How can office space planning improve your workplace?

An office should provide a space that facilitates productivity and supports those working in it. Office space planning can help you create the perfect office space.

Office space planning enables you to create a space that works for your business and the people in it. It ensures all aspects of the office – the people, furniture, technology- all fit into the workspace. An office brings together all aspects of a work environment to create a cohesive workspace, facilitating productivity. Office space planning is key to achieving business success, especially considering a significant shift in culture and behaviors within the working environment. With high levels of employees continuing to work from home, either full or part time, companies are having to re-evaluate how they utilise their space. Office space planning is more important now than ever before.

What are the benefits of office space planning?

• Integrates the key aspects of the workplace – People, place and technology
• Facilitates ease of communication between teams and departments
• Creates effective workspaces
• Enables future growth
• Utilises office space more effectively

How to effectively office space plan?

Identifying the needs of the users is the most important stage in an office space plan. Knowing how the space is going to be used by the business and its employees will help you understand the needs for the space both now and in the future.

How do you use your current space?

In order to understand the future needs of your business and employees it is important to analyse how your current workspace is working for you, and what issues it causes. Having a thorough understanding of how your company works in its current office is essential when beginning an office space plan. Talking to your employees and others using the space is an ideal way to understand their wants and needs from the space. How the space is used is equally important. Assessing how each space is used helps you to understand what you require from your workspace, however understanding how often areas are used allows you to utilise the space more efficiently.

What are your workplace needs?

Once you have analysed your current space and identified the needs of your team it is important to define these. Evaluating your office needs allows you to identify areas for improvement within your workspace and define exactly what these mean for your office space plan. Office stage planning is more important now than ever before whilst many of us still operate a blended approach to office/remote working. With work methods changing, office spaces need to change with them to support employees and new working patterns. Consider how employees used to use their space and how they need it to work for them now. Consider factors such as use of space for both individual and collaborative working.

In this stage of the planning process, it is also important to look at what you, as the employer, want from your workspace. What environment are you aiming to create for your employees? How do you want departments to interact? Is cross departmental collaboration important to you within your office? It’s also important to consider your future plans for your office. Are you effectively planning for longevity, to maximize your investment?

Time to plan your current office space

Planning your future workspace is the most exciting part of office space planning. Now you have analysed your current space and defined your workplace needs it is time to explore how you want your new space to look and feel. Once you know what you want your workspace to do for you, you need to decide how you can create a space that achieves those goals. Finding a fit-out and refurbishment specialist to support you at this stage. A specialist will be able to provide you with the best advice and support for your office space planning. At Resolution Interiors we offer the companies we work with a flexible and professional service to ensure they end up with an office that fulfils their needs both now and in the future.

Other considerations

With working from home remaining highly popular, finding ways to encourage employees back into the office and facilitate their smooth transition from home to office working can help reduce employee anxiety and excess expenses. Office space planning will enable you to thoroughly consider the needs of your team and create a space that supports your company’s growth.

As well as considering your employees work needs, its important to plan for their physical and mental requirements as well. You can use your office design to support good mental health in employees by creating inclusive workspaces, providing spaces to switch off, and considering psychological aspects of design, such as colour pallets and biophilic design.

At Resolution Interiors we can help you transform your office space into a working environment that works for you and your team. We always start our projects with you and your needs so that we can tailor our customer journey to fit with your framework and project requirements.
Working culture has evolved massively over the last 18 months and our workspaces need to evolve with it.

Need to get your office up to date? Get in touch with our team to discuss your project.