The changing seasons don’t mean your outdoor office space needs to completely shut down. Little adjustments to your outdoor office setup can keep productivity flowing even when you aren’t working inside. Maintaining your outdoor office space during the colder seasons keeps furnishings protected and enables staff to step outside when a change of scenery is needed.
Weatherproofing
If your office has an outdoor workspace with couches, chairs, or benches that require protection during the colder months, weatherproof furniture could be beneficial to keeping the space open throughout the year. Though purchasing weatherproof items may mean spending a few extra dollars, it would be worthwhile in the long run for your business and employees. Incorporating waterproof pillows or cushions on furnishings allows the aesthetic to remain intact through the winter months. Adding a watertight seal to wooden furniture lessens mildew and bacteria growth.
Heat Sources
No one likes to work outside in the cold, even if the atmosphere is welcoming and vibrant. Incorporating heating to an outdoor office setup keeps everyone warm, which is obviously critical to the safety of your employees. Incorporating a propane heater or firepit keeps staff members warm while enjoying their outdoor environment. The aesthetic of a stove or fireplace also adds to the morale of the team as well as keeping everyone comfortable.
Keeping extra heated blankets in a nearby storage bin as well as hand-warmers and heating pads are nice additions to an outdoor workspace.
Add Overhang
When the snow starts to fall, incorporating an overhang of sorts not only keeps your staff out of the elements, but protects and contains the furniture as well. Whether the overhang be a pergola, gazebo or just a canvas tent, staff will feel safer when escaping outside for a change of scenery. Adding some hanging Edison bulbs around the overhang can create a nice, winter aesthetic that will draw staff outside. When an overhang is included in an outside space, it truly becomes an all-season work zone.
