Working space psychology

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How can you adjust your working space to boost your energy to work and gain the feeling of a comfortable and safe place? Answers to these questions can be found in environmental psychology. Environmental psychologist Sally Augustin published a few tips to make the work in cubicles more pleasant in her blog on hbr.org (the Harvard Business Review website).

Protect your back

Studies confirm that people feel more comfortable when nobody passes behind their back while they work.

Reduce red color

Red color around the workplace brings subconscious feeling of failure.

Add leafy plants

Plants rich with leaves (rather round than sharp leaves) help to improve performance of work that requires concentration.

Remove small inconveniences

Eliminating apparent trivialities, such as poor adjustment of your desk chair or a lack of light, can significantly enhance your sense of control over the working environment. That brings greater satisfaction, too.

Add your personality

Workplaces adjusted according to the wishes and tastes of employees lead to greater job satisfaction. Personal things also help people to know each other better.

Clean up your desk

Mental work benefits the most from an environment with lower levels of visual complexity.

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Article source Harvard Business Review - flagship magazine of Harvard Business School
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