With the rise of hybrid work setups, employees seek greater flexibility, changing how we interact with the office. Businesses are concentrating on simplifying their office spaces and reorganizing floor plans to use their area better and reduce leasing expenses for unused space. One of the best things about moving to a smaller office is that it can improve your concentration and work output. But downsizing can be challenging if you’re not prepared for the change.
Downsizing can be an excellent way to declutter your office, use the space more efficiently, and get more work done in the same amount of time. But before you do anything, ensure you take the proper steps to transition smoothly. If you are ready to take the plunge and downsize your office, there are a few things that you should keep in mind. Good thing iSpace Office Interiors has the knowledge and expertise to guide you on proper space planning. Follow these tips, and you are on your way to a better workplace experience with less stress.
What is Office Space Planning?
Office space planning is the process of optimizing a workspace based on the demands of users. It entails furniture placement to make the most of available space and boost productivity, efficiency, and collaboration among employees.
When developing effective space planning, a company must consider how its staff uses the area and how the furniture and equipment physically integrate into the workspace. You may optimize space and provide an office that benefits the business and its employees by clearly understanding the activities and functions your workplace needs to support.
Benefits of Office Space Planning
Here are some benefits of planning a conducive and effective workplace design:
Increase in Productivity
The place you work in plays a huge role in productivity. When downsizing your workspace, consider an office layout that focuses on productivity. Although no single design works for everyone, many workers want calmer, more private spaces over the conventional open-plan setting.
Create a Comfortable and Safe Workspace
The office must become a place where people can work in comfort. The physical layout of the workplace should include safety considerations with smoke detection and air quality monitors to reduce health hazards and create a safe working environment.
Enhance Teamwork
With team members working from the office and or having hybrid workplaces, office layout planning should include comfortable, collaborative spaces to enable employee collaboration, regardless of where they are located.
Factors To Consider in Space Planning a Smaller Office
Before starting your office space planning process, here are some factors to consider:
Available Space
When planning office space, the available space is one of the primary considerations. Evaluate the overall square footage before considering your floor planning. The average square footage allotted by companies per employee has dropped from 227 square feet at the turn of the century to 200 square feet today.
Budget
Cost is an inevitable aspect of space planning. You could go out, spend lavishly, and completely redo your company’s environment. But in most situations, creating and adhering to a budget for office planning will benefit your company.
Sizing of Meeting Rooms
There are some careful considerations to keep in mind regarding the meeting room ideal size. Consider first the type of meetings, the typical number of participants, and the amount of technology that will be used. Using that information, you may calculate the ideal square footage for each meeting room.
Your Guide for Space Planning a Smaller Office
Office design might include elements that result in a pleasant productivity-enhancing workspace. When designing an office space, the basic layout should be one of the things considered. Here are tips to guide you in space planning a smaller office:
Pay Attention to Light
Lighting is one of the most essential aspects when designing your office space. From migraines and eye strain to exhaustion and even depression, poor illumination is linked to a wide range of issues. Workstations should be placed near windows to maximize natural light wherever possible. If not possible, select artificial lighting that closely resembles natural sunlight.
Given that everyone has a distinct preference for lighting, additional lighting is also crucial so that workers can regulate the quantity of light based on their needs.
Leave Some Open Space
Squeezing as much office furniture as possible into your workspace can be tempting, but the flow of movement can be overwhelming and challenging, especially in a smaller office. Retain open spaces wherever you can so your team members can easily access different workspace areas and mingle and chat with their coworkers to maintain company culture.
Prioritize Comfort
Comfort is crucial to productivity. Your employees may be experiencing discomfort and agony with their desk arrangements and workstations if they frequently adjust their seats or stand up to move around. To give them comfort, opt for ergonomic furniture that is simple to customize to fit each employee. This includes equipment like keyboards, monitors, and office chairs.
Incorporate Greenery
Incorporating greenery is one of the simplest ways to boost productivity during the last stages of office space planning. According to studies, spending time in nature or viewing photos of it can increase worker morale, imaginative thinking, and productivity. Incorporate natural elements into your office decoration if you can. This could entail adding potted plants and employing natural accents in your decoration, or it could involve building physical walls or applying ecological design principles.
Create a Conducive Office Space Today with iSpace!
Downsizing into a smaller office space should not hinder work productivity! At iSpace Office Interiors, we will work with you to discuss the best layout options for your office and provide detailed designs to ensure that you get the maximum use out of the available space.
Our skilled team will assess your space and create a practical, well-designed area by transforming unused or underutilized space into a functional, cohesive working environment. From conceptual decisions to completion, we will guide you every step of the way to achieve what you want for your office.
Get a quote today to get started!
Credits:
Photo by Petr Magera on Unsplash
Photo by Damir Kopezhanov on Unsplash