Offices can get dull and lifeless. After all, most people spend between 8 and 12 hours working at a desk 5 days a week. So, of course, the last thing you need is an office that causes you grief.

What are the most common complaints people have about their office decor? You’d be surprised to know that one of the most frequent complaints refers to physical discomfort:

  • Back pain
  • Sore wrist
  • Hand or fingers numbness on a keyboard
  • Headache

The remaining complaints focus on mental health and emotional well-being, such as:

  • Depressing decor
  • Decor that doesn’t make people feel comfortable
  • Distracting environment
  • Loud surroundings
  • Unpleasant smells or sights

Naturally, when you work from home, your first thought could be to spruce up your space with elegant and stylish additions. But what if you could get someone else to pay for the improvement project instead? Here are 4 ideas to improve your office without paying the full price.

#1. Check for tech and office allowance

More and more companies have home-office allowance programs in place. It is worth checking with your employer if they can cover some or all of the costs for your home office decor. Typical expenses can include ergonomic furniture purchases, quality technology, practical lighting, etc.

The right setup can be instrumental in keeping you healthy at your desk. You can choose a chair that will provide back support, for instance, or a screen add-on to reduce sun-glare and screen-related headaches.

#2. Compensation for affected mobility

According to this injury attorney, workers who have a non-lethal injury in the workplace fail to claim all the benefits they are due as a result of silly mistakes. However, if your injury has resulted in chronic pain or other complications that make it hard to work with your current office setup, you could obtain an office upgrade at your employer’s cost.

#3. Consider an HR complaint

Ultimately, the corporate office should be a place that supports mental health. If the office decor unnecessarily hinders your mental health through:

  • ineffective lighting solutions
  • divisive partition
  • stressful/ aggressive color choices
  • etc

employees can reach out to the HR department to petition for a new decor. While one complaint may get overlooked, a petition can get the attention of the business.

#4. Be on the lookout for DIY giveaways

Many brands organize giveaways on social media to launch their new collections. You can find many online contests offering you the chance to build your dream home workspace for free. Some of the places you want to monitor for giveaways:

  • DIY brands launching new ambassador programs on social media
  • Paint and wallpaper collection giveaway
  • DIY bloggers’ partnerships, as many have giveaway contests for their readers
  • Instagram influencers
  • Decor experts offering free projects for promotional purposes

It is important to remember that giveaways are never fully free. You may be required to share photos of the final result or to let the brand use your name in their testimonial section. But if you are comfortable with those terms and conditions, you could get a new home office for free.

The average cost of an office spruce-up project can reach over $10,000 when considering furniture, painting, and technology. Thankfully, these 4 scenarios can offer substantial discounts. A new office all paid for, what’s not to like?