How To Create Flexible Office Spaces That Keep Your Business Agile
Designing a flexible office space is a great way to make the most out of your premises. You can combat the rising costs of offices by making yours scalable and fit for purpose no matter what.
Designing a flexible office space is a great way to make the most out of your premises. You can combat the rising costs of offices by making yours scalable and fit for purpose no matter what.
People are increasingly thinking differently about how, when and where they work. And research by the CIPD shows that many of us would like to work more flexibly.
Flexible working can increase an organisation’s ability to attract talent, improve employee job satisfaction and commitment, reduce absenteeism and improve wellbeing.
But changing attitudes and culture is just piece of the puzzle. In order to truly embrace flexible working, we need to rethink how we use workspaces.
Flexible office spaces also work harmoniously with flexible ways of working. It can also create greater business agility and responsiveness to change. You may need to adapt to accommodate extra storage, or create an open area for staff training.
Agile spaces for agile businesses
Keeping fixtures to a minimum and as unfixed as possible will help your office space be as agile as your business. You also need to consider the multi-use options for spaces and furniture.
Pinning people to desks limits the options available to your office space. It puts a hard cap on the number of people who can work in your office.
This means that as your business grows, you are forced to make costly expansion decisions. Do you move offices? Or do you expand your existing space?
Cubicles have their merits when it comes to focus, but they lack flexibility. Introducing hot desking, standing desks and a more mobile office workforce will give you the room you need to be more flexible with your office space.
It can also save your business money on office furniture even during periods of growth. And for small businesses, keeping the overheads and expenses low is essential.
Floor space is expensive, so making the most of the space you have can save money on overall rent costs. Make the most of underused headroom by fitting a mezzanine level. This gives you more floor space without having to move offices.
Businesses with seasonal inventory levels can benefit from being able to temporarily transform their office space into storage and vice versa. For example, by utilising a mezzanine floor. It saves businesses money on having to hire out additional storage, while also ensuring security of the stock.
Use collaborative workspaces
In an office, everyone wants their own personal space for heads down projects. But they also want to be able to collaborate with their colleagues conveniently and comfortably. Creating a collaborative workplace can be achieved by using flexible, multi-use furniture.
Take a leaf out of Citrix Systems’ book by putting your furniture on wheels. They even have wheels on their whiteboards.
This allows the staff to rearrange the office any time, without the need for tools or the risk of personal injury. Even something as simple as a fold-out table can turn a desk into a meeting room table.
Designing a flexible workplace allows you to have company gatherings and group training sessions comfortably. It also means that you don’t have to spend money hiring out conference rooms or events space.
Flexible workplaces enable flexible working
Flexible workplaces that can adapt to meet your needs helps keep your business scalable and agile. You can manage overheads more efficiently, while promoting a culture of flexible working.
Remember:
- Don’t tie people to desks
- Optimise unused headspace by fitting a mezzanine level
- Flexible, multi-use space is always the aim
Plus, not all offices have 12,000 square feet of floor space. When you don’t have the luxury of space, being flexible with your furniture and unused headspace allows your business to operate without limits.
Designing a flexible office space is a great way to make the most out of your premises. You can combat the rising costs of offices by making yours scalable and fit for purpose no matter what.
People are increasingly thinking differently about how, when and where they work. And research by the CIPD shows that many of us would like to work more flexibly.
Flexible working can increase an organisation’s ability to attract talent, improve employee job satisfaction and commitment, reduce absenteeism and improve wellbeing.
But changing attitudes and culture is just piece of the puzzle. In order to truly embrace flexible working, we need to rethink how we use workspaces.
Flexible office spaces also work harmoniously with flexible ways of working. It can also create greater business agility and responsiveness to change. You may need to adapt to accommodate extra storage, or create an open area for staff training.
Agile spaces for agile businesses
Keeping fixtures to a minimum and as unfixed as possible will help your office space be as agile as your business. You also need to consider the multi-use options for spaces and furniture.
Pinning people to desks limits the options available to your office space. It puts a hard cap on the number of people who can work in your office.
This means that as your business grows, you are forced to make costly expansion decisions. Do you move offices? Or do you expand your existing space?
Cubicles have their merits when it comes to focus, but they lack flexibility. Introducing hot desking, standing desks and a more mobile office workforce will give you the room you need to be more flexible with your office space.
It can also save your business money on office furniture even during periods of growth. And for small businesses, keeping the overheads and expenses low is essential.
Floor space is expensive, so making the most of the space you have can save money on overall rent costs. Make the most of underused headroom by fitting a mezzanine level. This gives you more floor space without having to move offices.
Businesses with seasonal inventory levels can benefit from being able to temporarily transform their office space into storage and vice versa. For example, by utilising a mezzanine floor. It saves businesses money on having to hire out additional storage, while also ensuring security of the stock.
Use collaborative workspaces
In an office, everyone wants their own personal space for heads down projects. But they also want to be able to collaborate with their colleagues conveniently and comfortably. Creating a collaborative workplace can be achieved by using flexible, multi-use furniture.
Take a leaf out of Citrix Systems’ book by putting your furniture on wheels. They even have wheels on their whiteboards.
This allows the staff to rearrange the office any time, without the need for tools or the risk of personal injury. Even something as simple as a fold-out table can turn a desk into a meeting room table.
Designing a flexible workplace allows you to have company gatherings and group training sessions comfortably. It also means that you don’t have to spend money hiring out conference rooms or events space.
Flexible workplaces enable flexible working
Flexible workplaces that can adapt to meet your needs helps keep your business scalable and agile. You can manage overheads more efficiently, while promoting a culture of flexible working.
Remember:
- Don’t tie people to desks
- Optimise unused headspace by fitting a mezzanine level
- Flexible, multi-use space is always the aim
Plus, not all offices have 12,000 square feet of floor space. When you don’t have the luxury of space, being flexible with your furniture and unused headspace allows your business to operate without limits.
Photo credits: Unsplash
