When you’re investing in office space, it’s important to figure out exactly how much space you’ll need and how much operating cost your company can afford. Companies that are investing in their first location always want to save as much money as possible, ensuring that their investment money is spent wisely. There are a few ways you can use space effectively and design work spaces that make the most out of any budget.
One of the first mistakes most start-up companies make is that they forget that common areas can be versatile. Rather than focusing your design efforts on creating individual workspaces, find ways of creating common areas. They can be used as a place to hold meetings, to meet with clients and customers, or take breaks. When there is a central hub, more ideas can be shared. It also helps build the right kind of atmosphere in the workplace.
Speaking of meetings, do you really need that conference room in your office space? Small businesses often invest in a conference room because they feel like they will use it. Long structured meetings around a table may not be the best idea when you’re trying to keep motivation and productivity up. Consider having stand-up meetings. They can often shorten the overall time of the meeting and help people literally think on their feet, resulting in more creative ideas.
When it comes to work surfaces, forget about the large sprawling desks. Often, they are unnecessary and they do take up a lot of room. Consider small workstations or shared workstations that allow multiple people to share work surfaces. All you really need is your computer, right? And with precious few square feet, encourage your staff to keep desk clutter to a minimum. Discourage too much clutter at desks so that your employees have plenty of space to spread out and do the work. A cubicle should not be a place where you live, it’s a place where you work. That being said, it’s not unheard of to have a picture of the family or visuals that help you stay focused and creative.
Not many people looking at prospective office space options really consider lighting. You should have lighting that illuminates the office well. With today’s LED technology, you can get a lot of light and use less energy. If you need lighting in addition to overhead lighting, avoid floor lamps and invest in smart desk fixtures.
Need a lot of storage? Make the most of the office space that you have by building cabinetry vertically. This allows you to store the most files in the smallest square foot area possible. You can even consider using the walls to hang coats and sweaters, eliminating the need for a closet.
There are plenty more ways to think about using what you have efficiently and effectively while still feeling comfortable and able to work well. You might even try asking your staff what ideas they may have to make the workplace as comfortable and productive as possible so that you can all enjoy coming into work.
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