Top 5 Office Design Tips

It is one of the biggest questions for all UK businesses at the moment: how can companies make their office somewhere that attracts and retain the best staff?

Tech & Property Companies like the example above have traditionally been leading the way. Currently however companies from all sectors are investing in their working environment as in the short film and images below. The communal coworker spaces were designed by Kate Yates and Select Interiors Ltd Manchester fit out company.

The benefits of the facilities and design can often be difficult to measure. If we forget the metrics and concentrate on easily digestible truths, happy staff are generally more productive so let’s concentrate on WELLBIENG

Select Interiors have incorporated break-out rooms, creative hubs, social areas and even isolation pods / quiet rooms that are all equipped with power outlets and Wi-Fi. 

TOP FIVE TIPS FOR WELLBIENG IN THE WORKPLACE 

As follows Select Interiors top 5 tips for improving the feeling of ‘wellbeing’ in staff

Daylight

1. Natural light is best, maximize access to the office, configure meeting rooms if possible not on an external wall. How many offices do you enter where partitions forming meeting / boardrooms are stuck at the side, blocking natural light entering the inner spaces? Consider a central glazed pod like the example below, allowing all to benefit from access to natural light.

Example of centrally located Board / Meeting room by Select Interiors Ltd for Rullion group at their London headquarters. The seamless glass and central location allows natural light into the open plan office areas

If the office does not have natural light, then install ‘daylight’ Led fittings as the example in a basement conversion by Select Interiors Ltd Manchester office design and fit out company for Time Recruitment Ltd

Arriving

1. ’You never get a second chance to make a first impression”. A well designed and welcoming Reception immediately makes a statement about the company and its’ ethos. The journey starts for staff and clients at Reception and through creative design, layout, ‘quality’ furnishings, flooring, lighting & branding. The impact of the physical space cannot be understated in attracting and retaining staff as well as conveying the right message to your clients

 Reception area for Rapport by Select Interiors Ltd design by Spacement, Architect Steve West

Rapport company logo imprinted onto bespoke concrete clad full height storage, full height glazed PPC Aluminium partition, flooring, lighting and fit out by Select Interiors Ltd

Meeting – Collaborative Spaces

Invest in quality meeting spaces, both informal and formal including collaborative co-worker type spaces  

Informal spaces for causal work or social interaction. Furnishings within meeting spaces that meet users’ work needs and spaces sized to accommodate typical meeting requirements

Example above informal ‘beech hut’ style meeting rooms designed and fitted out in Leeds Dock by Select Interiors Ltd. The empty unit was converted into a coffee shop, co-worker apace with 2 informal meeting rooms and a marketing suite for Allied London Estates. They provide a whimsical meeting areas servicing the Co-worker space for 4 – 6 people, coffee provided courtesy of the operator Caffeine & Co

The two informal meeting spaces and the more formal (lwr bottom right) were designed and fitted out by Select Interiors Ltd for Capital Properties included glazed cube of seamless glazing with bespoke graphics and furniture in company colours. In-built I-phone chargers and connection to wall mounted AV equipment

1. 3.    Time for a Bew

Ensuring staff have well-appointed brewing and relax / breakout space is crucial for wellbeing. The examples below by Select Interiors Ltd for Rapport, Intelligent Conversation & Colas Rail have high table areas, banquette and all facilities, zip taps, water chillers and are all spaces that promote

1. 4.   Technology & Presentation

Having cloud storage and good connectivity, so staff can access information, communicate and complete tasks efficiently from anywhere at any time

Wall mounted flat screens and AV equipment to enable your staff to present professionally

White board and magnetic wallpaper for fluid, creative and hopefully inspirational

The examples above are Rapport, Intelligent Conversation and Colas Rail AV equipment, all wired through centre of Boardroom tables, cork baord installin in 1^st images and magnetic white board wallpaper for Intelligent Conversation  and Colas Rail

1. 5.    Acoustics

Incorporate acoustic screens / wall / ceiling mounted acoustic baffles wherever possible within the design process. Acoustic screens give operators a personal space and helps improve the environment and reduce impact and

Employee distraction has been surveyed by dozens of businesses. The results are consistent and startling. Roughly 70 percent of all employees in open work areas report that the biggest impact on their productivity is the conversations of their co-workers.

When an employee takes a phone call within earshot of another, the content of the conversation is enticing to the brain of the neighbour. Once distracted, productivity drops that research it can take as much as 20 minutes to fully regain concentration on complex tasks once distracted. Once distracted, error rates increase as work is resumed

See examples of acosutic treatments abobe by Select Interiors Ltd for Play.com and Manchester Science Museum

With greater options thanks to technology, the office does need to become a destination which draws people in and encourages staff want to stay there longer.

Balanced workplaces where employees have the autonomy to choose their work space based on the task or project at hand are more effective and productive

Carl P Brown

Managing Director

Talk to the experts about how an engaging fit out can improve productivity, happiness and wellbeing

Call the Select Interiors design team on 0161 445 4040

Or email info@select-interiors.com

Please click the link for further images of Select Interiors projects http://selectinteriors.pixieset.com/

Signed the Select Team

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