Office Design Ideas to Make the Most of your Small Office

According to a recent survey by Time Use, the average employee spent more than half their day in a small office and attributed their work environment to job satisfaction. However, most start-ups and small businesses face financial constraints that don’t allow them to have large spaces. While large offices can be good for business, it’s not the size of the office that matters but the design. With a bit of planning and insight, a small office idea space can look superb, and boost productivity and creativity. Are you looking for brand new interior office design ideas for your business’s new place or are you looking for a complete office refurbishment? Or even considering moving offices and wondering how to make the most out of that small room you’ve got? Then you’re reading the right article! Here are a few tips to help you design a great small office and utilise a layout that will not only be a good place to work in, but also boost communication and bring in business on budget.

Small office space layout

When designing a small office space, it’s recommended to choose a plan that reflects the company’s structure and takes into consideration the flow of internal communication. Is the communication top down or collaborative? Is it ideal for the manager to be confined in a small office space, or are you seeking an open plan where the manager is in the middle of the layout and can keep eye on the employees? These are some of the fundamental questions you need to ask when coming up with a great design. With a small office, privacy and openness are a tricky thing to achieve, but it is important to find the right balance and encourage productivity.

Furniture

Many elements such as layout, desk space and design can influence an employee’s productivity. Aim for furniture that is comfy and space saving by investing in collapsible and movable furniture that has a lot of storage. Arranging the desks strategically can also save space while boosting team productivity. Different desk placements trigger different outlooks for the organisation. For example, paired island desks can be rotated monthly to encourage team work, while a bullpen office arrangement boosts accountability and productivity.

Focal points

A bespoke office refurbishment strategy provides you with an opportunity to implement a focal point into the office. To create a particular aesthetic through your new office design, it’s key to establish a focal point that encourages relationship building and teamwork away from the desks. This can be a monitor, for easier sharing of ideas and presentations, a whiteboard or a roundtable. You can put appliances on the roundtable like espresso machines to act as convergence points and encourage idea sharing, as well as more informal relationships in the workplace. The beauty of this is that you don’t have to compromise on space. The whiteboards and monitors can be hung up, whilst the roundtable can be movable to save even more valuable space. You can also get creative and create your own focal points, should you choose to do so.

Walls

We know there’s an age-old debate on whether a workplace should have walls or not, but it all boils down to the company’s preferences. If you’re feeling that the walls are cramping your space and want a more open environment, then, by all means, do it! You can replace the walls with less material that will not compromise on privacy. Japanese screen panels are a great example – and you can choose a colour that compliments your brand. Glass can also replace walls to make space feel more expensive and high end. You can also paint the back wall in brighter colours like orange, blue or yellow to make the office look larger and more inviting to employees and customers alike!

As you may have realised, no matter the size of your office, a great design is both essential and achievable. Choosing the right office layout that resonates with the organisational structure, the right furniture, or expanding your space through colour schemes or glass can give your office a well-thought and fascinating look. One that will not only encourage productivity and teamwork but also get you more business over time.