Redesigning Your Office
Did you know that 97% of employees believe the workspace is a symbol that represents how much their company values them? This means that if your office design is outdated or ineffective, your staff won't feel appreciated. This will reduce their engagement and performance, dragging the entire performance of your company back.
If you're concerned your office isn't good enough, but you're struggling to establish exactly what is wrong with it, this article is for you. Today, we'll walk you through 7 giveaway signs that it's time to improve your office. Most companies we speak to about their workspace design needs have at least 2 or 3 of these issues. To learn what these issues are, why they matter, and how to identify them, keep reading.
Overcrowding
A common reason companies reach out to us needing help with their office design is that their space has become too small for the amount of staff they have. Running out of desks isn’t the only sign you have outgrown your workspace. How crowded are your collaboration and breakout areas at different times of the day? You need to consider all areas in your office.
Exactly how much space you need varies from company to company. If you have less than 100 sq/ft per employee, you should definitely look at an office redesign. However, depending on your working model and industry, you may need up to 400sq/ft per employee.
Poor Space Utilisation
The average organization has 30-50% more real estate than it needs! This is mainly because of an outdated or irrelevant layout. As a result, you could be suffering from higher than necessary real estate costs and/or lower staff performance.
In 2019, collaboration spaces took up an average of 10% of the office. In 2022, it is between 35% and 45%. If your office no longer suits the way your staff work, your people will be far less productive than they could be. If your space has some areas empty while others are crowded, it’s definitely time to consider an office redesign.
Poor Staff Attendance
If you are struggling to persuade your staff to return to the office, then it’s quite likely your office design has something to do with it. If all your office has is rows and rows of desks, then staff will have no incentive to come in, as they can get a personal workstation at home.
To get your teams back together in person, you need to offer them a better workplace experience than they can get at home. To overcome the hassle of the commute, it needs to be significantly better. You can achieve this by creating a space plan that matches the way they work and a design that brings your brand to life.
Off-Brand Aesthetic
Over time, brands and cultures evolve. If your office doesn’t keep up, it will start to feel outdated. Your office may have been the perfect representation of your brand 5 years ago, but is that still the case? Working in an outdated and tired office will harm the creativity and collaboration of your staff. A redesign can fix that by updating the finishes throughout your space.
Making sure your office design is on-brand is essential. This is about more than the colours on the walls or the logo graphic in the reception. It’s about the entire experience your people have while they are in the space. If your office is a workspace that brings your brand to life, then your people will produce results in line with your culture.
Poor Staff Wellbeing
Personal health and wellbeing have risen up on staff priority lists in recent years, and are now among the top concerns of office workers. Outdated office designs that focus on cramming desks regardless of staff wellbeing have seen a steady decrease in productivity.
There are many different elements that contribute to the physical and mental wellbeing of your staff. If your staff often raise issues with you about the lack of natural light or plants in the office, introducing biophilia is essential. This will not only make your staff happier and healthier, but more productive too.
Declining Productivity
Amid the current economic challenges, improving productivity has never been so important. Alas, the productivity of workers across the UK has actually fallen 3-6% over the last 3 years. One of the key elements that determine an employee’s ability to perform is their environment. No matter an employee’s role or seniority, their workspace is crucial.
Office design can help improve staff productivity by creating a space that matches the way your people work. By creating spaces within your office that suit your people needs, you are giving your people the environment they need to improve their performance.
Recruitment & Retention Issues
Your office design plays a crucial role in attracting the best staff to your company. First impressions are crucial, and a well-designed office is central to this. A survey of 1,000 UK office workers found that almost half of respondents agreed that the room where they were interviewed would influence their opinion of whether or not to accept a job offer.
Retaining your top staff is just as important as attracting the best people. If your office is a frustrating and unproductive place to work, your best staff will have no shortage of options to change jobs. They can easily go and work for a company that provides them with the workspace they need.
Planning Your Office Redesign
An office design can be hugely beneficial for your business. As well as solving key facility, cultural, and strategic issues, investing in your office will show your people that you value them. It's crucial to have engaged employees who feel valued, as they will perform much better and stay much longer than staff who don't feel appreciated.
Now you know how to identify key signs your office needs improvement, and why they matter. As a result, you can spot these issues, preventing them from dragging on or getting even worse. As a result, you can redesign your office to resolve these issues, helping you to create a high-performance workspace.
Identifying the key issues(s) is a crucial part of creating a great office design brief. To learn about the other elements of a great brief and how to create a great brief for your company, read this article.
If you do have any of these issues, it's crucial to take action urgently. However, we appreciate office design can be daunting - it's difficult to know where to start. To take the next step, download The Definitive Office Design Guide. There you'll find answers to all your key questions about office design, from whether you really need to redesign your office to common mistakes to avoid. Download Your Office Design Guide here.
