Not so long ago, we used to wake up early and enter a grey square office with fluorescent lighting, a white desk, a computer, a landline phone and white walls with grey undertones. Work was our life, and we knew that that’s just how things had to be, from now until retirement at age 65. No one gave any thought to office space aesthetics. Today, as you know, things are radically different.
The Employer
Employers realize that their most important assets are their employees. So that’s why most of them will do anything they can to make their employees feel comfortable. When employees feel comfortable, their productivity increases. It’s that simple.
The Employee
Today’s employees don’t put up with grey and boring offices, like they used to. They want to work in a pleasant environment that makes them feel good.
Want to redesign your office? Here are a few pointers that’ll help you get started:
1.Branding
Branding the office space is important, because it conveys the brand’s values in soft, creative fashion, while also helping create a positive organizational culture. Brand messaging make employees feel like they belong. Office space branding can be done without spending a lot of money – the key is choosing and using the right materials. A unique blend of materials in different office areas can make quite an impression. I recommend creating a different experience in every area in the office, and trying to convey a variety of key messages. This will help transform your office into a dynamic space that will make everyone – employers, employees and clients – feel right at home.
2.Lighting
Office lighting must be pleasant and not too strong. Bad lighting can make employees feel tired and even get headaches. Florescent lighting is a thing of the past. Today, most offices use cost-effective LED lighting. LED profiles are highly recommended. I also recommend using a “warm light” hue, as it creates a pleasant atmosphere that is eons away from the old “operating room” office feel.
3.Ventilation
Air ventilation is very important. It helps keep employees refreshed. Healthwise, it also helps mitigate bacteria.
4.Chairs
Chairs are very important. A comfortable, orthopedic chair will promote your employees’ back health. These chairs come in a variety of colors, which can match the space design. If you want, you can choose chairs with contrasting colors that will stand out.
5.Desks
Standard desks are nice, but today’s wide selection of desk designs allow you to indulge in your creativity. You can order high bar desks, or low desks for casual work. You can create intimate brainstorming areas for your creative employees. The sky’s the limit. A wide variety of sitting options help unleash your employees’ creativity, and allow them to work wherever they want based on their specific moods.
6.Let’s Relax
I recommend incorporating special “chill-out” areas in the office. These areas can include ping pong tables, pool tables, basketball hoops and “cafeteria” or “café” eating areas. These areas allow your employees to take short breaks, freshen up, relax and recharge.
7.Personal Development
Large companies with hundreds of employees often include areas for workshops such as yoga, Pilates and various lectures. These areas are important because they help create employee unification, and provide much-needed relaxation-time for both body and soul after a long hard day’s work.
To sum up…
As employers and employees, we all spend countless hours at the office. We deserve to get the most out of our workday, right? So let’s start by designing an awesome office space!