Designing an office space can be an exciting time for your company or business, but it’s important that you do your research before you commit to any kind of design change.
You need to consider what kind of space your business or company is moving into, for example, if you have a brand new office that you’re moving into, you’ll need to consider the aesthetic of this kind of space, as compared to something like a warehouse space or older building with exposed brick or metalwork.
It is certainly a time to do some thorough planning and it’s important that you have a good team of people around you to help you out, so what are the most important things to think about with your office space? Let’s take a look.
Flexibility
More and more these days, people are working in ‘flexible’ environments, which means that no longer are people confined to one desk, and meetings are held only in the boardroom. Now people are ‘hot-desking (where you move from desk to desk each day depending on the work you’re doing and who you’re doing it with) and holding stands up meetings instead of the more traditional style of meeting.
Fixed spaces and fixed partitions are more and more a thing of the past, and it’s a beneficial thing for companies who are looking for something different. Plus, a flexible workspace will appeal to workers who are embracing this style of living and working more and more.
Moving with the times and making sure that you have a workspace that appeals to young talent will be a great asset for your business, so be sure to create the kind of space that will appeal to the type of workers you want to attract.
Related: How to Choose the Perfect Serviced Office for Your Business
Social Spaces
Studies have shown that people in offices really value social spaces where collaboration is encouraged. Food and drinks (like coffee) are hugely important, so be sure to consider the break room and social spaces as part of your office design. These are really important to employee happiness and morale and will help your business to flourish. It’s not just a coffee machine that’s important – it’s everything from the decor to the furniture to the walls and the artwork around the office space.
The most awesome workplaces to come into have a great mixture of professionalism and cool, and if your office can strike the right balance between the two, you’ll find that your employees will love coming to work and that your productivity and morale will remain high.
Related: Room Planner Technology for Seamless Space Planning
Light ‘em up
Having a lot of natural light and high-quality light for your office space is a vital consideration for a great space. People are more efficient and happier when they work in natural light, and if you’re a creative business, you’d best not take a business space on that’s in a basement, lest you want to fail!
You can use light and lighting really well and to great effect in a lot of space, and you don’t need to spend a lot of money on lights – some skylights will be enough to get the effect you’re after. In addition to the lighting, you also need to have plenty of plants and greenery around the place to ensure that people are getting enough exposure to natural elements.
You can use a company that specializes in office fitouts, or you can go at it alone with the design and implementation, but no matter what you do – be creative, be open to change and be flexible. You’ll be sure to get a great result for your office space if you are resourceful, think outside the box, and seek the input of your fellow employees. Enjoy the journey!
