It’s easy to look at branding as something that only faces outward. In other words, we often fall for the assumption that branding is something we invest in so that customers, stakeholders, and the general public see us in a certain way.
But if you really study the art of brand building, you’ll realize that what happens internally also has an impact on the larger brand.
Internal factors produce external effects
Think about yourself for a moment and how your feelings influence your actions. When you’re happy, you may walk around with a little extra pep in your step; you smile, laugh, and stand a little taller. When you’re anxious, you’re a little more reserved and disengaged—you may also have a short temper and become agitated more easily.
Now, think about all the emotions you feel on a regular basis and how they’re externalized. In a way, you could say that what happens internally has a direct impact on the way other people perceive you. In other words, emotions dictate branding.
In the business world, what happens inside of your company has a direct impact on how your brand is perceived in the marketplace. While this concept makes total sense, you may not have connected the dots until just now.
5 areas to focus on
There are hundreds of factors within your business that affect branding. In this article, we will discuss one in particular: office environment. Office environment refers to the physical layout, design elements, and work space at your company’s primary place of business. It’s where your employees show up every day to fulfill their job duties.
As you look for ways to enhance your office environment and give your brand a boost, here are some specific action steps you can take:
1. Incorporate custom signage. It’s important for employees to feel like they’re a part of the brand when they’re in the office. There should never be any doubt where they are. While there are plenty of ways to incorporate branding into your office design, custom signage is a good place to start.
2. Improve the lighting. It may seem like another small detail, but the lighting in your office has a direct impact on the mood, productivity, and creativity of your employees. The more you can source natural light and the less you use artificial lighting, the better. Research from Northwestern University has found that people who work in offices with windows receive approximately 173% more white light during work hours, which results in—among other things—an extra 46 minutes of sleep per night.
3. Create community gathering spots. Did you know there will be 86 million millennials in the workplace by as early as 2020? If your company isn’t already full of millennial employees, it will be soon. Having said that, you need to design your office with millennial preferences in mind. One way is to create community gathering spots.
According to an article in The Receptionist, “Millennials tend to value experiences over things. This means your office’s overall atmosphere might be more important than personal ownership of desks or offices. Design community spaces to provide positive community-building experiences. For example, make space for weekly office socials or provide board games in your lunchroom.”
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4. Allow for personalization. There’s something to be said for making sure your office is clean, professional, and consistent with brand values, but there’s also a lot of value in letting employees personalize their work spaces. Encourage employees to bring pictures from home, hang posters, and customize their desks to fit their personalities. In doing so, you’re actively encouraging people to express themselves. This results in a more honest, transparent workforce.
5. Encourage proper ergonomics. Do you know one of the most common causes of work-related injury? It’s not slipping, falling, or getting your hand stuck in a piece of warehouse equipment. It’s actually back, neck, and wrist pain associated with sitting at a desk for hours per day. By taking workspace ergonomics seriously, you can eliminate a major source of pain and make your employees healthier. This results in better engagement and job satisfaction.
Make office design a focal point
You don’t need to have a trendy office—in fact, that’s probably not a proper reflection of your company. What you need is an office that properly reflects your values. Embodying these values in such a tangible way will strengthen your external image and solidify your branding. What are you waiting for?
RELATED: The Benefits of Working in a Creative Office Space
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