They say that for a task to be completed, one needs the right tools and the right space. For some who spend most of their days working at the desk, it is quite hard if they do not have the right place to work at or the right ambience. An office is the answer to this. But you’re probably wondering this; how can you make your office unique and completely functional? Here are a few creative ideas you can try out in your office.
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1. SPACE ALLOCATION
The key to a perfect and ideal office is to have a clear and well planned layout. As much as possible, you would want to have an office that provides ample space for moving about and is maximized to accommodate as many desks as possible. Using desk divider screens is an excellent option for open-plan offices that lack seclusion or a place for lone workers to work.
It’s been proven that working in a comfortable and less crowded environment contributes to productivity and efficiency from workers. Gone are the days of flimsy, cubicle rows; in its place, more open and visible desks. You can even place a small lounging area and a well-supplied pantry room. This will allow employees to unwind and socialize for a few moments; it can’t always be work all day. You need to give a sense that the office is also a fun and engaging place to work in.
2. NOT SO STANDARD AREAS
An office would always be described as just an area with a desk, a computer, a table for files and an office chair. But that was before. Today, offices are designed to be a bit more comfortable and efficiently productive than the basic style. There is the reception area which gives off the ever important first impression to guests and visitors; the well-designed work area that doesn’t hinder open communication to one another, the conference and discussion rooms that are now complete with a water dispenser and adequate lighting and so much more. When designing your office, think of how you would exemplify the values of your company. Does your company support local industries? Your office can have furniture pieces from local suppliers. Does your company advocate health care? Your office can use calm, healing colors. Does your company offer tours and travels? You can have a gallery of photos showing all the places that are traveled. It’s all about marketing yourself and your company through your office,
3. COORDINATING AND COMPLIMENTING STORAGE PIECES
Since you will be working hours sitting on your desk, you will need to have a clean and organized area. But instead of getting generic storage and organization accessories, why not get brightly colored or stylish desk accessories to help organize and store your desk things. There are many styles and designs to choose from; depending on your preferred theme. If you’re the type that happens to like natural things, you can get storage containers made entirely out of locally sourced materials like rope, hemp or even wood. If you prefer a more industrial look, you can get pieces that are either a matte black or a metallic finish. The same can be said for those large storage cabinets. You can break the monotony of the cabinets by getting them in a complimenting color to make your work area a bit softer.
4. BRING IN NATURE
There is a reason why people, office workers specifically, look forward to vacations. It is because they enjoy being outside. They enjoy being around nature and its healing, restorative abilities. So why not bring a bit of nature inside the office? Nowadays, most offices tend to have small indoor gardens. It’s been said that having plants inside contributes to the production and circulation of oxygen. You are not limited to just a small pocket garden; you can even have a wall garden with plants hanging on pots or for a more bold statement, you can have a column of plants in the center of the office so that everyone can see it from time to time. You can also use minimalist plant stands to elevate potted plants. You can also add some plants in your lounge or pantry room. Or you can go the extra mile and have a garden by the windows.
5. “THIS CHAIR IS JUST RIGHT”
Apart from working at the desk all day, you will be sitting on a chair the whole day as well. As such, you will need to have a chair that can support your posture and provide comfort and relief while you work. Go for a chair whose back reaches to the base of your neck. A fully upholstered chair is also good as it can cushion your back and seat; the most favored material for upholstered office chairs is black leather since it can easily be cleaned with a damp cloth after use. But you can get creative and opt for leathers of a different color, rather than the usual black Also consider a chair that can adjust accordingly to the preferred height of the user. A popular style would be the chairs designed by the Eames, but you can also go for other styles as well.
6. WORK LIGHTING
Apart from getting the basic furniture pieces and the office laid out in the manner of your choice, you also need adequate lighting to help in your work. Nowadays, most people work in front of glaring computer screens, so it is quite important to have a decently lit office to counterbalance the glare of the screen. Most offices will use task lighting, which is a type of lighting scheme in which the light directly shines towards a specific area. In this case, it is the desks. These lights often use bright fluorescent bulbs that are both energy efficient and stable. You can use a wide variety of lighting fixtures from pinlights to industrial lights.
Designing your ideal office is often a challenge since you will need to also market your company’s branding as well as make it as comfortable and productive as possible. But once you have an idea on how to make the office an interesting place to work at, you will find that you and everyone else will increase productivity and efficiency tenfold. After all, an office is never a dull place unless you work with a creative mind and a can do attitude.