Office Design |

May 31, 2016

How workspace design affects workflow

As your employees work hard throughout the day, they may be unaware of how much effect the design of their working environment is having on their productivity.

Regardless of the nature of your business, the layout, décor and overall design has impact.

Not only does office design impact productivity, but also in creating employee satisfaction and maintaining wellbeing.

When initially designing the layout of your office space, make sure that you give the design the attention that it deserves, creating optimum working conditions for your employees.

In this blog we will look at the different ways in which design can affect workflow and recommend ways to utilize design in creating a positive and productive environment.

Furniture

Style, comfort and price are all factors to take into consideration when selecting office furniture. Yes, having chairs and tables that are ergonomically beneficial is important, but have you ever thought about the “shape”?

Did you know that round shaped furniture could help promote collaboration and creativity within the workspace? Research has shown that sitting in a rounded formation will allow you to engage more freely with those around you, leading to an exchange of ideas and spark innovation.

When rearranging furniture, take a moment to consider whether you have the right balance between open-planned space and private areas. Cubicles are good for brainstorming between employees, but sometimes having a large, round table could be just as productive.

Take the time to ask your employees what they think and take their thoughts on board when designing office space.

Is less more?

Art, paintings and plants are all interesting features within the workspace and play an important part in contribution to overall design. Décor helps create and mold a unique personality for an office, which ultimately should reflect an organisation’s culture.

Research has shown that having décor within the office will attract motivated and creative employees. A lack of décor and individuality within the workspace will leave your employees undervalued, bored and unmotivated.

A decorated workspace has been proven to help employees gain inspiration throughout the working day, acting as a focal point.

Like most things, the key to successful décor placement is moderation. Too little and your employees could lose interest with tasks at hand, and eventually with their career as a whole. Too much and you run the risk of your workspace being distracting, unorganized and unprofessional.

When selecting décor, ensure that you coordinate pieces with a colour scheme to reflect the office’s overall cohesiveness.

At Workspace Design & Build, our team of talented stylists will be able to select appropriate décor for your workspace that is not only fashionable, but that also fits your work culture.

Colour

While the initial prospect of selecting a colour scheme for your workspace may seem easy, take a moment to consider “colour” itself. Not only do colours within the workplace encourage production and creativity, but they also have subconscious effect on your employees’ moods, attitude sand emotions.

Greens and blues are shades that are most common in office design since they enhance performance. Brighter colours such as reds and oranges, you will find are used in moderation within design as accents. They represent a sense of urgency designed to stimulate production, but should be used sparingly.

See our blog on the effect of colour within the workspace for further guidance on what colours are most suited to your office palette.

Whether you are designing your office from scratch or are planning a refurbishment, why not ask for the advice of your employees? After all, it is them who will be using this space! Conduct surveys or engage in general conversation about what they think of office design.

Listening to your employees is central in establishing a positive working environment. Taking their thoughts on board in relation to office design and décor will not only help you plan your office design, but will also contribute in achieving employee wellbeing.

And you?

Does the design of your workspace affect workflow? Get in touch with Workspace today by dropping us a comment below or send us a message on Twitter or Facebook.