You must consider various factors if you want your office workers to be at their peak performance, and your office design directly impacts this. If you’re planning to redesign your current office or start a new office project, you will be looking for clever ways to design your office that results in the most productive workers.
While there are a variety of requirements and objectives you must meet in an office, you should be mindful of a few things before starting up your next project.
Creating A Convenient Workplace
Planning is the key to achieving your desired office. However, aesthetics shouldn’t be your only concern; you should also consider ergonomics. When choosing where to place your office tables, meeting rooms, and other work-related areas, it would be best to think if getting to these areas on a busy day will be convenient for everybody. After all, you want to ensure everybody can complete their work without disturbing others.
Gathering Information
In addition, asking for feedback about your current office layout gives you valuable information on the great things in the office and what needs to be changed. This information will allow you to ensure that everyone moves around efficiently, thus resulting in better productivity.
Maximizing Space Usage
You can easily get carried away by creating a grandiose plan for your next ideal office. On the other hand, you still have to work with the amount of space you have. Take note of the total square footage of the area you’re working with and how much space each facility in the office uses. This knowledge will allow you to see if any sections need to adjust their area usage to maximize your total space.
Planning Around Office Essentials
No matter how well you plan out your office, there are just some things you can’t change for various reasons. For example, the placement of fire exits, structural pillars, and any surface recessed access doors are most likely unchangeable. You’ll need to take note of these essentials and find ways to work around these constraints to ensure your office looks nice and complies with local building and safety codes.
Considering For Growth
Overhauling office spaces can be expensive, and you wouldn’t want to have to do it soon after building your new office. While the office you build now can work for the current situation, what if you add several new staff members to your ranks? When designing your next office space, ensure that you allow extra space to accommodate any additions to your team.
Incorporating Natural Light
Ensuring all your employees have access to natural light during their workday cannot be overstated. Reputable researchers from entities such as Cornell University, Harvard Business Review, and the University of Oregon performed studies showing natural light’s benefits to office workers.
- Health Benefits
Firstly, workers who receive ample sunlight report fewer cases of blurred vision, drowsiness, and headaches. Moreover, since workers stay healthier in naturally lit environments, they’re less likely to take sick leaves as they stay healthier than those who only get artificial light. Lastly, you will get a productivity and revenue boost as your workers can focus more on completing their job at the office.
- Reduced Energy Usage
Indoor lights on their own don’t consume much electricity. When you tally the electricity that all your lights use in your offices, it could add up to a significant amount. You benefit from as much as 17% reduced energy cost by utilizing sunlight to brighten your office.
Choosing Needs Over Trends
While you might have seen the recent trend of a particular office style that you think might work for you, you must consider if this design will be helpful for the rest of the staff. Trends will always fade, but the functions of your office won’t.
For example, while an open office is phenomenal for packing many people in a small space, it can be detrimental for those making critical decisions. While thinking deeply about a problem, you may get distracted by a colleague trying to initiate a conversation. Think carefully about the functions of the rest of the office before finalizing the design you want to choose.
Adapting To Your Team’s Requirements
The bottom line is that you should prioritize your team’s efficiency and well-being over trends. Consider the feedback you get from your team, the space you’re working with, and the facilities you must have so that you end up with the finest office that everybody can be happy with today and in the future.