Feng Shui in the Workplace

Ergonomics,
PDAs and company
wellness
programs are all
geared for healthier, more
productive employees. Each of
these has its role in whether an
employee wants to go to work,
goes willingly and produces
mightily or not.

The feel or impression
of the energy in the office is
the unseen factor that often
is the cause of excessive sick
days, increased stress and reduced
productivity. You may
be wondering how you can fix
a problem that is not tangible.
Feng Shui, an ancient Chinese
system used to determine the
beneficial or harmful effects of
land or buildings on human beings
that literally means wind
and water, provides simple
solutions that team members
can embrace.

Factors Seen and
Unseen

First we have to play
detective and find the culprit
of negative energy. We can
physically see some of the conditions
causing negative energy
like clutter, disorganization,
lack of cleanliness, chipped
and dirty paint, dated furniture
and a collection of accessories
old enough to span decades of
annual tax returns.
Finding the other unseen
conditions is more of
a challenge as they reside in
the realm of stagnant or stuck
energy, poor air quality and
environmental hazards not
easily found or remembered as
foe.

In Feng Shui, often negative
conditions found in office
environments are those of
stuck or stagnant energy and
the lack of fresh air. These conditions
may cause depression
and complacency, leading to a
rise in the cost of maintaining
the retention and productivity
of employees.

Fallout of Negative
Energy

In the busy workday, we
go along meeting deadlines,
gaining new clients and making
payroll. There may be brief
moments of imparting gratitude
and thanks to employees;
however, overall, unless there
is a crisis, its business as
usual.

Then one day we are the
recipient of a wake up call
from this daily routine. It is
noticeable that the number
of employee sick days has
increased or that productivity
is down, we are hiring
again, and there is much more
stress among the employees.
These are the unexpected consequences
of not paying attention
to the unseen factors or
conditions in the workplace
environment.

Negative Energy
Is the Sentry

Yes, there it is, prominent
and problematic: The dead
shrub, the pile of free advertisements
tossed by the office
door or the cracked and crumbly
sidewalk with its stuck,
stagnant energy welcoming all
who enter.
Negative energy at your
front door is not conducive to
keeping your bottom line in
the black. Implement the following
five Feng Shui tips to
create positive energy for the
all-important first impression.

1. Neat and tidy. Make
that the company mantra.

2. Keep doors opening
wide. Obstructed doorways
limit creativity, productivity
and business.

3. Seeing is believing. Be
sure your signage is visible,
recognizable and emanates
your companys image.

4. Light the way. Make it
joyful for employees to come
to work and easy for clients to
find your door.

5. Raise the chi. Add
something red around the
front entrance. A flowering
shrub with red berries such as
Nandina Domestica, some red
lettering on the door, a banner
or flag all add a flair of cheerfulness
for all who enter.

Positive Energy in the
Workplace

You may not be able to
sense negative energy, but here
are six fast tips to create positive
energy in your office.

1. No clutter. Insist on clutter-
free desks and work spaces.
Pull the team together, develop
a plan and set a timeline to
get clutter under control. The
buddy system works well
here. Allow adequate time
and a guilt-free environment
to complete the task. Plan periodic
clutter busting work
days throughout the year to
keep clutter under control and
positive energy high.

2. Reduce toxins. Install
toxin-eating indoor plants.
Peace Lilies are forgiving, easy
to grow and produce beautiful
blooms, and they can be positioned
nicely over a cubicle, on
a desk or on the floor.

3. Create clean air. Exchange
poor air quality by
opening doors and windows
daily. If this is not possible,
diffuse pure essential oils (no
flame) to cleanse the air or
install an ionizer or both.

4. Increase motivation. Adequate
and beneficial lighting,
such as full-spectrum, is essential
to health and happiness.
Replace overhead florescent
bulbs, add up-lighting in dark
corners and provide a variety of
lighting options to employees
as some are sensitive to different
types of wavelengths.

5. Reduce stress. A proper
type of sound is soothing. Kinetic
sculptures, soft but stimulating
music and area fans add
movement to sound to provide
a double-duo for a comfortable
Feng Shui
is your friend.

Use these basic
principles in your office, review
and renew them frequently to
keep the office energy positive
and the cash flow in the black.
Yarrow is a certified Feng Shui
consultant and can be reached
at 410-271-1377 and yarrow@
fengshuiatthebay.com.

YARROW
102 Roosevelt Court, Annapolis MD 2403 410.626.1316 yarrow@FengShuiAtTheBay.com

http://www.FengShuiAtTheBay.com Yarrow maintains that it is all about energy. She began exploring energy in the 70's utilizing at-hand knowledge of Native American traditions, awareness of life experiences, holding the question of what is really going on & applying this knowledge to her own life. Her curiosity of energy evolved into the study & practice of Feng Shui in 2001. Yarrow is a contributing author to the womens anthology: The Spirit of Women Entrepreneurs Real-life Stories of Determination, Growth & Prosperity. She is available for public speaking engagements.

Yarrow is a freelance writer & a graduate of a three-year PsychoSynthesis course out of Berkeley, California. She writes for Taste of the Bay Magazine, Lilipoh Magazine (global distribution) & other periodicals. She has studied with Australian Author Eric Dowsett, Rev. Lin Yun, Karen Kingston, Steven P