There are a few things in the workplace that affect company culture: employees’ personalities, management style, business nature, and so on. What most business owners tend to overlook though, which interestingly should be the most obvious, is the office design. If you’re planning on updating the look of your office, be more purposeful in the project, and go beyond the aesthetics. Think of an environment conducive for a positive company culture. Here are the design elements you should be paying attention to:
Layout
How your office is arranged makes a great impact on how employees interact with one another. It can make or break rapport building, which is a key component in building a better company culture. Now, in sprucing up your layout, your goal is to maximise its flexibility. This means creating spaces for different work demands, like collaboration hubs for quick brainstorming sessions, individual workstations for concentration on the work at hand, meditation pods for relaxation, and so on.
The easier it is for employees to shift from one workspace to another, based on what they need, the happier they become and more engaged at work. Note also that distance is a key component in a layout. When workers are too far spaced out, this can impede rapport building. To ensure effective commercial fit-outs, Melbourne designers usually do test fits. You might want to consider partnering with such professionals.
Branding
Your office space is a platform to express who your brand is. It’s a big chunk of canvas that can help remind people walking into your office what your organisation stands for. For employees, that’s a good source of inspiration for tackling job demands. For clients, that could be mental prompts that would reinforce why they’re doing business with you.
Go wild in branding your workplace. Paint your walls with your brand colours. Dedicate corners that could be murals for the core values of your company. Incorporate elements of your industry into the space. For instance, if you’re in the tech industry, go for smart modular furniture that has built-in power outlets and plugs. The principle is to your territory. Own the space and make your business personality felt in the workplace.
Comfort
Comfort as a design element is crucial in building a positive company culture. When people feel at ease with the space they’re in, they work better and engage with people more often. The sense of physical safety translates to psychological safety, in other words.
Prioritise comfort in your office space and pay attention to your lighting. As much as possible, let in natural light, as this boosts people’s moods. Do away with bright fluorescent lamps as these can trigger headaches and eye strains. Be strategic in placing lighting fixtures, considering the tasks of the people in the space. Incorporate nature into your design, too. Indoor plants and living walls can improve air quality, at the same time, make for a relaxing sight for stressed-out employees.
Remember, the way your workplace looks and feels can contribute positively or negatively to your organisation’s culture. Keep an eye on the mentioned design elements in your next office renovation.
