How to Create a Fantastically Motivating Office Space

Office Furniture

Every person deserves a dedicated workspace that encourages concentration and creativity. It doesn’t matter whether you’re running a small business from your at-home office or a larger corporation that’s craving a revamp, office design can have a big impact on your mood and productivity. Not to mention, your employees, customers and potential investors.

Workspaces that are visually appealing, organised and motivating work wonders when courting new clients and keeping staff inspired. They also play a pivotal role in attracting new talent into the business. Like music and fashion, workplace design is influenced by trends and stamped with your own unique flavour. From the minimalist approach in the 60’s to cubicle farms in the 90’s and today’s open spaces, office design has evolved to incorporate flair and flexibility. Want to create an office that reflects your brand, maximises space, welcomes clients and drives productivity? Here are a few tips to get you started:

Think Beyond Office Décor

A well-designed office space goes beyond what just looks pretty and feels practical. Your office design influences your most valuable assets, so make sure everything in it reflects a motivating culture with autonomy. It takes more than a few comfy chairs, desks and storage solutions to transform a workspace into one that’s dynamic and filled with purpose.

Although you’ll still need the essential office décor pieces to help craft the space, determine what factors will drive knowledge-sharing in the environment to implement. Keep in mind, most of us spend more waking time in our offices than anywhere else so you want to create a space that gives everyone the stimuli they need to work.

Maximise Space Custom Designed Furniture

Some office spaces are harder to work with when it comes to workplace design. Custom designed office furniture is a great way to maximise the space, regardless of the layout you’re dealing with. An important part of creating a productive office is to make the most out of the space so there’s a balanced level of flow and practicality. Custom designed furniture gives you the flexibility to do this, with all the functional aspects required to make the office space work.

Another fantastic benefit of investing in custom designed furniture is the way it helps to drive your brand. There’s a level of exclusivity that comes with it, which can reflect your corporate style and give your space a personal touch. Storage capabilities are also maximised, and the overall investment tends to be better value for money for quality pieces.

Invest in Comfort

Workspaces that aren’t comfy are going to be far from motivating. For health, productivity and practicality, office designs must incorporate comfort. Designing an office environment that’s comfortable is key to boosting staff happiness and crafting a space that’s welcoming. It’s more than just a good chair and a solid desk too, it’s about transforming the workplace into one that’s effective. This means incorporating quality lighting, heating and cooling systems and good ventilation. Choose chairs that keep your back straight and your body happy and consider the small investments you can make in the office to make comfort a priority.

Create Working Zones

Design a space that encourages creativity and collaboration by establishing working zones. It’s never a one size fits all solution in office working environments. Thus, a layered approach through multiple settings and working areas can provide a space for everyone to feel comfortable in. Segment the work zones into a computer station, private and public working areas, a comfort zone and informal collaboration zones to design a place where staff can learn, grow and thrive.

Office space flexibility is paramount for workplace productivity. By segmenting different zones, you find a better way to accommodate conversation through spacious areas. Start with establishing activity based work areas, different sized meeting rooms and personal work booths where staff can get some peace and quiet too. Open hubs and wide spaces with lounges can help stimulate ideas and innovation. This balanced environment between the two is essential to creating a space that supports (and sparks!) creative thinking.

Escape the Cubicle Crush

The cubicle crush is a trend that was big in the late 80’s to 90’s. Whilst it may have worked back then, it’s an office design that doesn’t spark ideas and collaboration anymore. To escape the cubicle crush, open spaces with designated working areas have boosted workplace performance and productivity. If budget constraints don’t see you escaping the cubicle design anytime soon, you can work around it by encouraging a ‘togetherness’ space. This is ideal for group projects and team bonding work.

Because cubicles seem to sit between private and public, it’s ideal to create a private room for work too. It’s unrealistic to do this for every employee if you’re running a larger office, but you can work around it by having a handful of private offices staff can use for specific projects, or to write and plan away from the rest of the workspace.

Workplace flexibility is important. By investing in a modern, open plan design with designated work-play spaces, you’re on your way to creating an inspiring and productive office. When you have a place of work that fosters motivation and healthy self-esteem, your employees are driven to growth and workplace success. For more information about how the Australian Furniture Directory team can help craft the best office space for your needs, speak to one of our staff about our free consultation and design service for our clients.