How do you Repurpose Office Space to Improve Productivity and Space Utilisation?

Having a fixed desk and working area are a thing of the past, with agile working you need to create space and facilities that can be used by any member of your team.

Office spaces need to be flexible, covering a range of needs from allowing a collaborative team environment as well as integrating private and quiet spaces. This can be even more of a challenge if you are looking to reduce the floor space that you occupy.

We are seeing trends with our clients, on how their teams are using the office space, to have dedicated time with colleagues and arrange meetings. With virtual meetings now being a staple of the working day, quiet spaces and meeting rooms are even more important for private conversations within the office.

With flexibility in the workplace now a core requirement, the need for furniture that can easily be moved and reconfigured is important. It is more than simply procuring the right number of chairs and desks.

Creating collaborative working spaces is founded on the careful consideration and selection of colours in order to stimulate a productive workplace.

Space utilisation is now the most pressing matter when employers are refitting and refurbishing workplaces, as the sizes of spaces are being reduced whilst catering to a wider variety of work settings.

There is a greater need for the number and size of meeting rooms and breakout spaces due to the changing nature of offices. It is important to consider where meeting spaces are located, as you will need to consider the ability to install partitions, access and windows, as well as power and internet connectivity.

During our initial design phase, we work closely with you to understand the specific needs of a particular space, how your teams tend to work and the occupancy levels. This allows us to design and advise on best-fit layout options to consider, alongside the practical elements to create the spaces.

Have we seen the last of the large, boardroom-style meeting room?

When planning the interior design of your meeting spaces, creating comfortable and engaging areas for your team should be your main focus, with careful consideration for furnishings and acoustics. Office spaces need to also offer private spaces for informal and virtual meetings as well as independent work.

As your teams will be working in a variety of different areas, reconsidering the location, quantity, and accessibility of power points is a vital element of an office fit out.

The same applies to internet connectivity and possibly a greater need for screens in meeting rooms.

With a greater draw on the broadband combined with people using different parts of the space, reviewing the speeds and quality of connection across the area will help you plan and change routers or cabling.

For us, involving your team in planning and redesigning the office space is fundamental. You are recreating a working environment for them, to create a welcoming yet productive workspace.

Engaging your team in this process creates a working environment that they have ownership over, establishing a workplace focused on productivity and further enhancing the growth of your culture.

This current period of adapting work spaces provides the perfect opportunity to engage with colleagues and encourage them to share suggestions. Also, it shouldn’t only be at the beginning when planning a project, welcoming feedback through the concept and design phase is critical so that decisions are made with their backing.

Gathering such feedback will help you to consider new ideas as well as rule out suggested changes. This will help you to manage costs whilst meeting your team’s requirements.