INSPIRATION THROUGH OFFICE INTERIORS

INSPIRATION THROUGH OFFICE INTERIORS

Apart from being the first impression on your potential new clients and your representation for maintaining your current ones, your office interiors play a big part in the success of your organisation. Perhaps locally it can go underrated.  Your client and business relations should be well maintained not only on a service level but also image upkeep. A well designed office may cost a little more, but it is cheaper than a poorly designed one. A non-functioning office wastes time, causes frustration and makes your employees counter productive for the simple reason that it may hinder basic tasks. Before any commercial project starts a fundamental starting point is the employee interview.  This is a two way process and the potential candidate, may be judging you also on the atmosphere of your offices.

 

When one takes into consideration the amount of hours we spend in an office it is clear to see how important professional interior design of the workspace actually is. Keeping general rules and suggestions in consideration when planning your new office interiors or undertaking a refurbishment will surely improve your work mode, the general office mood and maintain your corporate image.  This will naturally lead to higher productivity.

 

Your workforce will spend the majority of their day sitting in an office chair. When they begin to suffer the ill effects of an uncomfortable chair such as low back and neck pain will you start to receive complaints, leading to lower levels of productivity. In a nutshell do not underestimate your furniture functionality and comfort. Ergonomic desk chairs, although not cheap, will prove to be a very good investment in the long run.

 

Good quality office furniture will also offer cable management, which will get all those unsightly wires neatly tucked away. When choosing your office furniture, you are investing in your company image but you are also investing in your staff, and they will love you for it.  This is a way to show you appreciate your human resources.

 

One of your major considerations from a layout and sustainability point of view is natural lighting which is a much overlooked fundamental. Studies show productivity improves with natural light. Our eyes are designed to work with the changing light levels of sunlight, in contrast with the harsh continuous and clinical artificial light commonly found in our offices. Truth is this kind of lighting causes fatigue and strain on the eyes and can induce headaches. You can maximise natural sunlight by creating open environments, tear down interior walls, use glass panels for private offices and benching desks instead of claustrophobic workstations.

 

We often find employees talk about dry air in the office.  It is well known that air conditioning systems do cause dry eyes and mouth. Investing in an air purification system and boosting your given natural light will improve the general mood in your office.  You will also keep good air circulation and odours at bay whilst adhering to health and safety standards. An scent diffuser is also something to consider, no one likes an unpleasant smell at the workspace.

 

When planning out your space keep in mind that no one likes to bump into colleagues just to perform simple tasks. It's not only important to give staff big enough desks, but you must also consider 'circulation space’ and the flow of movement.  The break-out space is not just for your employees to have lunch but can provide to be a crucial place for relaxation and exploration of new ideas.  Chill out spaces for informal chats or just a change of scenery, will bring down barriers of communication and encourage spontaneity in the office. Having designated casual meeting or lounge areas in your office for employees to relax and exchange thoughts may give life to some of the best ideas and lower the tension an office environment may cause.

 

Branding should not stop with the business cards and website. It should be infused into the space where everything happens. It should be all around the employees and it should speak to clients. The brand should flow continuously from the website to the stationary and to interiors.  This will create a sense on unison within your space and your corporate image. Create interest by designing a feature wall which houses your logo signage. Carry any identifying factors through the space, such as colour schemes and logos. Clients and your people notice these touches and become more engaged with your brand. The physical appearance of your office will lay the foundation for your corporate culture. In designing your office space and environment, inject your firm's slogans, logos, philosophy, attitude, products and colour palette in order to showcase your firm's corporate culture.

 

By Vera Sant Fournier
Written By

By Vera Sant Fournier