Every Kent and London office space comes with a variety of office design challenges. All workplaces are different and complex in terms of ensuring a productive workspace which utilises the space as efficiently as possible, to get the most out of the available floorspace, and to accommodate each businesses’ various needs. This must all be balanced with fully supporting their staff in the work environment and providing a workplace that promotes health and wellbeing.
Where an office has been poorly designed it can result in a variety of issues including inefficient use of the available space, overcrowding, noise and a lack of privacy which can result in increased stress levels and health and wellbeing issues.
Office Design Issues and Solutions
Whether you are looking to refurbish your current office space or to move to a brand new office space, finding the best office design comes with experience and an understanding of work processes, space utilisation, office layout and business and staff needs. Below we outline some of the office design challenges and solutions we’ve implemented in the many office refurbishment projects we’ve carried out over the years.
The Right Layout
As businesses change and grow old office layouts which once worked very well may no longer be suitable. You may find that you now need space based on specific tasks, or more collaborative space rather than individual work stations. You may need more privacy depending on the work being carried out or you may require your setup to be agile. Teams may have grown or reduced and require new areas to work together. Staff may be working from home or have come back to the office which will impact the number of people you need to accommodate. There are many reasons why an office layout may no longer be working for you.
Ensuring you have the right layout comes down to looking at your business processes and staff numbers and considering what layout would best meet all of your business and staff needs. Ensuring the appropriate amount of square feet of office space per person is allocated is also vital and will depend on your type of business and the work you do.
Define your office needs by asking yourself the following questions:
- Based on staff numbers and your businesses sector/type what amount of office space do you require (an average of 100-250 sq. ft per employee should be used as a guide. Note: some sectors may require more sq. ft per employee)?
- What type of processes and tasks do you need to accommodate?
- Does your staff work individually or in teams?
- Does any of the work that needs to be carried out require privacy?
- Do you need meeting room space? How often do you have meetings? Are you likely to have more than one meeting at any one time?
- Are you likely to recruit new staff in the foreseeable future? Do you have expansions plans?
- Do you require breakout areas and if so what type of breakout area do you want to build into your office design e.g. games area, quiet area, breakout/workspace hybrid area or pod.
- Will you need kitchen space, or a tea point area?
- How much storage space do you need?
- Where will printers, faxes and other equipment be sited?
- Do you intend to have a reception area to greet visitors and deliveries?
You may decide, based on your answers above, that a certain type of layout could work better for you. From individual office space to open plan to activity based working which utilises an open plan design but creates spaces or zones which are specifically designed to support work tasks (different settings for different tasks) according to the businesses work processes; to an agile office design where space is designed for maximum flexibility and can be arranged, organised and changed on demand providing flexibility, as and when required finding the right layout is essential in ensuring you make the most of your available office space.
Privacy
When it comes to office design it’s vital to get the right balance between collaborative and private office spaces. Many businesses working models rely on teamwork and collaboration, but we know that private and quiet areas also play an important role.
According to a Gensler large-scale survey of 90,000 people from 155 companies across 10 industries “focus work” occupied most of the work day and it was focussed work that was most critical to their job. Gensler goes onto say that “[these findings] indicate that the criticality and time spent on focus have increased. These increases seem surprising given the emphasis on collaboration by many businesses, but when you look at work factors that have changed since 2007, less space, less privacy, more time at work and more distractions are making focus work more important and time-consuming.”
In the end it’s about ensuring you have the right type of workspaces in your office design which allow staff work as part of a team, collaborate with others in small or large groups, or to work alone in private.
Breakout Areas
A lack of privacy and high noise levels are some of the main stressors within the work environment. Office space designed without breakout areas which allow staff to step away from their desks and the hustle and bustle of a noisy office environment to carry out private or quiet work or to simply destress, relax or take some time out can result in a myriad of staff health, wellbeing and productivity issues.
The Wellbeing Thesis developed by the University of Derby and King’s College London is just one example of the research into breaks in the workplace. It explains that “Micro-breaks, lunchtime breaks and longer breaks, have all been shown to have a positive relationship with wellbeing and productivity. By taking regular breaks you can boost your performance.” The thesis goes onto show that research has found that “Breaks can reduce or prevent stress, help to maintain performance throughout the day and reduce the need for a long recovery at the end of the day”, “taking lunchtime breaks and detaching from work, increases levels of energy at work and decreases exhaustion. Furthermore, one year later it was found to increase vigor and increase energy levels over time” and “a relaxing break can help to facilitate recovery, by returning your mental and psychical functional systems to their baseline. Additionally, a relaxing break can help to reset your mood, thereby promoting positive wellbeing and reducing stress.”
It may seem contrary to encourage staff to take breaks however incorporating breakout areas into office design is vital. We know that being able to step away from a busy office environment has become increasingly important for staff wellbeing and can help to boost productivity.
Underutilised and Over Utilised Office Space
In many offices space is either underutilised or over utilised. Poor space utilisation can come about when a business changes priorities or projects and some areas go unused while others become overcrowded. If a business moves to a different type of working model e.g. agile or activity-based working this can also impact the way in which office areas are used. If an office is designed based solely on short terms goals rather than factoring in future goals and objectives the way space is used may again become a limiting factor.
When a company moves into an office space and there has been no space planning or that space hasn’t been designed specifically for the business looking to occupy the space this too can cause issues. Space planning needs to be undertaken as part of the office design process and should be a top priority once fit out objectives are known.
Consider your current staff levels, how staff use your current office space, and your businesses work processes, and take into account if they are likely to change in the near and long term. Think about the types of office working model you need to best fulfil those processes and tasks. Factor in the need for privacy, meeting areas, collaboration and breakout spaces to allow you to design the most effective and efficient use of your office space for your business and staff.
Tackling Noise
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again, noise can be a major issue when it comes to office design. If noise isn’t tackled in the office design stages, it is sure to cause issues down the road. Every office has noise, especially open plan offices and spaces where collaboration and good communication is key but there are office design solutions which can help to minimise noise problems and ensure that noise doesn’t become a major distraction which has an impact on productivity, staff morale and stress levels.
Noise can be dealt with in various ways including the use of suspended or drop ceilings which are effective at absorbing noise, and which will help to reduce echoes and prevent sound from bouncing around adjacent areas. You can use acoustic screens, partition walls, panels and dividers to act as noise barriers and absorb unwanted noise, preventing it from passing through offices. Plants can also play an important role as noise barriers as leaves, branches and stems of plants absorb, deflect and refract sound. Plants can be a great way of bringing the outside inside which can play a significant role in staff health and wellbeing.
Zoning office space can also help to tackle noise issues. Keeping meeting rooms and other meeting areas, social spaces, break out places and kitchens and tea points away from main work areas can help to minimise the impact of nosier areas on quieter areas. The placement and spacing of workstations should be carefully considered as placing staff desks directly in line of sight allows sound to travel in a direct path.
Hard surfaces create louder reverberations which add to office noise. Use soft furnishings and carpet to help absorb office and footfall noise.
It’s important to when tackling noise your office design considers the ceilings, walls and flooring as a whole is more likely to be successful than one where each element is tackled in isolation.
Natural Light, Temperature and Air Quality
Despite its importance office lighting is very often underplayed in office design. If you’re not making the most of the available natural light or taking account of the need for different lighting in different office situations your staff health and wellbeing will suffer.
According to the Health and Safety Executive’s “Lighting at work” the risks of poor office lighting are “eyestrain, migraines and headaches… lethargy, irritability and poor concentration.” The HSE also say “Lighting an environment is often a complex task principally considered during the design stage of the building (by architects and interior designers). However, lighting should be designed for the tasks that individuals are carrying out within that environment.”
Research has shown that a lack of light can lead to Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) as well as disturbed sleep patterns which in turn can result in persistent low mood, depression, irritability, bipolar disorder, diabetes and stress.
Wherever possible natural light should be factored into your office design and where natural light isn’t available other lighting should be designed for the tasks that individuals are carrying out within that environment. Full-spectrum natural light bulbs which most closely replicate the visual colour spectrum that natural light contains or LED bulbs with higher correlated colour temperature (CCT) values should be used.
We know that temperature and air quality play a significant role when it comes to the office so it’s important to factor in heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) as part of your office design. If your office space doesn’t already allow you to control temperature and ventilation an efficient HVAC system could prove vital.
JBH Refurbishments, Experts In Office Design and Refurbishment
As a cat a and cat b fit out contractor for Kent and London we understand what’s required to carry out office design and office refurbishments to the highest standards. We can provide the right expertise for your project. Contact us via our contact form or by calling us on 0333 207 0339 today for a free on-site consultation.