Effective office design should make people healthier, happier, and more productive. Therefore, if you want your staff to be more satisfied with their jobs and give their best at work, you must design their office space in a way conducive to them. Office design should be about creating an effective workspace to get the best out of your workers. In order words, it should be more of a human resources prerogative. Here are some HR-friendly office designs for London companies.
1. Open Spaces for Team Work
An HR-friendly office space should have an open plan design, encouraging employees to work together as a team. If the office design does not have any areas that provide space away from desks, employees will feel glued to their desks and less likely to talk to their colleagues. Informal meeting areas give employees the freedom to move around the workplace. It not only offers a change in the physical environment that can be refreshing but also encourages collaboration and helps everyone to feel comfortable working with one another.
Aside from increased collaboration and creativity, an open-plan office layout can also improve work culture. Agility and flexibility are the main benefits of an open plan design, allowing employees to move freely based on activity.
An open-plan office layout will allow employees to easily communicate since there will be no doors and walls that will serve as a barrier. As a result, they will be more encouraged to walk and talk instead of merely sitting at their desks and corresponding with colleagues through emails. Having everyone working and collaborating with each other is the key to maintaining increased productivity at work.
2. Good Decor and Design for Morale
You may not know this, but a good office interior design can positively affect employees’ morale. Most employees spend up to eight hours each day at work, so you must provide them with an aesthetically pleasing environment that can boost their morale and improve productivity and creative thinking.
Providing your employees with a space that allows them to work as a team while also being able to take a break between work can certainly improve morale. It also helps establish good working relationships amongst each other while regaining some much-needed energy to power them through until the end of their work day. The office work’s sedentary nature could take a toll on employees’ mental health. Sitting for a long time can lessen blood flow to the brain, increasing the likelihood of developing neurological conditions like dementia.
A good office design can result in a less stressful and more productive work environment, which is why employers must give importance to the overall physical work environment. Employees must feel comfortable and calm at work, allowing them to give their best.
3. Size and Space
Size and space are two essential factors to consider for office designs. These two matter a lot because as the company grows, there will also be a need to recruit for new HR jobs, as well as keeping a comfortable environment for all. If the space and size are not approached tactfully, a new office would have to be built to accommodate the growing workforce.
One of the reasons for relocating an office is upsizing. However, doing so could lose closeness and visibility among staff. That’s why you must plan your office design accordingly, allowing for easy collaboration among teams. Ditch the cubicles to keep everyone closer. An open plan design allows seamless communication between colleagues, resulting in better work productivity and improved satisfaction.
When upsizing your office space, there are many more things to consider. For instance, you also need to consider the impact of light, which can significantly affect productivity and mood. A large room cannot benefit as much from natural light, so you must look for options to keep the space well-lit. For instance, you can perhaps reduce shadows by installing overhead light fixtures or attach task lighting to every employee’s work desk.
4. Create Breakout Rooms
When designing an office, consider creating a breakout room. It is where people can meet, eat, and bond with the team, opening up communication between colleagues and managers. The break room holds a significant role in improving workplace culture. It should be something that company leaders should work hard on.
Breakout rooms create a sense of community, encouraging interaction among employees, even those from other departments. Sometimes, people tend to stick within their department and stay with people they know best instead of interacting with others. In break rooms, coworkers can gather, relax, and have fun conversations, leading to stronger relations.
When a workplace has a breakout room, employees can chat with someone they have otherwise not had the opportunity to interact with. Since humans are creatures of habit, we tend to take breaks at about the same time each day, allowing us to potentially run into the same people in the break room every day and fostering good working relationships.
In addition, a break room offers the perfect setting for brainstorming. Employees from different departments in the company can sit in the break room and discuss individual projects over snacks and coffee. Aside from enjoying the moment, it’s also a perfect opportunity to brainstorm and discuss resolutions to some issues.
5. Comfortability
You must prioritise comfort when designing an office space. Invest in good quality furniture that is not only aesthetically pleasing but is also functional and comfortable. The right furniture can improve employee efficiency and productivity in the workplace.
Office chairs should allow good posture resulting in proper blood circulation and making employees stay active and productive. With comfortable furniture, you will not hear anyone complaining about backaches, neck pains, etc.
Properly designed furniture helps to minimise unnecessary movement within the office. Choosing the right furniture ensures that employees can easily manoeuvre around as they perform their tasks. It can also make employees less fatigued, especially if you invest in ergonomic furniture pieces. Choosing multifunctional furniture is also essential for improving employee wellness and enhancing satisfaction.
Photo credits: Coworking London