Feng Shui at the Office for Productivity and Profits

Feng shui expert and author Robyn Bentley suggests that managers take a good look at how the work environment is affecting the staff and the impact the office atmosphere is having on company moral and productivity. A healthy work environment is supportive and nurturing, not harsh and draining. According to Bentley, some of the negative things you’ll be looking for are invisible. And she says it's okay to roll your eyes about that but to understand that this invisible negativity is costing your company money in the long run. If you have a negative and harsh work environment, you're going to have a morale problem which lowers productivity. When staffers leave you're going to waste time interviewing their replacements. You're going to waste money for training time. And until the new people get the hang of their new responsibilities and the flow of things, productivity will be slower around the office. This cycle will continue until you take care of the source of the negativity. Here are a few basic things you can suggest to your staff to create a more supportive work environment for them. GET OUT OF THE LINE OF FIRE Don't sit directly across from an entrance door. Make sure you are sitting off to the side of the door. Every time someone comes into the office, energy or 'chi' comes with them and hits whatever is across from the door. Standing in the doorway, if someone can toss a ball straight ahead and hit you in your chair, energy flowing into the office will also hit you and this is very draining for you. Low energy is bad for your mental and physical health. When you don't feel good at work, you may not like your job as much. COVER YOUR BACK Sit with your back to a wall. If there is activity going on behind your back and you can't see it, you won't be relaxed on the job. You'll be more tense than you need to be and this will stress you out and drain your energy. REDUCE YOUR EXPOSURE TO EMFS Electromagnetic Frequencies from computers and other electronic equipment in the office lower your body's melatonin levels. Melatonin is a hormone that controls our mood and sleep. High exposure to EMFs can cause you to be moody, angry, or depressed. Turn off your computer monitor when you are not using it (the new LCD flat monitors put out lower levels of EMFs). Stay five feet away from the microwave in the break room while it's heating your lunch. ALWAYS REMEMBER 'YOU ARE NOT YOUR JOB' Work is just one part of your life and it's very important for you to remember while you're working that you have a life outside of your job. Make sure you support yourself psychologically in your work space by displaying photos of the special people and pets in your life, things having to do with your favorite hobbies and activities, and any awards or credentials you may have. This kind of support system will help keep your spirits up during the most stressful days. When the staff is happy while they're working, they're more productive and this benefits the company. Therefore, it's in the best interest of the company to make sure employees are not unnecessarily drained on the job because it lowers morale and decreases company productivity. Which in the end costs the company money.