Gone are the days when you can just rent out a space, throw a few desks and chairs together, hang up a shingle or two and call it an office. In today’s world of business, having a good office design matters as much as what you have to offer.
It might sound a bit dramatic but when you think about how much time employees spend in the workplace, it makes sense that an office could help set the tone that ultimately impacts employee productivity and therefore the success of a business.
Interior design itself is an ongoing process that provides users with aesthetically pleasing and efficient solutions to optimize space usage. It involves thinking about how to create spaces that suit a variety of people doing different activities, how certain details make people more productive, how technology can be used to support and elevate workspaces, and more. When you provide a well-organized and well-functioning workspace, your business will flourish.
Still not convinced? Scroll down to see why good office design is so important.
When you first start thinking about the interior design of your office, you have to consider the floor plan and layout before you get to anything else. After all, every square inch or room left unused is rent money wasted, every workspace badly laid out equals lower employee satisfaction and productivity.
By having a carefully thought out activity-based floor plan with zones specifically created for different activities even before you begin furnishing, you’ll have set the groundwork to create a pleasant work environment that 1) optimizes space usage, 2) reduces operational costs and 3) maximizes employee interaction and collaboration.
It doesn’t require a full office remodel either. If you want a quick, affordable option to break up an open office, you can consider office pods such as QUBIC which are designed to reduce background noise and provide a quiet private space for meetings, phone calls or intense work tasks.
Numerous studies have shown that office design has a direct impact on employee satisfaction, creativity and productivity. If offices have dysfunctional layouts, are cluttered or overcrowded, or have dreary interiors, employees are more likely to feel stressed and unhappy. But while all of this might seem like common sense, you’d be surprised by how many companies continue to blunder along with poorly designed offices.
When your office design provides the right activity ‘zones’(if you’re not sure what that is, feel free to check out our article on activity-based workspaces here!) suited to a variety of activities, has proper lighting, comfortable seating and even a dash of colour or greenery, it automatically helps to make your employees feel welcome and comfortable, thus increasing work productivity, efficiency and the overall positive vibe about being in the office!
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A 2017 study by the American Society of Designers (ASID) reported that workplace design can positively influence employee satisfaction, and has a significant effect on turnover intention. Over one third of respondents who described being satisfied with their jobs were found to have an attractive workspace. Plus, when employees are happy to come into work every day, they’d be more likely to refer your company to their peers when it comes time to hiring too!
Whether we intended it or not, a company’s office typically represents their business or at least the industry they’re in. A bank or law firm might have an ‘old-school, traditional office, whereas a tech startup or fashion company would be more likely to have a workspace decorated with sleek modern furnishings and bold colours or interesting fabrics.
At the end of the day, your office will represent your company,so it is important to consider the image you want to present when it comes to choosing a style for your office space. After all, you wouldn’t want to bring a client to an office that’s dark and cluttered, would you?
As you can see, it is crucial that the businesses of today create a work environment that is comfortable and inspiring for its users. Your company’s future success depends on it! So, if your office design needs some refreshing, it’s time to get started.
