Designing office spaces requires careful thought and planning. The layout, furnishings and décor you choose impact productivity, comfort, collaboration, and overall employee satisfaction. When undertaking an office room design or redesign project, there are several key factors to keep in mind. In this blog post, we’ll explore 10 important considerations for optimizing your office environment.
Provide Space for Individual Work
Even in highly collaborative office settings, employees need quiet spaces for focused individual work. Create a mix of open desk arrangements and private offices or cubicles. You may also want to designate quiet rooms employees can use when they need to concentrate without interruptions.
Ensure there are enough individual spaces so employees don’t feel crowded or distracted. Think about spacing desks and cubicles far enough apart so conversations don’t carry. Also consider providing noise blocking partitions and headsets. A balance of collaborative and private spaces empowers employees to do their best work.
Support Effective Meetings and Collaboration
While individual work is important, effective collaboration ultimately drives productivity and innovation. Carefully plan meeting rooms and casual gathering areas to facilitate teamwork.
Meeting rooms should accommodate groups of various sizes. Include large conference rooms for company-wide meetings, medium rooms for department gatherings, and small rooms for focused collaboration between just a few employees.
Informal gathering spaces also encourage collaboration. Create lounge areas with comfortable seating and whiteboards where employees can exchange ideas. Breweries or cafés can likewise serve as creative collaboration zones.
Choose the Right Furniture
The furniture you select impacts comfort, health and work output. Look for adjustable chairs and desks so employees can find the optimal position for their bodies. Standing desks encourage movement, while comfortable chairs with lumbar support protect the back and neck.
In meeting rooms, choose furnishings that are easy to reconfigure so teams can modify the space for different needs. Mobile whiteboards and monitors enable information sharing. Tables on casters make it simple to transition from small group conversations to presentations.
Invest in durable, ergonomic furniture suited for constant daily use. Your office furniture sets the tone for your workplace culture and signals how much you value employees.
Provide Adequate Access to Shared Equipment
While primarily stationed at individual desks, employees periodically need access to shared office equipment throughout the day. Place printers, scanners, shredders and other multifunction devices in accessible locations so workers don’t waste time waiting to use them.
Kitchen and break room areas should also have shared appliances like microwaves, coffeemakers and refrigerators. Position these appliances conveniently so employees can quickly heat up meals and prepare drinks.
Think about how many employees will be sharing equipment and purchase enough supplies to prevent bottlenecks. For example, a single printer for 50 employees will create frustration, while 5 printers for the same number of staff should suffice.
Establish Zones for Different Activities
Rather than make the entire office suitable for all types of tasks, consider establishing distinct zones. For example, keep kitchen and eating areas separate from individual workstations to contain messes and food odours. Meeting rooms and phone booths work best grouped together in a shared area away from primary workspaces.
You may also want zones for:
- Creative collaboration – with whiteboards, movable furniture and ample space.
- Focused work – libraries, nooks and distraction-free rooms.
- Rejuvenation – break rooms, relaxation rooms, outdoor seating.
Clearly defining and labelling zones helps employees use the office efficiently.
Provide Ample Natural Lighting
Humans thrive on natural light, so bring as much daylight into office spaces as possible. Position workstations near windows and use glass partitions between interior rooms. If the office layout unavoidably creates some dark spaces, install skylights or solar tubes to brighten them up.
Artificial lighting also impacts how office environments feel. Choose LED bulbs that provide clear, bright light and avoid the buzz or flicker of fluorescent tubes. Use dimmers and motion sensors so lighting adjusts based on occupancy and tasks. Reduce harsh glare with matte finishes on surfaces.
Ensure Proper Ventilation and Air Quality
Stuffy, stale or smelly office air breeds discomfort and fatigue. Good ventilation removes indoor pollutants, maintains oxygen levels and keeps temperatures comfortable. Air conditioning and heating systems should allow for plenty of fresh air intake. Open windows also help when weather permits.
Strategically place air purifiers and plants throughout the office to filter the air. Bans on microwaved fish and other odorous foods likewise promote better air quality. Keep ventilation in mind when arranging office floors plans and dividing up spaces.
Provide Nearby Accommodations
Employees appreciate offices that provide necessities onsite so they don’t have to travel outside the building throughout the day. Offer accommodations like:
- Restrooms – sufficient stalls and sinks for the team.
- Mother’s rooms – for lactating mothers to pump and store breast milk.
- Lockers – so employees can store personal items securely.
- Showers – for employees who walk, run or bike to work.
Make sure accommodations follow ADA requirements for accessibility. Their convenience contributes to a welcoming, inclusive environment.
Select Appealing Decor and Colours
The aesthetics of your office environment significantly influence morale and energy levels. Use decor and wall colours to shape the ambiance. Cool tones like blues and greens promote calm concentration, while warm reds and oranges cultivate creativity and sociability.
Incorporate natural elements like plants, sunlight, water features and wood finishes to create a pleasing biophillic environment. Display artwork and objects d’art that reflect your brand personality and vision. Seek input from employees to make decorative selections that speak to their sensibilities.
Foster Company Culture through Design Choices
Office design presents opportunities to establish the unique culture and values of your organization. You can infuse space with your company mission through visual cues like:
- Framed inspirational quotes
- Photo collages of employees at work
- Wall graphics depicting company history
- Brand mottos and slogans
Reinforce the cultural tenets most important to your team, whether it’s transparency, innovation, inclusivity or something else entirely. Let the office naturally highlight what makes your company special.
Conclusion
Optimizing office space requires forethought but yields tremendous dividends. The above strategies will help you create an environment aligned with your business goals and inclusive of employee needs. Remember that office room interior design directly enables staff to do their best work. Invest in comfort, collaboration, functionality and aesthetics, and your team will thrive. Envision, design, and bring your office space dreams to life with Officebanao. Their intuitive 3D platform enables real-time designing so you can visualize concepts on-the-go. Choose from unlimited stylish layouts and customize with a vast selection of products. Officebanao then handles procurement, permitting, installation, and quality assurance for a hassle-free process. Experience simple, transparent office design from concept to completion. You can reach them via Whatsapp – 8929399141 or email your queries to inquiry@officebanao.com.
