It goes without saying that being in a comfortable, inviting work-environment massively impacts productivity and general morale in a workspace which in turn directly impacts the success of your business. Understanding how to design your workspace has a massive effect everyone who encounters your business, anyone from potential business clients to the postman. The best types of offices strike the perfect balance of comfort combined with a professional business image. Bright, minimalist and fresh colours are often a good starting place combined with a few comforts of home and familiar features. A stylish and comfortable office is an office that you and your employees can thrive in. The design of your office space should embody the essence of your business and also epitomise your company’s values in a way that makes everyone at work feel great. You don’t want people walking into the office with a bad first impression because the office design needs a revamp
Take a look at some of our suggestions for creating a productive office space in your place of work. Read on to discover more!
Variety in the workspace is keyDoes your office look a little bit rough around the edges? Well, perhaps it’s time you considered a revamp for your office design? Would you be happy to show your workplace to family and friends let alone potential clients or customers? Do you feel at ease in your office? The average full-time employee works 1,800 hours per year, most of which are likely in an office. It’s time to ask yourself – how can you design our office for productivity and purpose?
Open plan is generally the go-to option for most workspaces and works well for the majority work environments. However, just because open plan works for most people, it’s still advisable that you offer alternative spaces for employees to use. There seems to be a real shift in office design towards variety. It’s recommended that you identify the types of work activities your employees perform and then designing spaces for those activities. For example, you could have personal areas that employees can make their own to fit their preferences, social spaces for collaboration and team projects, and ‘thinking rooms’ for when individuals need some peace and quiet or a moment away from the general office hubbub.
How can you Design Your Office for Productivity as Well as Purpose?Planning and preparation is key and totally necessary before getting started. Prior to designing any workspace, consider what you’re trying to do. What challenges do your colleagues face? How can the office serve their needs, and how will it motivate the team? Consider how people utilise the current space and consider how you want it to evolve. Look at the behavior and discuss plans, research, and ask what’s required. Plan a survey to understand how people like to work and the activities that occur in each space, and then review your results to determine your next steps. Before you get too far, realise that occasionally what people want isn’t necessarily the best option for them. You may not be able to accommodate every wish, but your team should feel included in the process and feel heard.Keep in mind that you’ll need to see what works, observe the usage of the space, and iterate.
Know working personalities and work styles – Consider your employees and their requirements. Some people want quiet areas, some need spaces for collaboration. It’s your role to create a balanced environment. Think about offering rooms with whiteboards and good light for cohesive meetings but also little nooks and crannies for people who want to hide. Weigh the options up for open workstations against personal workspaces.
It’s advisable to suss out your soft and warm rooms and your hard and cold rooms. What this means is, sometimes employees want to be comfortable, and other times they’ll want to introduce some level of cohesive friction. Moreover, you might not want people to run off to a comfy call room for a phone meeting and then linger in there for long periods. In this case, you’ll want the call room to be good for about 40 minutes and but then be a space that encourages people to go elsewhere.
Use Natural Human Instincts to Your Advantage – We’re all naturally wired to respond to certain environments. If you’re designing an office space, work with the biological and social inclinations of your peers, not against the grain. Here are some examples of this:
Lighting – Lighting is an important factor in creating an organised office. Lighting affects lots of parts of work life, anything from productivity to mental health to safety. Realising the right level of lighting to a space can make such an impact. Natural light is crucial to your body’s circadian rhythm, improves your mood, and increases Vitamin D, meanwhile, a warmer light source such as lamps can be so much more calming and inviting while cooler light can decrease fatigue and encourage collaboration. Consider increasing the impact of lighting by using mirrors, curtains, and light or dark walls.
Colors – The color of a workplace can alter our moods and encourage different reactions from our bodies. Soft, muted tones have a different effect than hard, energetic ones. Natural colors like green and blue can up levels of efficiency and focus, while warmer tones can spur innovative thinking and intensity. Think about the work that will be done in the office. Match that with the right color, and line it up with your company personal brand.
Plants – It’s natural for humans to feel connected with nature, plants in the office are a surprisingly impactful way to improve workspaces. Plants reduce stress, clean the air, and even help to decrease noise levels. Sadly, 1 in 3 people say there are no plants at their office. Deal with this by making your workspace greener! Not everyone is a natural gardener, but there are plenty of low-maintenance office plants that can get you started on the right track.
Art – Having art featured on the wall in the office has been shown to increase creativity as well as productivity. More often than not companies are appreciating the benefits of displaying art around the workplace. It increases aesthetics and also serves as a talking point in the office for guests or anyone for that matter! A nice idea is to showcase the work of artists who are local to your area, this reflects well on your company is supporting your local community’s arts scene.
Raise the ceilings – If you are designing a new office or are keen to renovate, consider raising your ceilings. Studies have noticed that people opt for ceilings that are 10 feet high and that higher ceilings are associated with thinking more freely. Would freer, more creative thinking impact your business? Most likely the answer is yes!
Here at Lewis Interiors, we can help you upgrade your commercial business’s interiors. We have one of the widest varieties of products and services of any of the interior design companies in Derby. At Lewis Interiors, we understand that the interior of your workplace should reflect your brand. We provide an extensive range of fabrics and materials, with different textures and colours, ensuring that you can find suitable materials to match your branding. Through careful consideration of the finishing touches, you can allow your business to be both professional and practical, ready to impress any visitors and prospective customers and clients.
We specialise in interior design for hotels, schools, restaurants, offices and other commercial properties. We work with you through every step of the process; from designing and creating, to supplying and fitting. Our professional team of experts are available to advise and guide you when it comes to choosing the appropriate soft furnishings and commercial flooring for your business. We have the ability to supply and install carpets, curtains, blinds and soft furnishings to suit your wishes. Whatever budget you’re working with and whatever size restrictions you have, we can help you find the best interior design solutions. To find out more, just get in touch.