Going to the office may seem cumbersome to some. But do you know that this challenge can be eliminated by smart office design? Yes, office design can be a game-changer and affect staff experience by a significant percentage. For instance, have you ever heard an employee working at Google talking about Monday blues? Well, we’re guessing not really! That’s because the employee experience and office design have covered it all! Google office is full of greens, revolving bookcases, vintage subway cars, and they highly encourage social interaction and collaborative team efforts.
All this is done solely via their office design. Astonishing, isn’t it? In fact, a recent study by Forbes found that about 93% of workers in the tech industry agreed that they would stay longer at a company that would offer options such as wellness rooms, healthier workspace benefits, improved company fitness benefits, nutritious meals, and sit-stands or ergonomic seating.
How to avoid poor space utilization?
A company, ROOM, is addressing the increasing need for privacy in workspaces through phone booths— a sound-proofed and ventilated powered booth that allows employees to take a video call or focus on work without any distractions. The company has been utilizing its workspace to the fullest.
You, too, can achieve this by following simple steps such as designing outdoor spaces for flexibility, layering different types of lighting, moving bulky furniture to allow in the sunlight, improving access to handwashing facilities, or simply opening up the windows and placing a few indoor plants.
According to the 2018 space utilization benchmarking report by JLL, most organizations have an average space utilization percentage of about 60% – 70%. This implies that approximately 30% – 40% of workspace is ignored or wasted. There are a few ways to avoid it, some are, as listed below:
- Place an assortment of plants.
- Build drawers and stashes for the gadgets.
- Arrange the tables or desks in small groups with space on either side.
- Provide each team member with personal storage space such as filing cabinets or storage lockers.
- Make use of rolling cabinets, adjustable monitor arms, and mobile pieces of furniture.
You can consult an interior design consultant for more ideas, specializing in modern office spaces.
While mindfulness and awareness towards a healthy lifestyle and environment have increased, there are a few mistakes that most companies neglect. Let’s make sure that you’re not one of them— scroll down to read more.
The most common office design problems
Below are the most common office design problems and innovative solutions to tackle them and design your office the millennial way.
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Noisy open spaces are disruptive
Car hooting and noisy bike gears can disrupt the operations. Imagine you’re in the midst of planning the next ad campaign for your client, and such noises lead to a creative block. That won’t be too good, eh?
The solution: Office layout and adjacency planning
Worry not! We have a solution for you, i.e., office layout and adjacency planning. Adjacency planning is all about deciding the placement of a department based on security needs, interaction and communication requirements, and public access needs. This is done by planning an office layout with the help of an interior design consultant, who examines the space and maps out various elements of the design.
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Don’t overlook reflection spaces
Reflection spaces allow employees to experience calm moments to exercise mindfulness through religious, spiritual, and meditative practices. This takes them away from their job’s daily hustle-bustle and stress, and they can perform better.
The solution: Dedicated sanctuary spaces
A place to disappear, even though it’s just for a few moments, is all we need when emotions are taking over us. This is when a dedicated sanctuary space will prove to be extremely helpful for the employee’s wellness. A dedicated sanctuary space allows any individual to do some mindful yoga asanas or simply turn the pages of a book. Such quiet moments can also come in handy for brainstorming for the next big project. Worth investing, isn’t it? It does not need to be extra fancy — some gentle colors, flower pots, a cozy rug, and a kettle with green tea/ coffee bags, and you’re done!
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Lack of culture and community.
The office design should reflect your work culture and community. Each corner of your workspace should spread the essence of your company’s mission and direction. A common activity room will boost team spirit among employees. Lack of culture and community can restrict employee loyalty and engagement.
The solution: Your brand’s identity should reflect in your design.
The color, furnishing, wallpaper, and the entire layout of your workspace designed by the interior design company hired by you should reflect the organization’s cultural practices. A good organization understands that strong company culture can be a great catalyst to promote engagement, collaboration, and employee innovation. When reflected in office space design, all of this helps the organization grow and yield better results.
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Lack of desk management system.
While a flexible working environment is highly encouraged, the lack of workstations can create a huge mess in the office. Each employee needs dedicated workspaces to boost their productivity and perform their best. It will also make them feel like they are an essential part of the office.
The solution: Enable agility
Enabling agility while redesigning your office space will help you utilize the workspace to its maximum strength. You can follow a hybrid working system at your workplace if a dedicated desk is not an option. Desk booking software and dedicated touchdown areas are also good ways to make the most of your workspace. Also, keep in mind how many work-from-home positions and out-of-office roles are employed before installing the working desks.
Conclusion
While every office might face challenges in its architectural structure, AIA India, being the top interior design company, can help design office spaces effectively. Our professional and experienced workplace interior designers in Gurgaon will help you find the best approach to redesign your workplace to boost productivity. Remember, the old “don’t fix it until it’s broken” approach is too old school for the modern, fast-paced digital era.
Your employees spend countless hours in the office — make it worth it, together!