’d think of to stimulate your business productivity, but perhaps it should be.”

So the real cost of badly designed and not well placed office space can be the huge impact on productivity and staff retention, two important issues that can have a significant impact of the sales of a business and ultimately customer satisfaction.

This year we have looked extensively at both office location and office space design, highlighting the importance of both to the success of businesses all over the UK.

FURTHER READING

You can read our articles on location and office space design by clicking below:

Office Location, Office Location, Office Location

Top Tips for Choosing the ideal Office Space

About the Author

Stephen Moore is a writer and marketing consultant supporting businesses in the commercial property sector. Find out more about Stephen at Google+.

The post What are the Real Costs of Poor Office Space? appeared first on Loc8 Commercial Blog.