Office Design Checklist

Moving or renovating your office can have a significant impact on your business. Your workspace not only sets a mood as you do your tasks but also establishes motivation to accomplish them one by one. Hence, how you design your office matters for you and your employees. So before you get into color swatches and branding, you should consider the fundamental aspects of your office design and the effect your choices will have on your business and office culture.

We have compiled our entire office design guide into one email to simplify this process.

OFFICE DESIGN CHECKLIST

An office space layout that is right for you.

When thinking about renovating or moving offices, one of the first things to consider is the layout of your workspace. Do you want an open-plan office, cubicles, hot desks, or separate rooms for each department?

Open-plan offices have been more popular these days; however, studies show that workers in open-plan offices take more sick leave, are more stressed, and are less productive than those with more privacy. Moreover, despite their best intentions, employers have been shown to reduce face-to-face communication and increase email messaging. So, if you're considering a completely open-plan office, consider dividing the space with plants, office partitions, and comfortable seating areas to give your employees more privacy.

Office Lighting

Consider how your office layout plans will affect lighting in your workspace — where are you going to place large furniture, walls, and partitions?

During the fall and winter season, people tend to be more depressed. This low mood is caused by a lack of daylight, and studies show that women are more likely than men to suffer from it.

With this in mind, we recommend doing everything possible to maximize natural light in the office, such as avoiding blocking windows with bulky furniture and considering installing skylights if the building permits. Arrange desks so that employees are seated near windows whenever possible. When it comes to office lighting, replace broken and flickering lights and choose dimmable LED lighting over fluorescent lighting options. Layering ambient lighting with brighter lights for focused tasks allows for greater flexibility depending on the task at hand.

A design for your office reception area

It may only take seven seconds for you and your company to make a first impression, so make the most of it! Consider branding, interior decoration, clear signage, comfortable furniture, lighting, and space if your new office will include a reception area.

Remember that whether your clients and employees are in your reception area for thirty seconds or ten minutes, making them feel at ease and relaxed can make a big difference in their mood.

Office furniture

When it comes to office furniture, it's not just about looks; it's also about functionality and comfort. According to reports, office workers sit for nearly nine hours per day and spend 75 percent of their waking hours seated - not to mention that people with musculoskeletal disorders miss 18.4 days of work per year on average.

When it comes to improving employee wellbeing and productivity, the right chair in the correct position combined with the perfect desk can make all the difference. Consider providing your employees with options for their work areas, such as seated and standing desks, as well as comfortable armchairs and sofas for teamwork and relaxation.

Conference/Meeting rooms

Because the average worker spends more than four hours per week in meetings, meeting rooms should not be overlooked when designing your new office. Some employees thrive on social interaction so that a good meeting space can be highly beneficial to your company. Collaborative space is essential for allowing colleagues to discuss, generate ideas, and learn from one another.

A design for your social space.

Social areas and kitchens are an essential part of your workspace because they provide a place for your team to relax, socialize, and take breaks from their computers. These areas can be multi-functional, allowing them to meet other needs as they arise. For example, if other meeting spaces are unavailable, they can be a great place to hold an impromptu meeting.