As sad as it might sound, many business owners don’t realize the importance of interior design. To have a productive workforce, you need to create an environment that will not only be clean but also inviting. It needs to feel like a second home so your staff is motivated to come back each day.
In this article, we’ll go through some incredible tips that will make your office more appealing. It’s worth noting you don’t have to implement all of these suggestions; just using a few of them will completely change your office space.
7 Tricks for a Perfect Office
These are our best tips, in no particular order, which will help you improve office design and utility.
- Improve Access
The last thing you need is for your staff to wander from one area to another. Your business space needs to be arranged so ancillary rooms are close to working offices. For example, restrooms need to be as close as possible to the offices. Similarly, while the canteen needs to be in a separate area, it needs to be placed so all employees can reach it within 2 minutes.
- Break Up Spaces
Some companies utilize large open spaces, thinking this will provide more connectivity to the team and enhance competitiveness and working spirit. In practice, your staff will be annoyed by all the clicking, phone ringing, and other noises. So much so that many of them will use headphones to isolate themselves.
The best way to address this problem is by breaking up large, open spaces into smaller units. Ideally, you want to create separate rooms for teams so they don’t disturb each other. Using cubicles also isn’t bad, depending on the type of work. We also recommend using furniture to seamlessly separate areas without making employees feel isolated.
- Remove the Clutter
While employees should be allowed to bring personal possessions to the office, you must also avoid clutter. “Putting various items on work desks might seem cute, but it will make your office feel dirty and chaotic,” warns Compass Cleaning Solutions, a commercial cleaning business from Phoenix.
Another major issue (especially for tech-driven businesses) is power cords. Find ways to group them and reroute them so people don’t stumble around. You might also want to consider providing employees with lockers or some other form of personal space where they can leave possessions once they come to work.
- Create Quiet Areas
Even though you’ll likely separate your teams into smaller groups, you still need ancillary areas where your staff can work in peace. Having that in mind, consider creating “quiet spaces” where your staff can escape from the hectic daily grind.
These sections should fulfill two main purposes. First, they should be used as a secondary office, where a person can go with their laptop to finish some basic tasks. These areas should also be used for resting, for when your employees are fed up with all the clicking noises.
- Add a Mascot
While this might sound like an unorthodox idea on paper, the practice has shown office pets can significantly improve the well-being of your staff. Having a mascot (dog, cat, or bird) can dramatically reduce stress levels and stimulate exercise.
For example, your staff members can take turns taking the dog outside and playing with it. Even cuddling with a pet can put their minds at ease and remove them from the office for a few brief moments.
- Create Difference Sceneries
We all understand the importance of having areas for socialization. However, smart businesses take this concept to the next level. Not only do they create spaces for leisure, but they also make sure these areas have a different theme from the rest of the office.
For example, you can add lots of plants and comfy furniture to these areas. Create a tropic setting or a winter delight to mentally remove your staff from the office. Just by spending ten to fifteen minutes chilling in the common space, your employees will be reinvigorated and prepared for the rest of the day.
- Diversify Colors
Speaking of diversity, using different color pallets will completely change staff’s perception of the office. Similar to furniture and themes, it will make walking through the building a unique visual experience.
The general rule of thumb is to use vivid yet not excessively aggressive colors. Good examples are light blue, light yellow, and light green, but you might also tinker with pink, orange, and purple. The last thing you want is to use black and gray, as they suck the life out of your staff. Similarly, aggressive colors might increase stress levels in your employees.
Conclusion
Designing a beautiful yet well-functioning office environment takes some planning and money. However, once you’re done, you can significantly boost the productivity of your staff. Well-designed offices reduce stress for your workforce while also increasing job satisfaction and retention.
We suggest you go through our tips once again and try to memorize some of the suggestions. Hiring an architect who specializes in office spaces is another thing that’s worth considering.
