The work environment can change how productive an employee can be inside the office. However, having ample work spaces is not always possible. Similar to other forms of real estate, office spaces can get expensive. Employees and workers need to work with what they have. Co-working spaces have become popular over the years to accommodate the increasing demand for affordable work spaces.
A professional interior design company based in Dubai has listed the following ideas to help you maximize your existing office space, regardless of how limited its size may be:
1. Use lots of light
The amount of light coming into a space can have an effect on its users. At times, simply making the room brighter can make employees feel better and more productive at their job.
Your space may not have a lot of equipment, but having adequate light is enough to make it look bigger. Add more windows if you can. Natural light is known to raise alertness and productivity levels.
2. Ditch the heavy furniture
Avoid oversized or dark-colored furniture when doing an interior fitout. They may appear trendy but they can trick your eyes into believing that the room is smaller than it really is. Get rid of heavy, traditional desks. Instead, opt for furniture pieces that come in lighter colors and are made from lightweight materials.
With much of the paperwork and documents stored inside your computer, a gargantuan solid wood desk is no longer practical.
The same goes with large filing cabinets. Save your documents on the cloud. This way, files can be accessed wherever there is an internet connection available. Plus, in the event of an emergency such as a fire or an earthquake, your documents will remain safe from damage.
3. Create flexible spaces
With limited amounts of space available, you will need to make your spaces and furniture more flexible. Use dividers or folding walls to create adaptable spaces. These design elements can be moved around to quickly transform a space for different functions.
For instance, dividers can be used to separate work spaces between employees. Once they are removed, the larger space can be converted into a space where several staff can work on a project.
Choose collapsible or movable tables, desks and chairs. This way, you can freely use the same pieces of furniture for other functions when needed. For instance, there are desks that come with wheels. For impromptu meetings with staff or co-workers, you can push the desk to an empty spot inside the office and grab a few chairs. Once the meeting is done, you can push the furniture back to where they were initially located.
4. Create different work zones
When working with limited amounts of space, privacy is often a factor that gets pushed to the bottom of the list of priorities. To encourage collaboration between staff while still maintaining some level of privacy, you can create different types of work areas within the office.
One area can be reserved for individual work. This private area will include just enough space for an employee to put his laptop and allow him to work without being disturbed. Another zone should be created for group work. Here, you can place longer tables and couches where staff can informally hold meetings and brainstorm ideas for projects.
5. Maximize open spaces
Finally, encourage interaction between staff by turning lounges and even hallways into potential meeting areas. Use whiteboard paint on the walls. This will allow employees to write their ideas wherever they are inside the office.
When it comes to designing and working with a small office space, the most important aspect to keep in mind is flexibility. Every aspect of the space should remain flexible and be able to serve several purposes. Walls can be turned into presentation spaces. Halls can become instant meeting spots. Furniture can be moved quickly so the space can be used for a different function. The key is to create spaces and offer solutions that will allow employees to perform different tasks.
