Open plan offices versus cubicle offices; they both have their pros and their cons. However, the trend of technologically advanced open plan offices seems to be all the rage at the moment, leaving the idea of a cubicle outdated and archaic. In line with startups, modern offices are often open plan, with lots of natural light and vibrant colours. Gone are the days where you have to sit at your desk, and your desk alone. The best open plan offices have spots dedicated to phone calls, creative arcs and even places where you can work out. When it comes to designing an open plan office, it’s important that you have bold and comfortable couches for your employees to sit on and take phone calls, colours that promote critical thinking and creativity, as well as enough discipline to maintain productivity. So, how can you design an open plan that is trendy, work-friendly and easy to manage?
Here are a few ways you can design the perfect open plan office, making it look like it’s taken straight out of Google, but less unrealistic. Because let’s face it, Google may have the coolest looking offices ever, but would you really get any work done in there? Didn’t think so.
Why Have An Open Plan Office?
Emilley Kingsman from M2 ShopFitters shares the pros and cons of an open plan office.
“The types of information being handled and who the information belongs to. If information is private/confidential/sensitive, then completely open plan is not likely to be the way to go.
- Noise management. Consider the type of people who will be in the office on a regular basis (employees, clients and/or suppliers), how they interact and the space they need. If not planned well, noise can be distracting or can make people uncomfortable.
- Communication flow. A thorough and in-depth analysis of the communication channels within a business is vital before choosing to implement an open plan office. Every business wants to improve efficiencies - office layout is a great place to start!” Find out more about M2 ShopFitters by following them on Facebook and Instagram.
Think About Colour
Colour plays a huge role in the level of productivity in your employees, and the level of creativity, critical thinking and logic that they deliver. Studies have shown that you shouldn’t paint the walls of your office white, even if they look nice, as they don’t promote productivity and they increase the chance of errors. Depending on the business you’re running, you should choose the following colours:
Blue:
- Ideal for brainstorming spaces and detail orientated spaces
- Promotes a sense of trust, communication and efficiency
- Helps lower heart rate and calms you down
Yellow:
- Stimulates and energises
- Induces optimism
- However, too much yellow can increase levels of anxiety - be warned!
Orange:
- Ideal for high energy spaces
- Boosts creativity levels
- Symbolises endurance
Red:
- Ideal for physical-based spaces
- Increases brain wave activity
- Boosts heart rate
- Increase appetite
Green:
- Ideal for innovative spaces; where computers are used
- Promotes harmony and balance
- Boosts creativity
- Reduces anxiety
- Reduces eye strain
Artwork
Did you know that artwork isn’t just visually appealing, but it can also boost your employee’s level of productivity? John Lechner from The Office Art Specialists elaborates further. “One the things missed or left as an afterthought in most offices is the artwork. Choosing the right office art can make the difference in a team’s culture, performance, happiness and so much more. Art featuring nature like waterfalls, rainforests, beaches and sunrises can calm provide a missing link to nature and improve the happiness and thus the performance of a team.” Find out more about The Office Art Specialists by following them on Facebook.
Have Standing Desks & Furniture That Promotes Good Posture
Good posture isn’t just good for your health, it’s a way to maintain office morale and make sure everyone is their best possible selves. Standing desks can often reduce heart disease, obesity and improve your posture, as well as preventing boredom throughout the day. This, in turn, increases productivity. You can get your office space a diverse range of standing desks, sitting desks and the ones that do both, for those who need to have a standing break, but have incoming deadlines. If you’re still in the mindset of having the classic sitting desk, make sure the chairs that you’re using are good for your employee’s posture. An ergonomic office chair from MyDeal is the perfect way to make sure everyone’s posture is good, and they look great too.
Dry Erase Walls
If you work in a fast-paced environment, such as an e-commerce business or in design, you should make sure that the walls of your office, or at least some of them, are dry-erase walls. Ideas can happen anytime, and if you don’t have a place to write them down, why not write them on the walls? Set goals, jot down positive affirmations and design the company’s future steps on the walls, so you’re surrounded by inspiration everywhere you go.
Lots Of Glass
Glass is a great medium to incorporate into your office space. Not only does glass inspire natural light to be shed into the space, but it also creates the illusion of a larger space and even inspires the feelings of honesty and trust in the office atmosphere. Cost effective, it also aids in noise reduction, which can often be a drawback of having an open plan office space.
Gone are the days where you have to sit at your desk, and your desk alone. These days, you can grab your laptop and move from space to space, finding inspiration from your surroundings and being surrounded by like-minded creatives.
