Companies are becoming increasingly more interested in designing their offices in a way that encourages interaction and collaboration among the employees. The flow of office space should stimulate teamwork easily. Departments that usually work together should be right next to each other. The office manager must have a desk facing the whole floor in open-floor layout plans.
You can, for example, use a commercial internal staircase to create a natural flow within the office space. A staircase can be the focal point of collaboration among employees, especially in a two-story office setup. Instead of hiding the floors from each other, why not go for a high ceiling that allows both floors to be visible through balustrades? Invest in the design of the stairs instead of an elevator. If you have a large space for the staircase, you can make it as wide as possible to accommodate benches and small tables where people can hang out or have a meeting.
Figure out Your Office’s Flow
Let the interior designers know how your workers interact. For example, they should put production, planning and design departments right next to each other. The administrative offices that deal with finances and human resources can stay in another corner. The lounge and comfort room should be right next to each other. If possible, these two should get out of the way of the main work area.
Embrace Technology
Technologies continue to advance every day. There are new equipment and processes that can make work easier for employees. Invest in those. Embracing technology means investing in the productivity and the satisfaction of your workers. What’s a private pod going to cost you? But for your employees, having several fully-equipped private pods where they can focus better will boost their efficiency levels.
Make it easier for them to discuss and present ideas, too. You should equip conference or huddle rooms with the latest projectors and computers for effective brainstorming sessions.
Invest in Furniture
Have you heard about ergonomic furniture? Buy those for your employees. Ergonomic chairs and tables will have lasting health benefits for your workers. This is especially important for those who need to sit all day to finish their tasks. Ergonomic furniture is designed with a person’s comfort in mind. You should also look into flexible furniture such as rolling staircases, chairs and tables that will allow people to move to another area in the office.
Encourage Face Time
A study showed that face-to-face communication made it easier for 76% of surveyed workers to collaborate on projects more. They can make better decisions when they regularly meet face-to-face. However, this is not always possible. Employees are scattered across the globe. You may even have offshore employees working in other countries. Still, hold meetings via video conferences. Talking with one another face-to-face will make it easier for your employees to work on tasks together.
When designing an office space, always think of the best way to encourage people to meet, talk and share ideas. Your employees should be front and centre when trying to design the office space. It should not be how to maximise the space — that will come in second. Make sure your employees are comfortable with office design. You’ll find them working more efficiently.
