Think for a moment about your everyday life at the workplace. Do you usually feel inspired and energized or bored with the dull office environment? Along with the changing demands of employees, the office becomes an important motivational factor for them.
The Gensler 2016 workplace survey showed the direct connection between the quality of the workplace and innovation. In a survey of more than 4,000 workers across 11 industries, there has been found that the most innovative companies are those that invest in more functional workplaces. So: how to make a workplace to encourage people to come to work?
Your Checklist for Choosing and Arranging the Office Space
☑ Consider the Purpose of the Office
Office layout can say a lot about a company as well as a product or service it provides. For example, if you are the owner of an accounting or law firm, the style and appearance are not the primary factors to consider. To ensure that your team will function at an ultimate capacity you should take into account document flow, employee communication, location and a lot of other factors that can directly impact the effectiveness of your business.
☑ Think about Your Company Structure
Depending on the organizational structure it is important to establish the office that supports work. Otherwise, a poorly planned workplace can negatively impact an outcome. For example, in flat or horizontal organizations like Google, employees are authorized to take their decisions for company’s success; here there are no job titles and very few layers of management. In such companies, executives communicate with interns frequently and need open space instead of closed-off cubicles.
☑ Focus on Both Individual and Group Workspace
According to the research, innovative companies are five times more likely to have workplaces that focus on both individual and group workspace. Thus investing in more functional and flexible meeting space should be at the top of your list. Consider the number of employees that will regularly take part in meetings, whether the participants will interact, listen or work in small groups for a brainstorm. If your team is always chasing deadlines and looking for fresh ideas, you need a meeting room where you can run a good group brainstorming session. On the other hand, if you are regularly delivering presentations, think about the theater-style arrangement.
☑ Choose Right Office Layout
First came cubicles, then open space and finally companies realized that regardless of the layout, the most important thing is to create a workplace that will encourage collaboration. In fact, physical environment has a profound impact on the way that we think. The research by ScienceDirect showed that even the height of ceiling impacts how creative we are. It is also showing that the sound levels in the office impact how effective we are. That’s why it is recommended to figure out what are the activities you want your employees to succeed in and then design a workspace that will make them more effective in doing their work.
☑ Offer Employees a Range of Options
One of the things that can be done in any office environment is to offer people a range of physical options so that they can customize their working space. Arrange informal social space, where people can gather and talk about their work. Another option that you can give to your employees is a ‘thinking’ room, that can be used almost like a library in the college campus to do their quiet work.
Planning the workplace can be one of the most stressful processes of setting up your organization, but once you understand the best possible use of space and equipment for your company aims, the result will be rewarding.