Feng Shui is an ancient Chinese practice that is thought to be over 3,500 years old. It is a philosophy that advocates for more harmonious living and working spaces. It achieves this goal by rearranging furniture and objects to allow energy (known as “chi”) to flow more easily.
In this guide, we’ll outline some simple Feng Shui workplace tips that proponents believe will create more balance and harmony in your workplace or home office.
Feng Shui Tips for the Workplace
A little Feng Shui at your workplace could create a more comfortable and productive environment for employees, potentially increasing the bottom line for the company. Here are a few Feng Shui tips for the workplace:
1. Don’t Place Desks Near the Entrance
Employees should always have a clear view of everyone who enters their office, so don’t place desks near to the entrance and make sure there is a clear path from the desk to the door. This can be difficult if the office consists of cubicles, but you can still position the desks so that the front and not the back face the cubicle opening.
2. Use Light
A little light can make a big difference in an office, so one of the best Feng Shui tips for the workplace is to maximise the light. Don’t cover windows or block them with furniture—let as much natural light in as you can.
If you don’t have a lot of windows or there are areas that are shrouded in darkness, use artificial light instead. LEDs work best for this, as the light is soft and white, thus mimicking natural light.
3. Add Some Fragrance
Large offices can become musty with the scent of numerous bodies, not to mention the foods and drinks that employees bring from outside. Use fresh fragrances—air fresheners, plants—to combat bad smells and introduce good ones.
Feng Shui Tips for the Home Office
You can also use Feng Shui for the workplace at home. Regardless of how big or small your space is, here’s how to make your home office more harmonious:
1. Lose the Clutter
Home offices often begin life as spare rooms or junk rooms. You clear them out, add a desk, and have the best intentions to keep them neat and tidy. But over time, the boxes start piling up, and before you know it, your workspace is home to a laundry basket and an exercise bike that no one uses.
Reclaim that space. If something doesn’t need to be there, get rid of it.
2. Make the Space Comfortable
Whether it’s a professional office or a home office, one of the most important Feng Shui tips for a workplace is to create a comfortable space. The chairs should be comfortable and ergonomic, capable of providing support and comfort throughout the working day.
3. Place Your Chair Against a Wall
Create a strong backing by pushing your chair up against a wall. It shouldn’t be so tight that you have to suck-in your stomach just to squeeze behind the desk, and it should be somewhere that provides a clear and unimpeded view of the office, including the entrance and windows.
4. Personalise Your Workspace
It’s your office. It’s where you do your work. So, make it yours. Don’t overload the desk with trinkets but add the odd personal touch that makes it clear you own this space. These items will ensure that the office space is not cold and generic.
How Desk Sharing Can Help with Office Feng Shui
Redesigning your office or home office isn't the only way to bring more balance, stability and harmony to your working day. You can also use state-of-the-art desk sharing software such as Flexopus, which allows you to optimise your work environment with features such as desk booking, meeting rooms and parking spaces. Desk sharing allows staff to share available resources, reducing the need for fixed desks and optimizing space utilization. The office space gained in this way can be used for relaxation zones, for example, to achieve better feng shui.
So, as you’re moving furniture around in your office to keep that chi flowing, spare a thought for how those rooms will be used and ensure you’re using every inch with Flexopus.
Whether you believe in the principles of Feng Shui or not, sometimes it’s good to have a little change of scenery and freshen things up. A few simple changes could make you or your employees more creative and productive, even if it’s just because there’s more light, more space, and more of a focus on bucolic views.
So, keep the above tips in mind, and remember, if you want to maximise your office space even more, turn to Flexopus!