Move Away from Cubicle Office Design

The idea of office design is a comparatively recent one. Since the start of “the working day” and “the office”, little attention has been focused on the way an workplace was designed. If any layout was considered, it was mostly restricted to the visual appeal of an work space and this has, sadly, remained the common assumption when a company considers an office design. Whilst visual aesthetics remain an integral aspect of office design, modern businesses now view office design embodying the much fuller concept of space management. Cutting-edge office design not only produces a visually contemporary interior, it also aims to create an efficient and practical working space.

Office design is integral for a variety of reasons, for both employees and the workplace as a whole. For the company, modern office refurbishment provides the opportunity to create a place of business that announces a strong corporate identity. It is here that visual aesthetics reach their most important function as they exist to show a visiting customer about the corporation, what it values, what its priorities are and what it thinks of itself. First impressions count and the visual appeal of the area that clients see initially is particularly vital.

For staff, too, practical office design is particularly necessary. Visually, a well-designed workplace will raise employees morale. An office should be an inspirational area to work and not just a “working space”. Just as for customers, usingoffice design to brand a workplace with a strong corporate identity can encourage a positive work culture and motivate staff to work in a way relevant to the values of the business.

Excellent office design also has a more practical function as it takes into account how an office space will be used and uses that information to plan a practical and useful space. It should also include elements that will aim to support employees with unique needs, such as employees with disabilities. In this regard, office design works harmoniously with workplace health and safety in order to build a cohesive, practical and workable environment for all employees.

It is important to know that office design is an ongoing practicality, rather than a one-off design event. The office refurbishment must keep up to the demands natural in a working space, where how an office is utilized is regularly changing. New workplace and safety laws must also be factored in. Finally, the evolving nature of a company’s brand and corporate identity is an additional reason why it’s crucial to keep office design modern.

There are two options when contemplating an office design: whether it will be a new fit-out or whether it will be an office refurbishment. A new fit-out should be contemplated for existing premises, as well as new ones, as it lets a business the unique ability to create a tailor-made design that works in perfect harmony with a company’s workplace requirements. The other choice is an office refurbishment, which is an economical choice if the essential structure of the workplace is still appropriate for employees requirements and provides the opportunity to update and modernize economically.

There are numerous aspects to contemplate in an office design. Precedence should be given to considerations of how a workplace will be used. What are the traffic flows in the space? Where should meeting areas be placed? What are the unique needs of staff who may have disabilities? All of these questions must be factored in by the office refurbishment if a workplace is to work practically. Additionally, consideration should be given to the storage needs of an space, what equipment will be used and where it should be placed, where the power and data points are (or should be), what kind of light sources are in the space and where they are coming from and any sound or sound-proofing requirements. Visually, consideration should be given to color schemes, logos and finishes that work together to create a professional effect that emphasizes the corporate brand and identity.

When considering how to develop and execute your office design, a company can hire a professional design business. There are many companies that specialize in corporate design and a company can use this specialist knowledge to develop a unique plan with a minimum of fuss. Another option is to use office design software. This is an option that has only become available to the general public relatively recently. It has the potential to allow a business to economically redesign or refurbish their space. Whichever option is chosen, however, it should be the option that will meet a businesses design goals within budget.