Offices are the central hubs of American businesses. And office space planning and design play a key role in a business’s functionality and success. As Thomas J. Watson, Jr., former CEO of IBM said, “Good design is good business.” Good space planning requires purposeful analysis and design character tailored to the specific enterprise. As famous American architect and designer Frank Lloyd Wright stated, “I never design a building before I’ve seen the site and met the people who will be using it.”
What is Space Planning?
Office space planning is the process of deciding how office space should be used according to a company’s goals and business concept and then arranging the types of spaces, equipment, workstations, and departments to fit the needs of the enterprise. It can also include making adjustments and improvements to an already occupied space. It involves understanding the requirements of employers and knowing how employees use a space and then planning how to accommodate their needs, including space layout, meeting rooms, common areas, seating setups, and lighting.
Why is Space Planning Important?
As Robert L. Peters, designer and author, said, “Design creates culture. Culture shapes values. Values determine the future.” Good office space planning and design are important because they can boost employee productivity by helping employees focus more on their work through an improved use of space and furniture. It can enhance communication and collaboration by better connecting the features of space, people, and technology. It can help enrich the work environment, thus boosting employee satisfaction and morale and contributing to increased employee engagement and retention. It can strongly impact a company’s culture. It can help a business improve financial efficiency by reducing wasted space and saving lease costs for floor space that is not needed. It can result in increased energy efficiency. It can contribute to the increased health and safety of employees. It can also enhance a company’s operating flexibility as its business needs and employee requirements change.
Office Space Planning Tips
Here are some space planning tips that can help make wise and informed decisions about how office space is used and can be used better to ensure that it meets the enterprise’s goals and needs in both short—and long-term time horizons.
- Establish clear objectives for this process.
- Consider your business values, culture, and policies.
- Audit and assess your current office space situation, including how employees are using your space and what changes you can realistically achieve.
- Determine what types of spaces would be most appropriate for your organization.
- Determine how much space your organization needs.
- Plan to enable your employees to do their best work and to be satisfied with the workplace environment.
- Actively solicit and collect feedback from your employees.
- Ensure a strong focus on incorporating technology.
- Incorporate space flexibility in your planning.
- Consider open spaces, quiet spaces, a mix of spaces for collaboration, and both natural and artificial light.
- Formulate and document your space plan.
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