Office Space Planning: Creating an Inspiring Workspace

The space where people work can play a crucial role in employee motivation and productivity. That’s why office space planning has become popular with organisations who are trying to get their teams to fall back in love with the office, encouraging them to choose it over working from home more often.

After all, a well-designed and organised workspace is great to look at, and can significantly impact employee satisfaction, creativity, and overall job performance. In this blog, we explore the importance of office planning and desk decorations, and provide a few tips on how to create an aesthetically pleasing workspace that encourages employee motivation, too. 

 

What is office space planning?

Office planning typically involves strategically arranging and designing a workspace to optimise functionality, efficiency, and employee wellbeing. It encompasses various elements such as layout, furniture selection, lighting, colour schemes, and overall ambience. But how does this relate to employee satisfaction?

 

How does office design affect productivity?

Creating an efficient office layout relies on understanding the unique requirements and objectives of both the organisation and its employees.

When embarking on an office space planning project, the goals and objectives are rooted in the desired outcomes, such as promoting collaboration, enhancing employee well-being, and cultivating a vibrant and innovative environment. 

In paying attention to the look and feel of the office, and customising it to meet employee needs, doing so can foster a sense of pride among the workforce, and can even help them resonate with your organisation’s values. These goals can therefore play a pivotal role in boosting productivity, happiness, and motivation. In your specific case, what would your goals be? 

 

Here are a few things you may want to consider: 

Company Culture 

Does your office space align with the company’s values, mission, and brand identity? 

For example, if your company believes in creativity, simplicity, openness and communication, does that reflect how the desks are arranged or the colour palette?

 

Employee Needs 

Understanding the requirements and preferences of employees is crucial – factors such as the type of work that you do, your staff’s collaboration needs and their privacy requirements need to be considered so you can ensure you are creating a comfortable, yet inspiring space.

For instance, hotdesking may not always be helpful to a new hire, like how a crowded room might not be helpful for a neurodivergent employee. So, it’s always a good idea to ask your employees, understand their pain points and listen out for suggested areas of improvement.

 

Workflow Optimisation

With efficient office space planning focussing on optimising workflow, it can always be helpful to create a comprehensive office layout plan that considers the flow of work, team dynamics, and individual employee requirements. 

To start, think about your existing layout – what works and what doesn’t? If you’re wanting to inspire more communication and cross-collaboration between teams, you may also want to think about how your team likes to communicate with each other, and how much time they like to spend in each area. 

Ultimately, workers that feel their needs are met, tend to be happier workers. As a result, they are more likely to represent the organisation in a positive manner, and even have a better perception of your brand—meaning that a well-designed workspace can be used to communicate your values internally, too.

 

Tips for Successful Office Space Planning

According to Forbes, 87% of employees would like their current employer to offer healthier workspace benefits, with options ranging from ergonomic seating and healthy lunch options, to sit-stand desks and wellness rooms. While not all of them can always be viable, you could still consider the following: 

 

Open space, open mind 

Open-plan workspaces can promote collaboration, communication, and a sense of community. Ensure there are dedicated areas for team discussions, mindmapping, and impromptu meetings. A few sofas and armchairs could sometimes be a great spot for breakout discussions, or casual planning sessions.

 

Shhh…

You may want to have a dedicated “quiet zone” or private space where employees can work without distractions, for any essential tasks that require concentration, focus, or confidentiality. 

 

Mindmapping

Designate areas specifically for teamwork, encouraging employees to come together and share ideas. For example, include comfortable seating, whiteboards, and other interactive tools that can help facilitate collaboration. 

 

Light it up

With well-lit spaces enhancing mood, productivity levels, and overall well-being, it’s always good to incorporate natural light whenever possible. Use adjustable lighting fixtures to accommodate individual preferences and different tasks.

 

Use the power of plants 

It can be useful to introduce indoor plants to not only enhance the aesthetic appeal of the workspace, but to enhance air quality and even reduce stress.  Why not choose a few low-maintenance plants that thrive in office environments, and organise a watering schedule to help everyone get involved? 

 

Add a personal touch

You may even want to encourage your employees to create and decorate their own space, in a way that reflects their personality. In doing so, allowing them to add a personal touch to their workspace can encourage a sense of ownership and even boost morale. 

Understand that not all of them are willing to spend their own money on this. So, why not give them a bit of an incentive, and treat them with our business vouchers?

More than an employee reward, Asda corporate gift cards or business e-gift cards can encourage your employees to personalise their desks. When they’re wanting a break, this can be a fun activity for them to do, and can ultimately help with their engagement and motivation in the long term.  

Redeemable on George.com, your employees can choose from photo frames and little trinkets, to desk organisers, lamps, and even beanbags. If you prefer doing something altogether, why not create an inspiration board in your office for your employees to add to? Alternatively, you could even try dedicating a quick team-building activity where they can create handcrafted office desk decorations altogether. 

 

Thinking about the future

Ultimately, a well-designed office space shouldn’t just be about being visually appealing – it should also foster a positive work environment and support the overall goals of the organisation. By investing time and effort into office space planning, you can significantly impact employee motivation, productivity, and satisfaction, and an Asda corporate gift card or e-gift card could be a great way to start.