Every office is different. Size, shape, light, the list goes on. But, if you want to design and office that is comfortable and stress-free for your employees to work in, you need to understand your particular office very well indeed.
Space management will help you to create the best office environment but it takes a little work to get to that point. Basically, this helps you to appreciate the size and shape of the room and figure out how best to utilise it in a way that doesn’t over-clutter.
There are many office design ideas out there but you always need to maintain the view that every room is different. One design idea might look fantastic but it simply won’t work in your office because of the shape or where the windows are located. You also have to think carefully about safety in the office environment and ensuring there are no hazards in the space.
Let’s check out five basic but key aspects of space management, to help you get started.
- Take everything out of the office - The first step is to know what you’re working with. So, you need to remove all office furniture and look at the office in its barest form. For sure, you’re probably going to lose a working day or two with this but that’s where flexible working comes in!
- Understand the unique size and shape - You need to measure the office and look at the shape. Do you have pillars in the middle? Is the room perfectly square or does it have more of a triangular shape? Are there parts of the wall that jut out? Analyse the shape and know how much space you have to play with. Then, you can look at where you might place different parts of your office, such as a breakout space, for example.
- Look at where the natural light reaches - You don’t need an office that relies solely upon artificial lighting. There are many benefits to natural light, so when your office is bare, look at where the natural light reaches and analyse where you may need extra help from artificial lighting. Then, strategically place your lighting.
- How much fresh air gets into the office? - Can you open up the windows a little more, e.g. get rid of anything in front of them and allow more fresh air to get into the space? Again, fresh air is vital for productivity and health so this is something to look at.
- Work out how much office furniture is enough - Don’t pack your office with too many desks and office chairs. Only go with what you need and then in the future, if necessary, you can reassess. The same goes for storage - perhaps look at online storage and save some space that way.
It’s also possible to create different zones in an office by using space dividers too. That may give you more space or allow employees to concentrate better.
These are all tips on how to work with space management in your office. Once you’ve done that, you can start creating the perfect office for your employees.