Designing a productive office is something of a science, something of a mix of interior design and workplace psychology. Your aim is to create a working environment where people hit targets and get results without any unnecessary distractions. Although, it’s important to remember that you’re designing for people, not robots, and the relationship between morale and productively has been widely documented in recent years. Your challenge is to design an office that inspires people to achieve better and I’ve got some expert tips on how you can do just that.
Five steps to designing the ultimate office
Great office design is all about creating a workspace that gets the best out of your employees. So what makes the difference between an office that helps teams get the best results and a place where people dread coming every morning? When it comes to creating a hub of productivity, make sure you follow these five essential step to office design.
- Maximise space and natural light: Your employees spend too much time stuck indoors as it is. Break the sense of cabin fever by maximising the space you have available and getting as much natural light as possible into your office.
- Keep it minimal and tidy: A clear mind is a more productive mind, which starts with an office that’s tidy and stays tidy. Make life easier for everyone with a minimal approach to design that’s easy on the eyes and a breeze to keep clean.
- Invest in the right furniture: The right furniture not only keeps your employees comfortable and working better throughout the day, but also help alleviate long-term illnesses associated with spending too much time at the desk.
- Inject some brand personality: You work hard to create a brand personality your customers and clients can associate with so do the same for your employees and give them a reason to be enthusiastic about working for you.
- Make the kitchen a priority: Make prepack sandwiches a thing of the past with a kitchen where employees can get their creative juices flowing and collaborate on something other than the next big project.
Your goal with office design is to create a space that helps people do their job, not get in the way of this. This starts with having all the right equipment where it’s needed but you also need to think about the mentality of your staff. A bright, refreshing environment is always going to make people feel happier about their working day than a stuffy, claustrophobic office.
Create a collaborative workspace
People get better results when they work well together and creating a collaborative workspace should be one of your priorities. The key is to help your team collaborate on tasks outside of their work schedule and this why UK office design consultancy Office Principles says kitchens are becoming the heart of the modern office space:
“The kitchen is an amazing platform to take collaboration, team-building, and
worker engagement to a whole new level. To go an extra mile, some companies
incorporate various home-like or café features like large islands, quartz
countertops, catering stations, and breakfast bars.”
Meanwhile, Canadian recruiters Workopolis emphasises the importance of breakout spaces where employees can be productive away from their desk:
“Whether your office is 1,500 square metres or 15,000, breakout spaces are
integral to an energized, creative workplace. Giving employees casual areas to
collaborate and brainstorm – or even just get away from their desk for an hour or
so – is crucial to their productivity and well-being.”
While the interior design fundamentals of maximising space and natural light will get you off to a good start with office design, you need to break beyond the guidebook and create a working environment that helps your employees get the job done – all day, every day. Nobody’s asking you to build a playground but understanding what your staff needs to hit targets effectively will make all the difference.
From my own experience, I’ve had a cluttered desk for years. But thanks to the introduction of GDPR I’ve have been forced to adhere to a clear desk policy. It’s been such a breakthrough as the whole office is looking tidier. Whilst there is certainly much to be improved on, we’re on the right track. Next step is brightening up the place with some plants!
How do you feel about your office space?
(This article was sourced for Becster.com)
