Want to design your dream workspace? Check these useful tips before starting

If people are comfortable at work, their productivity can increase by 30%. Employees are placing more and more demands on how their work environment is organized: they want to work in flexible workspaces rather than cramped cubicles. Young specialists of all ages want areas in the office for loud and productive group meetings and, at the same time, quiet spaces to work and concentrate in.

Employers are trying very hard to please them as the battle for talented employees grows fiercer. That is why office planning is playing an ever-increasing role in the creation of the perfect work environment for both employers and employees. In this article, we have summoned a few useful tips for designing a dream workspace. Check them before starting!

Tip 1: Make It Feel Like Home

When designing an office from an employer’s point of view, it is worth keeping in mind that the majority of candidates in the job market are millennials born between 1980 and 2000. They are generally not interested in full-time work and prefer to have a flexible or remote schedule. If millennials agree to work in an office, it must be a “dream office.” For example, Google headquarters doesn’t just have gyms and laundry facilities; it also has consoles, game rooms, and free food.

Therefore, in order to create a worthy workspace, you have to make it as cozy as home – with upholstered furniture and rest areas. Textiles can help with this — for example, placing rugs around the office space or putting a fluffy plaid blanket on a common couch.

Tip 2: Work with Proper Lighting

It is crucial to provide quality artificial lighting and allow sunlight to illuminate the room. Large windows, no heavy curtains — all this will provide good natural lighting. Sunlight is necessary, as it gives people a boost of energy, an increase in mood.

However, do not forget about artificial light. It is better to use multilevel lighting so that each worker gets enough light at the right angle. It is very important to buy quality lamps. Do not buy cheap LED bulbs — they can flicker, and this is very bad for eyesight.

Tip 3: Create Enough Space for Everyone

There is no need to explain how important personal space is for every human. Therefore, it is crucial to keep that personal space at work as well as everywhere else. In modern office planning, customizable workspace takes a huge priority.

When designing an office, make sure that each employee has at least 85 to 110 square feet of personal space where they can sit and work in comfort. Let it be a personal corner where the employee can bring personal items (plants, desk toys, mementos, etc.), hang a poster or a planner, or place a comfortable chair.

Tip 4: Adjust the Layout

Keep an eye on the layout — boring open spaces with cubicles have not attracted anyone for a long time. If the office has a large footprint, you can use the following layout solution: offices + meeting room + waiting area. But be careful and don’t be shallow — small offices and cramped corridors make an oppressive impression.

Office planning can be redesigned in accordance with the new format – activity-based office (ABO). The essence of the concept is simple – you create functional zones inside the office that are separated from each other:

1. Rooms for secluded work (mini-conversation rooms), where one shall not distract colleagues or talk loudly on the phone
2. Semi-private areas (sofas, coffee rooms, lounges) where one can hold meetings and talk on the phone
3. Public spaces (lobby, reception, outside meeting rooms, conference rooms) for socializing with colleagues and holding events

Employees decide where they work today based on their needs. ABOs are attractive for employees and profitable for business owners — they are cheaper than classic offices due to the reduced rental space and the potential for growth (you can increase the team size by 30%).

If you fear that this layout will be too complicated to design on your own, use an online office planning tool. It makes it easy to create the perfect office design even if you don’t have a design background.

Tip 5: Use Neutral Colors

Avoid garish tones in the color scheme, giving preference to calm shades: white, beige, gray, and others that go well with black. This color solution promotes concentration because it does not distract attention or excite the nervous system. It is possible to place only one or two bright accents in the room: a picture on the wall or a couple of cushions on the sofa in the waiting area for visitors.

Tip 6: Add a Little Bit of Spice

Today’s signs of a high-quality and comfortable office are finishing materials, ergonomic furniture, and functional equipment. But that’s not all: employees are increasingly responding to more original design solutions. This is primarily because ideas about effective business models are changing, and the motivational component of employees’ work is changing.

Art does not have to be integrated directly into the interior. Often it is included in a design project through prints on the walls, the design of designer furniture, or the original drawing of ceiling structures. In a space inspired by art, the employees feel more comfortable and relaxed. Art “works out” several scenarios in office interiors: it defines a company’s status and fosters visual diversity. Sometimes it can even be an original way to navigate.

To Sum Up

Now you know much more about office planning and are able to create a workplace of your dream by using some of our tips here. Let’s summarize this article and recap all of our suggestions:

1. Make workplaces as cozy and home-like as possible — so workers will feel more comfortable and relaxed in the workplace;
2. Do a good job on the lighting, provide your workspace with quality lighting — and don’t forget about sunlight access to the office;
3. Leave each employee enough personal space so they could arrange the workplace to themselves and not feel the pressure of colleagues;
4. Consider different and unusual office layouts, don’t concentrate on boring cubes;
5. Carefully select the color palette for the office, try to use neutral and not glaring colors, leave the bright accents for recreational areas or themed meeting rooms;
6. Feel free to experiment with art inside the office — add a painted wall, a large painting, a designer staircase, or unusual furniture to diversify the picture.

We hope that our little list will be useful to you and wish you the very best of luck in creating the workspace of your dreams!