The workplace environment plays a big role in the efficiency and productivity of the people working within it, which is why it should be planned strategically. Here’s how it’s done.
Some people couldn’t care less about the appearance of their office, as long as they have everything they need to perform their jobs. However, what they might not know is that the look and feel of their workplace environment can affect their performance throughout the day. So, if you need help in creating an environment that’s always conducive to working, here are four tips you can use:
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1. Aim to Achieve a Coherent Design
When it comes to interior designing your workplace, the last thing you’ll want is to have an office that’s a sight for sore eyes. This could mean having unintentionally mismatched pieces that don’t work together or color schemes that clash in the worst ways possible. It would always be best to stick to one coherent interior design.
For instance, you want your main interior design style to be industrial chic. To achieve that, you’ll need to make sure that your furniture, design elements, and even your bare walls will have touches of the style. You can start it off by getting an urban-industrial office desk with a matching ergonomic chair for your employees’ workstations.
Since the industrial-chic style mainly revolves around using repurposed metal and reclaimed wood, you can include these elements into the design for your lounges, shared workspaces, or pantry area. But you need to make sure that all your design pieces are built for durability and longevity despite using repurposed materials.
2. Create Collaborative Workspaces
These days, shared workspaces are becoming all the rage because they allow for better teamwork and communication among colleagues. Shared workspaces could be in the form of side-by-side tables with no divisions to separate one employee from the next, or it could be an open area with bean bag chairs scattered about.
Of course, it’s still essential to have individual workstations for the employees who prefer to work alone, but you also have to consider the employees who work better when they’re with other people. The shared energy buzzing in these collaborative spaces can be transferred from one person to the next, which can then boost their productivity even more.
The option of working in a shared space can also help you build a stronger corporate culture because you’re creating avenues for your employees to establish mutually beneficial relationships among themselves. By leaving some room for social interactions within the day, you can easily boost employee morale and create a more open work environment.
3. Use Textures, Colors, and Shapes
Just because you’re designing the interiors of a professional workplace doesn’t mean you can’t include fun and quirky designs. So don’t be afraid to play around with textures, colors, or shapes because these can all contribute to creating a healthy and positive workplace environment for your employees.
For instance, you can have furniture with different textures situated in the waiting area or pantry. And you can include bold-colored accent walls to add a splash of color to what would otherwise be a bland-looking workspace. Plus, the various shapes of design elements can be used to elevate the entire office.
But make sure not to go overboard with your designs because doing so might lead to the opposite of what you want to achieve. That’s why before you start buying your furniture or planning the final design, consider creating design studies just so you can visualize how the whole place will come together afterward.
4. Design with Comfort in Mind
Understandably, you’ll want your work environment to look put together by a professional interior designer. Not only will doing so work wonders for when you have clients and shareholders over, but it can also build your credibility as an up-and-coming business in your chosen industry. However, you should never sacrifice your people’s comfort for the sake of good looks.
A good example of this is if you fall in love with the idea of designing your entire office with wood as your main material. This could mean wooden desks, chairs, and benches. Although this could create beautiful imagery, it won’t provide your employees with the comfort they need to perform their tasks.
That’s why it’s important to consider different internal and external factors when planning how to design your office. Of course, it will be great to make your office look as if it’s something straight out of a magazine spread, but you should also consider the people who will be using the workplace environment day in, day out.
You could always hire a professional to design your office instead of doing it yourself if only to focus on your main functions. But that could mean leaving the future of your business in the hands of someone who doesn’t know who your company is at the core. So, if you have the time to spare, consider taking a more hands-on approach to designing your workplace. After all, this would eventually be your second home.