Work in today’s world is fast paced and ever changing. Is your workplace keeping up? Static, single-purpose facilities run the risk of outliving their usefulness, requiring a costly full renovation to remain relevant. To get the most out of your office space, design it to be flexible and customizable. Here are three tips for how to do it.
- Maximize Versatility Using Office dividers
One great way to maximize versatility in your office space is using high-quality sliding glass office dividers. Open up the dividers completely for a large, versatile space, or close them off for a private meeting area. Or use them creatively to create a modular space. Imagine, for example, a 30-foot by 12-foot room that could be closed up to create three 10×12 rooms, or one 10×12 and one 20×12 room, or where one wall could be left completely open.
Before we move on, here’s a word on aesthetics. You may remember (and not fondly) the cheap, accordion-style office dividers that were popular in the ’80s and ’90s, but today’s sliding glass office dividers are a totally different story. They’re beautiful as well as functional, and they can be produced with a mixture of clear and frosted glass.
- Add A Variety of Multipurpose Rooms
You can’t predict with certainty all the needs your office will have. But you can foster camaraderie and collaboration by creating spaces for those things to develop. Create a variety of multipurpose rooms (don’t call them conference rooms!), each with a different feel and different amenities. Keep it clear who has access to which rooms and what amenities are in each, and then step back and watch your team make the most of these spaces. If your office culture allows it, include some kind of fun activity in a few of the spaces, for purposes of team building and relationship building.
- Set Up Dedicated Quiet and Loud Rooms
A flexible workplace runs two opposite risks. With absolute flexibility, those seeking quiet can’t avoid loud conversations or phone calls. At the same time, conscientious folks who need to have a prolonged conversation or make a phone call can’t avoid the quiet-seekers. The solution is to set aside spaces dedicated to both. Have quiet rooms set up so that workers who need absolute focus for a task can retreat to them. At the same time, set up “loud rooms” – places for business phone calls and extended collaborative conversations.
Conclusion
The workplace doesn’t have to be boring and static. Use these three tips to turn your office into a flexible and customizable place that meets the particular needs of your industry and your staff.