Many business owners assume space planning and design is little more than interior decorating and doesn’t require a professional’s assitance. In doing so, they may be preventing their business from operating efficiently and maybe losing potential customers because of an unimpressive appearance. Space planning and design is crucial to a company’s productivity, and after viewing these reasons from Carolina Services Inc., we’re sure you’ll agree.
A Space’s Design is Often a Client’s First Impression
Whether your commercial property is an office, a restaurant, or a retail space, the first impression made on potential clients and customers will be the appearance of your business. A poorly laid-out area will look disorganized and your workers will clearly be less productive. Your business may also look dated. All this implies a lack of concern on the businesses’ part, whereas a well-designed space says your company is thoughtful, good at problem-solving, dedicated, and in touch with current trends and technologies.
Well-Planned Spaces Mean More Productive Workers
Perhaps the most direct benefit of space planning and design is the increase in efficiency in your staff by understanding the unique needs of each role. A good design will consider what resources your workers need, whom they need to be in easy communication with, and what could be a distraction to them. For example, a well-planned office may place conference and break areas out of view of the main work areas and provide custom casework near desks to provide a professional-looking and easily accessed storage system for items that are frequently used.
A Good Design Will Plan For Growth
As businesses thrive and expand, they often require a larger workforce. A good design should take this into account and consider which areas will grow first and most. Worker’s personal spaces may initially be more spread out, but as the company expands the space should accommodate more workers comfortably. The goal is to maintain a professional and productive environment with the addition of workers and without having to move to a new location.
Planning and Design Prevents Wasted Space
Again, space planning should focus on your workers’ daily needs. Workers who primarily use computers to accomplish tasks will require less desk space than those who work with documents, so to use desks of the same size is a waste of space. Likewise, using individual storage for supplies and tools requires more space than a shared storage system. With careful design, you may find you need a smaller space than you initially thought, which can save money not only on your lease but in utility costs. As mentioned above, this smaller space should still allow for potential growth.
A Professional Design Considers Building Code
The average business owner is not as familiar with building codes and requirements as a trained professional space planner and may design a space that does not meet requirements. There are laws concerning the lighting levels, the amount of space each worker should be allotted, the ease of access each individual must have to a fire escape, and ventilation. Furthermore, a space planner will take into account the location of electrical outlets and who will need access to them, as well as the acoustics of a space and how that can be improved.
Trust Carolina Services Inc
At Carolina Services Inc., we are proud to offer space planning and design services. We can create a layout that meets building codes and your personal needs with the help of computer software. Contact us today to learn more about our design services and how we can increase the productivity of your business!
Photo courtesy of: REVIVALthedigest
