In a new era of hybrid work, now is the perfect time to redesign your office. With the right designs, you can create a space that is comfortable for workers and conducive to productivity. Conversely, a poorly designed office can leave workers feeling drained and unmotivated – the last thing you want at a time of soaring resignations.
So, what should be your top priorities for the redesign? Here are 5 questions to consider.
Before you gut the entire building, consider ways to make the office more flexible, so that it can be easily reconfigured again in the future when needed. This was the lesson that many of us learned at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, when businesses scrambled to create safe, socially-distanced environments for their essential on-site workers.
Consider solutions such as demountable glass and architectural wall systems. These allow you to create an attractive, modern office, without being stuck with more permanent structures.
Having designated spaces for collaboration is so important for productivity and creativity. From conference rooms to "huddle" spaces, these areas give your teams a place to communicate, provide project updates and share ideas.
Ideally, these spaces should be closed off from other workspaces to eliminate noise and distractions. But you can still give the meeting rooms an open, inviting feel with the incorporation of glass walls.
Yes, your office design can absolutely have an impact on your remote workers, too. For starters, consider how you will accommodate the workers who only occasionally need to visit the office. Will they have a permanent desk, or will they use workstations that are open to everyone?
Additionally, consider how you will maintain "meeting equity," which is the idea that your meetings are clear and valuable for all your employees, whether they're on site or remote. Better video conferencing systems, for example, are essential for ensuring that every presenter and every moment is captured, so that your off-site workers get the same experience as being in the conference room.
Large, open offices are notorious for poor acoustics. Reverberating echoes and a loud hum of worker noise are more than mere distractions. The noise can cause employee stress and make them feel more drained at the end of the work day.
Acoustic wall panels, ceiling panels, suspended acoustic baffles and diffusers can all help to mitigate noise, so that your teams can concentrate. Additionally, if you're using cubicle systems, consider having them finished with fabric panels, which will help to absorb sound even further.
This consideration doesn't necessarily apply to the colors on your office walls, though it certainly can. More precisely, we're referring to the overall vibe and aesthetic of the space and how that fits your company's vision.
For example, if you're a tech company that is known for innovation, then you probably don't want a drab, cookie-cutter office that fails to inspire your employees. Instead, you want a cutting-edge space that is fresh, unique and impressive to both your workers and visitors. Consider the values that make your organization unique and how you can apply them to the design of your office.
Contact us today to learn more about incorporating these office design ideas into your workspace. Rampart offers a wide range of glass walls, partition systems and other flexible workspace solutions for any office.