Carpets – a subtle and under-stated presence in many offices. Much more than alternative flooring options, office carpets and office carpet tiles bring numerous benefits to Singapore’s offices. Amidst our bustling and demanding working environment, employees increasingly face various strains and health concerns that can impact morale, productivity, and well-being. Here are five health benefits that carpets contribute to your office.
1. Appealing Aesthetics
Gone are the days when carpets were associated with drab, monotonous colours. Office carpet tiles bring about a slew of vibrant colours and eye-catching designs, perfect for bringing individuality and personality to your office. But it does not stop there; carpets go beyond aesthetics to even positively influencing mood and raising morale.
According to studies in colour therapy, colours have the potential to impact your moods in different ways. For example, while green is usually associated with peace, refreshing and rejuvenation; blue is associated with being calm and at rest. While most offices apply these colour principles for wallpapers or office paint schemes, why not take a step further and apply these concepts to your office carpet choices?
2. Increased Movement
Compared to standard floor tiles, carpet tiles are a significant step forward in comfort. Some ambitious offices have taken it a step further by combining an open-plan office layout with full carpeting of their office space. These workspaces encourage employees to be in constant motion, having open-space discussions where employees can freely move around the office as they work.
While often associated with creative agencies, such office designs are certainly not exclusive to that industry. Studies have shown that moving more helps reduce muscle loss, maintains your metabolic function, and keeps your immune system strong, amongst many other benefits. By encouraging comfortable movement, office carpets also contribute to our daily recommended steps, a major boon amidst Singapore’s busy work environment.
3. Barefoot Benefits
Another unique benefit of the above-mentioned concept is the under-rated benefits of going barefoot. While most of us are used to walking around in shoes or heels; prolonged time spent wearing them alters our natural gait. And with long working hours, we often only go barefoot at home, and usually only for a short while before resting. That is why some fully-carpeted Singapore offices encourage employees to move around barefooted, which brings about various health benefits too.
Some benefits include improved balance control and body awareness, a good range of motion in joints and stronger leg muscles, which help to support one’s lower back region when sitting down. High quality carpets can withstand constant movement before being replaced too, and also encourage employees to get some exercise while working.
4. Improved Acoustics
Many Singapore offices are full of distracting sounds; from the constant squeaks from swivel chairs to the electronic sounds from printers and computers, or even the footsteps of fellow employees. Open-plan offices in particular are more susceptible to this, due to the lack of walls to absorb these sounds. Being constantly distracted while attempting to focus on tasks inevitably takes a toll on employee comfort and performance.
Noises affect heart rate, increase irritability and negatively affect productivity. While some employees are able to tune out these noises with music, it is not an option for all offices. A simple solution is to use high quality carpets, especially those tailored to absorbing sounds. Carpet tiles can reduce over 35% of airborne noise in offices, with higher amounts based on the fabric and padding used. Employees also exert less energy from making themselves heard over these noises, improving their well-being.
5. Cleaner Air
People constantly shed skin and hair cells, while bringing in dirt from outside. With many sources of dust and constant circulation in our air-conditioned offices, these give rise to occupational health hazards at work, ranging from skin irritations to breathing problems.
Office carpets contribute to cleaner air by reducing the amount of dust particles and particulate matter, although they require a regular and thorough vacuum and cleaning schedule is essential for office carpets to optimally remove dust and dirt from the air. Choosing higher quality carpets and carpet tiles can make cleaning easier and helps trap finer particles from the air, improving office well-being and health.
A Healthier Office Today
In light of COVID-19 and the end of Singapore’s Circuit Breaker, office carpet tiles play an essential role in maintaining health and safety for Singapore’s workforce, as they return to their offices. Through wayfinding and marked zones, carpet tiles help ensure social distancing between workspaces, as well as smooth movement of both clients and staff.
Moving forward, a trend of new office designs and concepts is expected to arrive in the ‘New Normal’ era as companies streamline workspaces. With The Mill International’s wide variety of DESSO high-quality office carpet tiles for any Singapore office, take that step today towards a healthier, modernised office. Contact us today to find out more.