...are you spaced out?

Businesses are constantly evolving whether it is through expansion, downsizing or reorganization.

With world markets in a state of flux, many commercial and office spaces don't have the same function as they had, maybe 18-24 months ago....my, my how the times have changed. Space (or lack of) is much more important than ever.

Different staff levels, pressures on manufacturing processes and amended working practices often result in an office space feeling disjointed and worn around the edges.

We all want a working environment…a “space”…. which looks and feels great, but sometimes the money isn't available to spruce things up. However, there might be a deeper problem that needs considering. As they look to pull out of recession, businesses could find themselves, not only with atheistically dated offices, but without offices capable of expansion or the flexibility to change. It’s no longer just enough to be doing business, they have to be able to function efficiently and without the basic structure in place, they will find it a struggle to keep up with growing demand.

Look around. What isn't working?

Companies have understandably shunned investment in their commercial offices over the last few years, looking to invest their available budgets in core manufacturing equipment, or making do with temporary solutions. These years however have seen huge advances in communication technology and a dramatic reduction in the cost of data storage. This can allow a business to shed bulky filing cabinets and shelves bulging with out-of-date business directories streamlining their archival and information retrieval measures.

Companies are using their new found office space for the increasing trend of having 'breakout' areas, or meeting spaces. Most recognize the value of having face-to-face meetings, giving department heads the opportunity to brief employees on changing fortunes, or getting team leaders to motivate staff. This reduces the reliance on lazy internal email practices, and encourages a more effective approach to business that promotes ideas and interaction from the bottom up.

There will always be the need to store equipment, files and stationery in an office environment but rather than bulky cabinets, many companies are looking to storage walls as the solution. Not only creating clean lines within an office space, they can also offer greater storage with the option to go from floor to ceiling. The crisp finish will inspire even the worst paper hoarders to make an effort and keep the office tidy.

Workstation Efficiency -- Extra space can give companies the ideal opportunity to look at the layout of workstations. Cramming staff into a small space is often counterproductive, so if new space has been made available through the reorganization of storage areas, then there is the scope to take a fresh look the office space plan.

A study of staff and visitor traffic flows will show a company where areas of high volume and acoustic problems might be an issue. Companies can plan space, taking advantage of natural light sources and power sources enabling them to keep infrastructure work to a minimum. Workstations can then be situated in the best possible positions and with adequate space between them optimizing the working environment.

Conference Rooms and AV Equipment -- Good presentation skills are important when attracting new business and conference rooms or meeting areas are a key element in that process. Media walls, which conceal plasma and LCD screens, are a must for any business taking presentation seriously. It was great to have a plasma screen 18 months ago and that was enough to make them look state-of-art compared to companies that use projectors, but it now looks dated and awkward if just mounted on an old desk in the corner of the boardroom.

Conference rooms also have to work harder and will often have a dual purpose, such as extra office space for seconded staff, or transforming the space completely to offer lectures or seminars. They now have to be linked into the main network to avoid all that fumbling around with flash cards trying to load up the 'company laptop'.

Merging Locations and Changing Spaces -- Many businesses have entered what can diplomatically be called a period of 'consolidation'. One way to reduce overheads during this time has been the practice of merging locations. Finding new premises to house both parts of the business, or moving one part of the business into the commercial building of an existing part can achieve this.

Finding a new building can often be the more expensive option, so many are looking to keep one building and making that work for their new staff levels. A good office space planning company will find innovative ways of merging the two parts of the business by examining the complete space and planning where each element would be best placed. Extra structural expansion might also be needed and they will advise on solutions such as partitioning, mezzanine floors and extensions.

What's the Next Step? -- The commercial space planning process will start with a study of existing practices and an examination of the future needs of the business. Plans and 3D visuals are then produced in order to finalize the design and are presented with a breakdown of costs and timescales. Most commercial space planners will also take on any landlord liaison and deal directly with the local planning office. All that is left for the company to do is plan for the expansion and the increased productivity the well planned office will provide.

Space...more important than you think!

....space, the final frontier

Space: The final frontier. These are the voyages of the Starship, Enterprise...Its 5 year mission--To explore strange new worlds.

To seek out new life and new civilizations. To boldly go where no man has gone before. (Which should read: To go boldly...but who cares).....

Let's talk about space for a moment:  At the onset of a search for office space a real estate broker will invariably want to know right away how much space will be needed by the prospective tenant.

Space....ahhh...space....that word again.

If you have been through this estimating the right amount of space required for a new facility can be tricky. Leasing too much space and cash flow can be hobbled by an excessive rent payment and under-utilized space, too little space and staffing growth will be limited...space...how much?

This may result in the need to relocate, prior to your lease expiration—potentially a very expensive exercise. Adding the architect and office furniture expert to your leasing team early in the process to develop reliable space requirements (before you begin looking at potential lease spaces) can make all the difference in leasing the right size and type facility for your company. Why?

If you are the owner or leader of the company, an experienced architect and office furniture expert will arm you up front with all the crucial information, so you can confidently make the correct strategic real estate decisions for your firm. This will save you precious time and effort. What? How can an early furniture decision help me pick my new space? Well, what if your current furniture won't fit in the new space....what if breaking the workstations down, hauling them across town...and re-installing them are as much as new or used cubes? What if? And what about the company down-time? Can you afford that?

Having this information in hand when you begin looking for space will allow you to pre-screen potential lease spaces and quickly zero in on only those spaces that really meet your long term business plans. The overriding goal is to make sure that when the dust settles your new space not only meets your functional requirements, but reflects positively on you and your company throughout the duration of the lease term.

If, on the other hand, you are the person responsible for finding facilities for a larger organization, you know that relocating your corporate offices or opening a new branch office can be a very challenging experience, one that will demand the most from you and your team.

What’s most important is that the transition be as painless as possible for all involved, users and management alike. Your 'team' should help you get moved in on time while avoiding any bumps along the way. This is best accomplished by having a clear program of the space and functional requirements early on, and this is best collected by a professional architect and furniture provider. This program information will assure you there are no surprises for upper management and provide them with a clear picture of the size of the office being considered, as well as the projected head count for this particular site.

Bottom line! Start Early!

Don’t get caught rushing. A mistake in this early preplanning stage will most likely mean you’ll soon be going through the process all over again.

A little up front analysis and planning, through the help of a professional architect and office furniture professional (with experience in office planning); can go a long way in laying the necessary groundwork for a smooth transition to your new office. Assuming your planner has performed the proper analyses and documented accurately your needs for the new office, you can be assured that ultimately your new company home will be a good fit for your organization. And just as importantly the subsequent phases of design and construction will go more quickly and without surprises.

More about space next time....(end of part one)

...don't let your boss design the office!

Seems like all the employer wants to do today…is to ‘cram’ as many people in a space as humanly possible. "Tracy, it's all about saving money!" "We need to save in today's uncertain times."

But didn't we learn from our mistakes from the past? Didn't we already do this back in the 20's and 30's?

Back when "they" wanted to save money because of the times....Really?..is it saving you money? Or perhaps you don't know how to "ask" for help from a professional? Space planning is important!

Ask the clients that expect it to be 'free' when working on a complex project. (It's all about saving money....so the vendor has no value any longer). "I can find it cheaper on the Internet Tracy." Well, what if it doesn't fit in your office....or a column is in the middle of an employee's station? Can you imagine? Well, it happens everyday to the employer that knows little about planning....or the "assigned" info-gatherer on the project.

There’s several practical and real return on investments (ROI) that a new or refurbished office could deliver to any business …even in today’s economy. Start with the planning and the rest (even your choice of cheap furniture) will fall into place.

Increasingly people are the greatest asset of a business. An office plays a role in keeping staff, and in attracting the best new recruits. The mechanism does vary but in general people prefer a productive workplace to be efficient….believe it or not.

Just as a data network is vital for computer systems, so a human network makes a business better. An office interior that fosters and frees-up communication can significantly benefit a company. Glass partitioning, low furniture-heights and office 'nodes' that are given consideration and importance all contribute to internal communication.

Offices are including space to create alternative environments away from desks and cellular rooms. These alternative spaces support people to work in different ways. Typical is a space where staff can think and interact. People respond to bright, open spaces with more expansive thought processes, whereas structured and more enclosed areas are best for concentrating on tasks.

Most jobs have a variety of tasks. A desk is good for clerical activities, but when concentration is needed a quiet space might be better. Similarly, interaction within a small team isn't always practical with a few desks in the way. To get the best productivity at work...give staff the best setting for the task. This is the same principle as a factory floor, just applied to the office.

Back problems, sick building syndrome, respiratory illness due to poor air condition...all examples of how an office can have a negative impact. A well designed office will mitigate the problems of absenteeism.

A good office will encourage clients to travel to meet at your location, rather than travelling to theirs. This reduces unproductive travel time, reinforces your company image and adds to the 'buzz' that good offices have.

And finally, the daily tasks of filing and retrieval, accessing company information and knowledge, and printing and copying should all be as streamlined and productive as possible. Poorly designed offices can often sap hours from a working week through inefficient storage, inadequate provision of services and spaces for report collation etc. A good office will underpin any design scheme with the practical facilities everyone needs in a working week, saving time.

And doesn't that save money? Someday...someday....it will be an "employee" market again. Don't you want an environment that 'attracts and retains employees?' (If you don't...you will).

...what color are you?

Whether we’re aware of it or not, color plays a major role in our lives. We’re drawn to certain colors in the same way that we’re naturally attracted to a specific piece of art or even another person. Often, our response to color is so strong that it can create an appeal to a physical location or place. While we often can’t control the exterior design and color of our office building, chances are that we do have a say in the interior colors. And, while “color psychology” isn’t a topic we likely talk about during board meetings, it is often more important than we’ll ever know. After all, we could be sending the completely wrong message to employees and visitors just because of the shade or our office walls.

Understanding Color Importance: Marketing and branding teams spend weeks designing company logos and developing products that will appeal to customers. These groups know how important color is on a potential customer’s senses and attitudes. If customers feel drawn to a specific product, chances are it’s because the color scheme works. Similarly, if they feel turned off, the marketing team has likely failed at choosing a color pattern that sells. Therefore, shouldn’t we look at our interior colors with the same focus as we do our product development?

Using Color as a Tool: Different colors have different effects on both employees and clients. Because we want employees to be happy and productive at work, the color scheme of an office should promote the right energy. The same goes for clients. If we want our clients to feel attracted to our business, color just might be the best way to keep them in the door. So, what color trend is best for which room in your office?

Cool colors include shades of blues and greens that have a calming effect by reducing stress and tension. They work well in hospital waiting rooms where patients might nervously await a doctor’s appointment.

Warm colors include bold reds and yellows and are better suited for more social offices that seek to stimulate. Lounges, lobbies, cafeterias, or other places where conversation should be encouraged are good spots for warm colors.

Available light also plays a role in a room’s color scheme. Colors that reflect light reduce shadows, which help to increase visibility. In turn, better visibility means more productivity in the office.

Visual accents and wall decorations such as paintings, mirrors, or other wall accessories can work well for short-term spaces that don’t see a lot of repeat visitors. For example, a doctor’s office examination room can benefit from visual accents that work to stimulate a patient who likely only visits the room a few times throughout the year. On the other hand, heavy traffic rooms such as the office boardroom are better off with fewer visual accents that won’t be seen over and over by employees. In rooms that are frequently visited by the same group of people, it’s better to balance color and mix tones for fresh, interesting looks.

Accentuate the Positives: The truth behind most any office design is that each room has its positive and negative features. Stunning hardwood floors should stay as the room’s focus by blending coordinating colors that won’t take attention away from the room’s strengths. On the other hand, unattractive tile floors would be better off downplayed with a contrasting color scheme to divert attention away.

While the importance of color in the workplace is most certainly an interesting concept, few of us are true color psychologists. Rather than taking a stab at designing the office’s interior color schemes, consult professional office interior designers who make it their job to understand color. Let the professionals work their magic and the office will soon make a statement all on its own.

I am an office environment expert. Contact me for more details.

Turning green ....

Sustainable design, also referred to as green design, eco-design, or design for the environment, is the art of designing physical objects, the built environment, and services to comply with the principles of economic, social, and ecological sustainability. It ranges from the microcosm of designing small objects for everyday use, to designing buildings, cities, and the earth's physical surface. It is a growing trend within the fields of architecture, construction, and landscape design.

Interior design is usually associated with aesthetics. It is the final construction step that carries out the personality of the business owners and senior management. It even makes it easier for people to decipher what function the structure serves. Hospitals are for white-painted walls. Wide see-through windows are for museums. A lot of interior design features make what a building is. And what makes this profession a further appealing endeavor is the new approach it currently performs the green design.

Green interior design is a post-construction step that is most likely similar to other ecological construction tasks. The materials used are eco-friendly. The techniques and principles used are inclined to answer to sustainable business practices. However, green interior designing is much keener in details as it involves specified furniture and fixtures, wall paint and paper, door and window treatments and other space features, complete with the entire finishes and textures.

Turning green does not deprive you of stylish ways to design. Currently, natural material furniture, energy-saving and cost-effective appliances, non-toxic paint and other green products are actually more elegant looking. Designing green does not compromise style.

Interior designers are beginning to address environmental issues as they acknowledge the importance of sustainable interior design. While some interior designers are using environmentally sustainable design criteria in their design solutions, research that investigates how they apply it as a component for design problems has not been done. Knowing the state of practice will provide a base to develop education strategies for sustainable interior design. Interior design educators can identify less frequently applied components of sustainable design and develop teaching methods to improve the understanding of specific components.

Governments, communities and industry are all working to prevent pollution and overconsumption from ruining the planet and the natural resources we all rely on like oceans and forests. To support this, there is an urgent need to make all industrial products and processes 'sustainable' good for people, profits and the planet....think about it next time.