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Adopting office Feng Shui can boost productivity and profitability, according to officebroker.com - the UK's largest online broker of commercial office space.

A better office environment means more motivated employees,' says Managing Director, Jim Venables. 'Evidence also suggests that pleasant working conditions enhance staff loyalty and improve productivity.'

Most people believe the environment in which they work has an impact on their performance. Indeed, a recent survey by one of Britain's leading high street banks* revealed that messy offices can stop workers from doing their jobs properly and can even result in one in five workers wanting to quit.

While factors such as natural light, air conditioning and a culture of keeping the office tidy and businesslike all affect the overall ambience of an office, in some countries businesses consider the working environment to be so important that Feng Shui is widely used to boost luck, wealth, health and harmony.

officebroker.com, which trades globally and has existing offices in the UK and US, is looking to launch officebroker.com Asia in 2008.

Feng Shui is widely used by Chinese, Japanese and Indian firms and increasingly, European businesses are starting to employ the "Art of Placement" in a bid to improve staff performance,' says Jim. 'In today's competitive business environment, companies are considering anything which might enhance their overall performance. As a result, we are seeing more of our European and UK clients employing Feng Shui consultants in a bid to give themselves a competitive edge.'

officebroker.com spoke to Angela Ang, Founding Consultant of UK based Rising Dragon Feng Shui. She offers businesses the following advice:

• Bosses should sit in the corner farthest away from the door to adopt the 'Command' position
• Letting natural sunlight into an office creates positive 'yang chi' which helps to promote better staff productivity and morale
• Avoid cacti or sharp looking plants in the office as their small, sharp leaves cause 'shar chi'. As air passes through the plants it will become fierce and sharp, affecting office harmony
• Desks should be organized and uncluttered so employees can focus their brain power on work rather than have it dispersed on little things that don't matter
• Mirrors should never be hung in an office as they can reflect negative energy around
• To allow for the free flow of chi, ensure that all wires are hidden. Multi tangled wires can generate 'snake shar' and create accidents

Feng Shui has been used in offices in some parts of the world for more than 5,000 years. Translated literally from Chinese it means 'wind and water' and, in plain English, it means 'the cause and effect of environmental energies on you'.

'Whether you consider Feng Shui to be a bit far fetched or a valuable business tool, it is worth remembering that this ancient art has been widely used by businesses across the world for thousands of years,' says Jim.

'Anything which can improve a person's working environment has got to be considered seriously and we are certainly seeing a lot more European businesses now working with Feng Shui consultants such as Rising Dragon.’