Designing an office is about more than mere aesthetics. It’s something that can define how your business operates and how your employees feel while they are at work. More often than not it’s also a way to showcase your company to your clients and visitors.
A well-thought-out design can make your employees more productive and better organized. However, this needs to be done carefully and with a plan in mind. The goal is to understand how the company will function and create a design based on that.
Lighting
In a company environment, it can be rather difficult to make the lighting perfect for everyone. There’s never enough natural light and that can create a tiresome atmosphere. The rooms in which there’s the most activity and work being done should have the most natural sunlight.
When it comes to artificial task lights, you should have a liberal policy and let everyone decorate their own office and bring their own lamp if there’s a need for it. It’s imperative for the office to be well-lit if you want your employees to feel rested.
No distractions
An office should be designed in a way that facilitates work and allows everyone in it to be at their most productive. This is best accomplished by having a minimalistic design that leaves little space for distractions. Such a design doesn’t have to look cheap or hastily put together.
Minimalistic style doesn’t limit you in any way since it can work with both modern and traditional design. Hardwood floors and tables as well as glass and plastic can be used to create this effect.
Colors
The colors used in your office could have a profound psychological affect and create a mood within your company. The choice of color depends on the atmosphere you’re planning to create. For instance, red can be used to energize the employees, while green is soothing and calming. Blues are usually best suited for rooms used for planning and contemplating.
The biggest objects in the room are probably rugs, and therefore they are the most important in setting the tone. Choosing the rug color will determine the color of the entire room and all other items will have to be adjusted to it.
Ergonomics
Most of the office hours are spent sitting down, which has a variety of effects on the overall health of the employees. Chairs play the most important role in this; choosing ergonomic chairs can be a bit costly for a small business, but in the long run, it will make your employees’ lives easier and therefore keep them productive.
It’s also important to use standing tables, especially for those employees who need to be focused on a monitor for hours on end. Organizing work in a way that allows for short breaks can also help reduce the stress of such a working environment.
Personal touches
People spend a big portion of their time at work and that can be a bit demoralizing in the long run. One way to avoid this is to allow the employees to personalize their offices as much as possible without it being distracting.
One of the ways of doing this is to allow them to add personal art, photos and other mementos to their offices or working space. Creating personalized playlists can also have this effect, as long as it doesn’t bother the rest of the employees.
Office design can help you create a more productive and comfortable working environment. You just have to take into account the needs of your employees, and create a design around that.