Rearranging an office space is a great way to improve efficiency – if you do it right. Unfortunately, many companies don’t realize how easy it is to wind up with an office that doesn’t match their needs – keep these four design ideas in mind when sketching out your new office space design if you want to be certain you’re maximizing productivity.
Furniture
Furniture that’s trendy and attractive can look nice, but not always easy to get on the budget you have. Don’t rule out alternative sources of furniture – destinations like IKEA are good if you have a low budget, while local stores may be able to supply you with creative and practical furniture at a fraction of the cost you expected.
There are three important things to keep in mind when you’re buying furniture:
- Employee Morale, because most employees won’t be very happy if you give them furniture that belongs in the junk pile
- Customer Impressions, since anything a customer sees should at least look like it’s high quality, and
- Practicality, covering both the durability of the furniture and how well it helps you get the job done
More affordable is usually better when it comes to furniture, but keep in mind that most furniture is also a one-time cost, which leads us right to our next section.
Splurge Selectively
Chances are that you’re going to splurge at least once when redesigning your office space. Whether it’s an expensive desk or some particularly good artwork, there will definitely be something you want to have… so go ahead and get it.
The point is to be selective when you splurge. Make sure you think carefully about the item’s appeal, and more importantly, be sure that you can afford it within the budget you’ve assigned. Reducing what you spend on less-important pieces of furniture is a great way to free up the money for a special item, and doing this allows you to get what you want without finding yourself deep in debt.
Just be sure to keep in mind what everyone else in the office will think – nobody’s impressed by a boss who gives them cheap plastic chairs just so he can have a luxury leather massaging seat all for himself.
No More Individual Desks
Rigid cubicles and office setups may no longer be practical. Getting rid of individual desks can drastically improve the overall efficiency of your office space, starting by allowing people to gather and separate as necessary. Younger workers are more accustomed to being flexible with solving their problems, and that’s something you should be trying to take advantage of – especially if that very flexibility is what’s driving your success.
Take a careful look at how many employees you have and what they’re all doing, then ask how many employees you want to have five years from now. Design your new office in a way that best matches the makeup of your workforce – let form follow function, not the other way around. There’s no such thing as the universal way an office “should” be – the only right answer is whatever design meets your needs.
Scrap the Desktop Computer
Unless employees have an explicit need for the power of a desktop machine – and in fairness, some of them do – there’s no need to tie things down with rigid desktops that impair employee mobility. Tablets, notebooks, and laptops will usually suffice to get the job done and keep the employees free to move around or even, work remotely.
Bringing It All Together
All of this is about letting the needs of your work space dictate its design, and we really can’t emphasize that enough. By removing individual desks, you open the way for creatively redesigning your office space – and when you’re doing that, you’ll be able to pick up new kinds of furniture and allow your employees to move wherever they need to, carrying around everything they need to do their job. The highlight of the office – its most expensive piece of furniture – is best when it’s something that everyone can share.
Each of these ideas is workable on its own, but you’ll only reap the true rewards if you use all of them together. Let go of stale, outdated office designs and embrace practicality – you’ll see a real improvement in productivity if you do.