Thinking outside the box has always been the way to go in business, so why should it be any different when you’re redesigning your office space?
Your work environment needs to reflect your brand, your values and the employees that work in it, and it’s important to modify the area for individual differences and needs. The world is experiencing an innovation revolution, so take advantage of the trend to disrupt your marketplace and change your office interiors this year.
Stand Out Among the Office Crowd
A different approach makes you stand out, and that’s definitely something you want in this ageof information overload. With every industry filled with companies working on the same thing, it can be easy to get lost among the crowd. Having a different office with real benefits for employees will help with turnover and recruitment. If you bring a potential candidate into your office and they love it, they will be much more likely to accept the job offer. The same applies with employees that already work for you – if they feel comfortable in their environment they are more likely to stay with the company for longer.
Stand Out Online
Similarly, an innovative office means you have a lot of opportunities and content for marketing and social media. Wall art and signs can be hotspots for pictures that can be posted to Facebook and Instagram, furthering your brand awareness online. It also makes your company seem more human and personal, and people may be more likely to buy your product or service, if they know the faces and the originality behind it. You could place a flower arch somewhere in the kitchen, so employees can snap themselves as they relax and eat lunch.
Think Creative to Be Creative
You could incorporate aspects of environments that aren’t work-related, such as museums, restaurants and the gym. Making the office seem not very office-like can be really helpful to employees who struggle to work in a busy area. Utilising aspects of different places will mean the individual has an alternative place to go work when they are struggling to be productive at their desk. The office should be treated like a second home – one where ideas can be shared, and opinions can be expressed – a stuffy, generic working environment will not help fresh, new ideas to blossom or your employees’ creativity to flourish.
Nature in an Unnatural Environment
Biophilic design has been big in office design this year, but now it’s time to look at extraordinary ways to intertwine nature with the working environment. For example, some offices in Europe have waterfalls and jungle like walkthroughs. Although these concepts may seem a little too wild for your office, the same ideas can be applied on a smaller scale – think rock pools, fish tanks and shell wall dividers instead of cubicles.
Have Fun!
Although most people take work seriously, and rightly so, it’s important to provide a space to be fun. Work can get people down and stress them out, so individuals need a space to unwind and communicate with each other. Remember, everything, anything, even things as mundane as your work routine, can be fun if you find the right game. Why not put in a slide, or make room for a games room?
So think different. Now’s the time to change, your staff will thrive and so will your business.