A new year is upon us. What better time to look for ways to improve your workplace? Make room for 2019 with these proven workplace tips.


This list of 10 workplace tips we discovered in 2018 will inspire you to create the best office environment possible in 2019—whether that’s encouraging employees breaks to cut down on musculoskeletal disorders, coming up with memorable names for your conference rooms, or setting up a fun zone.

1 | Ask your employees what they need

Do they think the office lacks activity-based workspaces? Are they worried they’ll be seen as less hardworking for taking breaks? Send out a survey to see what changes employees are looking for. You might get some unexpected insights along with great, creative ideas.

Read more: Your Summer Workplace Change Guide


2 | Give employees incentives to take breaks

A short break can go a long way, but sometimes employees don’t feel empowered to take these breaks that can recharge their creative batteries. Try instituting a “break challenge” in which employees log their break hours during the week and are rewarded when they reach a target number of break hours.

Read more: How to Encourage Your Employees to Take Breaks


3 | Make employee health a priority

Sitting all day is not ideal for the human body or your business: Musculoskeletal disorders, caused in part by sitting or standing in an unhealthy position, cost businesses $20 billion per year. Encourage your employees to live active lives. Don’t just offer them a gym membership, though—make sure they have the opportunity to go during the workday, if they so desire.

Read more: Ergonomics: It’s Not Just About Chairs


4 | [Trend Update] Create Activity-Based Workspaces (ABW)

No, this doesn’t mean you make your employees do jumping-jacks. ABW is the biggest trend since the open office: a transformational business strategy that provides employees with the workspaces that are ideal for completing various work activities (21, to be exact). Provide couches and whiteboards for brainstorming, soundproof booths for phone calls, home-like comfort zones for quiet single person tasks, and themed conference rooms to make meeting face-to-face fun. Then watch productivity soar, and retention increase by more than 10 percent.

Read more: Join the Activity-Based Working Movement


5 | Jazz up your conference rooms

They’re not just conference rooms—they’re your office’s centerpiece. They tell clients what kind of business you are, and are an expression of your culture for your own employees. At the very least, enlist your employees’ help coming up with interesting names for these rooms.

Read more: What Does Your Conference Room Say About Your Business?


6 | Create a warm ambiance

Do this by reducing your reliance on harsh fluorescent lighting and painting your walls. What colors are right for your office depends on what kind of energy your employees need. But whatever you do, don’t leave your office walls beige or gray.

Read more: Ergonomics: It’s Not Just About Chairs


7 | Make space for fun

Half of all work-related parties take place in the office, so why not do some rearranging for maximum festivity? The goal is to make the space feel as different as possible. To do this, you can put up or remove temporary walls, move desks nearer to walls to create large open spaces, and maybe even splurge on temporary decorations.

Read more: 6 Epic Office Holiday Party Ideas


8 | Look for sources of tension

Maybe it’s a new team member, or an entirely new office space—any change in the workplace can affect productivity and happiness. The rollout of new workstations, in particular, can turn into a sore spot, if some employees are seen as benefiting more than others. Communication from leadership is key in these cases.

Read more: Helping Employees Respond Positively to Workplace Changes


9 | Install noise-absorbing elements

You can cut down on ambient noise by incorporating sound-proof materials into your ceilings, floors, or walls—or all three. As a bonus, these materials can create an interesting visual design that makes your office unique.

Read more: How to Reduce Noise in the Workplace


10 | Make standing desks available to your employees

Not everyone is going to want one, but providing the option of a standing desk communicates to your workers that their comfort is valued, and encourages a more active working environment.

Read more: Ergonomics: It’s Not Just About Chairs

Need help implementing these tips? We can do that.

From ergonomic furniture to the manpower needed to rearrange or move your office, Corovan’s got you covered. Get started »