When you start planning an office redesign, it’s easy to get caught up in focusing on the aesthetics of the project. Picking out things like paint colors or flooring options can be a lot of fun, but before you get too carried away, don’t forget to think about how the interior design of an office can impact your employees. A stylish office is nice to have, but one that significantly improves the employee experience is even better. Here are a few ways you can use an office renovation as an opportunity to give your company a makeover in more ways than one.
Productivity
Interior office design can have a huge impact on how well people are able to do their jobs. An ineffective layout, for example, can make it more difficult for people to collaborate or to use the resources they need to do their jobs. Or if an office doesn’t have enough lighting, people can have a harder time concentrating on their work.
As your company grows and changes, it’s important to ask yourself if the design of your office is still meeting your needs. Are people becoming too crowded? Could space be rearranged to help people work better? Does everyone have enough access to light? Is it easy for groups to collaborate?
Health
Work is such a major part of our lives, so it’s important to make sure the time we spend there be as healthy as possible. In recent years, there has been a major trend toward finding ways to promote wellness in the workplace through design. Lots of people are interested in office layouts that encourage movement throughout the day and office fitness centers have become one of the most popular types of office amenities, but there are plenty of other ways to create a healthier workplace.
Maximizing natural light is a key way to help make the workplace healthier. Not only does it help reduce eye strain, but it can also even continue to benefit people after they’ve gone home for the day. If people don’t have enough exposure to natural light, it can disrupt their natural circadian rhythms and make it harder to fall asleep. But when employees are well-rested, they’re more likely to be alert and productive at work and are less likely to be susceptible to illness.
Biophilic design is another big office design trend because of the health benefits it has to offer. Research has shown that bringing elements of nature into your office’s design through biophilic design can help reduce stress levels.
Employee Morale
People always want to feel appreciated and a well-designed office is a great way to make your employees feel like you really value their contributions. When offices are designed to meet basic needs such as health and productivity, people are more likely to be happier and more engaged at work. Another way design can give employee morale a boost is by encouraging socialization. Including a variety of different types of spaces in the office, such as lounges and other collaborative areas, not only makes it easier for people to work together, it makes it easier for people to get into conversations and build connections with other coworkers.
Could your office use a redesign? Contact our team of professionals to see how we can help.