...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 This can allow a business to shed bulky filing cabinets and shelves bulging with out-of-date business directories streamlining their archival and information retrieval measures.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)

....help me with my office! (part 3-final)

Part 3 and final of: 'Help me with my office!'

Remember....Once you’ve identified your biggest issues, decide which ones you want to attack. I recommend that companies evaluating an office redesign project identify four or five priorities to tackle, such as increased collaboration, improved productivity, or more efficient use of space.

Goal: Weigh the merits of a redesign or “restack” versus relocating to bigger digs.

Once you’ve identified where your workplace lacks logic, it’s time to assess what can be done. Depending on the scope of your problems, your imagination, and your budget, the next thing you’ll have to decide is if it’s better to reinvent existing space or move. This is tough to do without an office professional.

Typically companies try to stay where they are as long as they can. It’s very expensive to move. When companies are bursting at the seams, the solution is often a “restack”: reorganizing cubicles into smaller spaces — such as a six-by-six instead of eight-by-eight — in order to fit more people onto a floor. I am sure all workers are excited about this corporate decision (yawn...)

Of course there are downsides to extensive redesigns. They’re often so invasive, noisy, lengthy, and messy that a company may need temporary space during the design’s execution, which is why some companies decide that moving to a preconfigured space is easier than living through a reconfiguration. Today companies that know they’re in growth mode often are able to secure short leases — meaning that leaving a crowded space is easier than in the past.

Technically Speaking--How much office do you need?

Here are some space guidelines:
• Executive office space: 241 square feet (down from 291 square feet in 1987)

• Senior professional: 98 square feet

• Call center employee: 50 square feet

• President/CEO/Chairman: 250 to 400 square feet

• Vice President: 150 to 250 square feet

• Executive: 100 to 150 square feet

• Employee: 80 to 125 square feet

• Conference room: 25 to 30 square feet per person

• Lunch room: 15 square feet per person for dining, and a food-preparation space roughly one-third of the dining area

• Reception area: 150 to 350 square feet

Goal: Improve upon your design over time by continuing to ask for feedback and make adjustments.

After an office remodel, it’s easy for companies to sit back and rejoice that they’re “done.” But larger challenges may need to be hammered out over time. If employees don’t take to a new design after several months, you can’t force it.

The best approach is to acknowledge such issues and explain how you plan to handle them. Remind employees that this does not mean the design was a failure: That’s the attitude that begets the need for a big, expensive overhaul in five or ten years. Continual adjustment is a saner, cheaper, and more flexible way to keep spaces up to date.

Some adjustment difficulties, of course, are psychological rather than physical. This is especially true if the company’s office redesign or relocation came on the heels of a merger or acquisition — a time when the combination of changes in cultural and physical space can unsettle employees. Human resources may need to get involved in order to massage egos accustomed to bigger or more luxurious spaces.

Checklist

A clean, well-lighted place--in a recent report titled “Innovative Workplace Strategies,” the U.S. government’s General Services Administration (GSA) offered a list of “Hallmarks of the Productive Workplace.” If you’re overseeing a redesign post-mortem, or if you plan to take a periodic look at how the workplace continues to function in the coming quarters, here is a list of elements the GSA recommends examining:
• Spatial equity: Do workers have enough space to accomplish tasks?

• Healthfulness: Does the workplace offer clean air and water, sufficient artificial and natural light, and freedom from distracting noises and smells?

• Flexibility: Can the workplace be rapidly adjusted to respond to industry-related challenges?

• Comfort: Can workers adjust light, temperature, furnishings, and acoustic levels to their preferences

• Connectivity: Can on- and off-site workers share the same networks and data and communicate easily? Is there connectivity for workers who change work modes often — such as working from home and rotating among offices in “hotel” cubicles?

• Reliability: Are technology systems and physical plant systems (heat, cooling, and water) reliable and consistent? Are upgrades necessary as an expanding office pulls on resources?

• Sense of place: Does the workplace decor (office furnishings) and atmosphere mirror the company’s brand or mission? Does the workplace create a culture appropriate to the work done there?

Gone are the days when offices were typically cubicle, surrounded by white walls and lit by white fluorescent lights. Architects and designers constantly reexamine the changing workplace to solve problems and accommodate needs. Some of their innovations have played better than others.

Isn't it time you moved to the next level with your office environment by talking to an office environment expert? Need help? Call me...

....help me with my office! (part 2)

Continued from part one-'Help me with my office!'

Bad office layouts are made, not born. An office configuration that suited the way business was done even five years ago might be irrelevant now.

The best way to find out if your office is dysfunctional is to conduct a formal study. Create an “activity portrait,” a drawing of traffic patterns around the office, by shadowing employees for several days in a row.

Goal: Find out what they need up front, and keep them in the loop to avoid backlash.

Involving employees in an office redesign is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it’s vital to know how they operate in order to create a space that’s more conducive to their work. On the other, asking them what they want can lead to unrealistic demands. As you gather input, be clear that you will try to address all concerns but that no one design can be perfect for everyone....at least mention it.

Once the new design has been chosen, let employees know what to expect, especially if the change will be significant. Make sure employees understand why the company is making each specific change. For example, if you’re moving people out of offices and into cubes, remind staff that the office now offers other perks: a souped-up dining area or benefits like concierge services, showers in bathrooms for lunchtime workouts, or a better cafeteria.

Two types of redesigns create “cultural revolt”: a move from closed-door offices to open office space, and a move in which two companies are merging and creating a new culture. With an office-to-cubes situation, companies need to up the ratio of conference rooms from one conference seat per three people to one conference seat for every two people. With a merger, managers should remind employees of their role’s significance, reassure them that their importance continues, and then offer a rational business context for why they may have to move desks or cede space.

Big Idea...

If the physical environment is bad — it’s cold, smells, or makes workers distracted — then employees won’t work well. No amount of organizational shoe-shining will change that… It’s Maslow’s pyramid — Psychology 101….the hierarchy of human needs as outlined by Abraham Maslow in 1943. According to Maslow, humans seek to satisfy a hierarchy of five types of needs, starting with the most basic physiological needs and ascending through a sense of safety, love and belonging, esteem, and self-actualization. If workers feel unhealthy they won’t be able to tap their higher selves in the office.

Goal: Make a list of the top priorities you want your redesign to address.

Once you’ve identified your biggest issues, decide which ones you want to attack. I recommend that companies evaluating an office redesign project identify four or five priorities to tackle, such as increased collaboration, improved productivity, or more efficient use of space.

At Group Health, a Washington-based insurer with 10,000 employees in more than 50 buildings, an in-house study quickly illustrated what the company’s design goals should be. The firm enlisted its employees to track their habits and found that at any given time, 40 percent of all cubicles or offices were sitting unoccupied. Many workers were in conference rooms or down the street at Starbucks, where they could more easily meet in teams. Others were toggling between multiple buildings and facilities. William Biggs, executive director of administrative services, asked his assistant to track his whereabouts. It turns out he spent less than 5 percent of his time at company headquarters.

This is the truth for a number of company leaders. Our work has moved from individual to team-based. We need to loosely pull groups together and then dismantle them, but that is difficult in a poorly-designed space. Based on the study, Group Health defined three design goals: First, the office needed more conference space. Secondly, cubicle sizes could shrink somewhat since workers were increasingly spending time outside of them. Finally, mobile workers like Biggs needed “touch-down” space where they could check their e-mail and make phone calls when visiting different divisions of the company.

Essential ingredients in the today's office....

Isn't it time you worked with an expert?
Furniture-Planning-Installation
rosecityoffice.com
-end of part two

....help me with my office! (part 1)

Gone are the days when offices were typically cubicle, surrounded by white walls and lit by white fluorescent lights. It is all about attracting that perfect employee...the new "it's all about me generation."

Years ago when I started in this industry....it was all about 'just jam as many people in a space as possible.' It is not like that anymore...and if you are an employer that "doesn't get it"....it might be too late for you. Seriously!

A whole new set of workers are on the horizon Mr. Employer...so think twice before you buy that super inexpensive laminate desk from China. The economy is starting to change and the oppressed worker wants more than a $59 chair with no arms.

Thanks to corporate giants like Google and Pixar that have demonstrated tremendous success despite their unconventional workplaces, more people are embracing the idea that creative work environment helps stimulate minds and inspire innovation.

According to a recent survey by Gensler, the prominent corporate architecture firm, half of all employees say they would work an extra hour per day if they had a better workplace. So why do so many companies maintain dark, cramped, ugly, or poorly designed offices?

Studies show that a well-designed office is one of the easiest and most cost-effective ways to retain workers and make them more productive. General Electric, Microsoft, and major West Coast insurer Group Health are just a handful of major organizations reaping the bottom-line benefits of smart, worker-oriented designs.

But if you want to do the office correctly....and attract talent (real talent)....how much should the boss budget for the office? ---Between $3,870 per person (open office design) and $6,447 per person (closed office design) to outfit an empty building, according to the International Facilities Management Association (IFMA).

Goal: Understand how well — or poorly — you’re using the existing floor plan.

Bad office layouts are made, not born. An office configuration that suited the way business was done even five years ago might be irrelevant now. The best way to find out if your office is dysfunctional is to conduct a formal study. Create an “activity portrait,” a drawing of traffic patterns around the office, by shadowing employees for several days in a row.

Whether you conduct an in-house study or hire a design consultant, the three key methods for gathering information are shadowing employees on their paths through the office; visiting conference rooms and desk areas every half hour to determine how they are being used; and asking employees to track their own movements and report back on how they spend their time. Here’s what to look for:

Space Layout---Study whether the layout of the building is helping or hindering employees in the quest to get work done. Shadowing workers for a few days will reveal wasted motion and inefficient organization of space.

-Red flags:

• Collaborative spaces are bunched at the far end of the building
• People whose jobs are highly collaborative do not naturally come into contact with colleagues during the workday
• Employees spend a lot of time in transit to meeting rooms, printers, copiers, and fax machines

Space Usage---Find out how often people are using existing spaces. Check in on what’s happening by stopping by cubicles and conference rooms every half hour.

-Red flags:

• An area is always empty
• An area is overcrowded
• Workers are competing for certain furnishings or equipment and not using others

Workarounds---Look closely at whether workers are using their space, furnishings, and equipment as intended. Does the environment support their process, or have they been forced to circumvent it?

-Red flags:

• Employees meet at a coffee shop because they can’t find common space
• Workers use drop-in space on another floor because the area around their desks is too loud
• They bring lamps from home to avoid harsh fluorescent lighting

If your study reveals a number of red flags, it’s time to hire an architect or office environment expert and find out how a redesign can improve the efficiency of your space.

Isn't it time you worked with an expert?

Furniture-Planning-Installation

 rosecityoffice.com

-end of part one

...the right office design can help

It’s a sad truth, but most workers spend their work days in terribly uninspiring environments. There are some progressive companies, however, who push the envelope of design to provide their employees with a truly invigorating work environment.

Ask yourself…is your office design drab and uninspiring? Do thoughts of going into your office dampen your spirit? It may be time to consider your office design and your productivity.

You may not have the time or budget for an office design makeover, but a few simple ideas can go far in boosting your business productivity….ok how? Match Your Brand: An important element of business marketing is the branding and image of your company…right? Whether you entertain clients or not, your office design should match your brand!

(What?)… Successful branding requires you to look and "feel" the brand. Having glossy business cards and a high-tech image but out-of-date office furniture and equipment, will make you feel like an imposter and you will have difficulty projecting your “brand” to customers.

Bring in Nature: Spending long hours in an unnatural environment can be hazardous to your health. Locating your office in a space with windows if possible is important. Consider nature photos to make your office a more pleasurable place. Add real plants to have fresh oxygen in your workspace.

A cautionary note for start-up companies “not thinking about office design.”

Many start-ups high on hope and low on cash will be tempted to NOT spend on office design or proper furniture. Look before you leap…but be honest with yourself. Begin with frugality in mind…but realize that you are at the office more than you think. The right office design can help you reduce stress, improve productivity, and in the end, enhance the profits of your business.

Isn’t it time you worked with an expert? Maybe you should be working with me on your office design, layout, and furniture.

...what a Barista Boy can't teach you

With the growing number of corporations adopting teaming strategies, the workplace is rapidly evolving. Bringing people together is only half of the collaboration equation.

The physical environment must support the group by providing the right tools for effective problem solving, strategic planning and brainstorming. Which factors should you consider when designing a team space?

Casual Collaboration:  The environment must be designed to foster interaction. Casual meetings at the coffee machine, photocopier or even the washroom result in spontaneous creativity. As companies recognize the importance of these impromptu water-cooler meetings, architects and space planners must respond accordingly and encourage these interactions with facility design. Although environment alone cannot guarantee the brightest ideas, workspace design does have a measurable impact on team productivity.

Variety – the Space of Life:  Variety is key when designing team space. Making both closed and open meeting spaces available is necessary to support different work styles. Dedicated office areas can double as meeting spaces for smaller groups. Larger, private areas like war rooms or project rooms are also needed. To maximize the benefits of collaborative work, finding suitable meeting spaces should be effortless. Diversity in room size, layout and design will ensure team members will always have an appropriate meeting space.

Collaborative Communication:  Sharing visual information is often an important component of team communication. Concepts are acknowledged and validated, which reinforces the individual, causes cohesion within the team and creates team spirit! Effective team spaces must be equipped with the tools to display the group's concepts, solutions and ideas.

The Right Tools:  What types of tools can be used to effectively capture information in team spaces? Flipcharts, dry-erase marker boards and notepads have been used in the past, but organizations are recognizing the limitations of such equipment. We are seeing Fortune 500 companies planning meeting spaces that include productivity tools to help team members manage the information generated during group collaboration. With products such as electronic and interactive whiteboards, teams can capture ideas directly to a computer for printing, e-mailing or saving. As companies recognize that time spent in meetings is actually a corporate investment, they will seek ways to effectively record all that transpires in team sessions. Keeping a record of all the notes coming out a meeting is invaluable.

Flexibility:  A group space should be flexible enough that a team can adapt the space when necessary. Open team space and adequate connectivity provide the flexibility for reconfiguration. Designers need to consider telecommunication and IT infrastructure as part of the design-build process. Non-territorial workspace with appropriate connectivity allows teams to pick up and plug in. Teams should have access to voice mail, e-mail, fax and networked information wherever they decide to meet. Consulting with information technology professionals throughout the design process results in flexible spaces that support natural fusion and fission common in work teams. All of the "Big 5" accounting firms are currently using such alternative officing strategies with telecommunications, software – and countless other industries are following the movement toward free-address space.

Designing a true team space is more than simply erecting four walls and throwing in a flipchart. Take a holistic approach by considering space availability, diversity, connectivity and flexibility to create an ideal environment which support the two-heads-are-better-than-one theory. With well-thought out space planning, corporations are experiencing increased productivity, faster product cycles and heightened employee morale.

Now isn't that better than a cup of Joe?...or as the kids say today a Raspberry Mocha Chip Frappuccino- Espresso Macchiato- Triple Tazo Citrus and Cream- Gingerbread Latte Grande? (nonfat of course)...

Tips & Warnings (if working with a Barista)

• Don't mumble
• Slow down, (I may not have made your drink before, or I may be new)
• Your Barista is not an idiot, but he is human
• Don't be jerk if your barista makes a mistake: things happen and nobody is perfect
• Some stores do not train their baristas as well as others. (Keep this in mind when traveling)

This method of ordering is for Starbucks only, though it will probably work just fine at most other family establishments.....

...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.

Workplace Strategy Part 2

The trend in corporate offices today is to have fewer and smaller individual workspaces and a greater portion of the space dedicated to interactive uses in an array of functions and sizes.

The main function of the workplace is shifting toward intense interaction. Space is being optimized for all types of collaboration, ranging from large formal meetings to chance interactions as two people pass in the corridor. For quick transitions from one mode of working (collaborative) to another (heads-down), “thinking spaces” are needed for periods of concentration.

Some very large technology companies are targeting a metric of 50 gross square feet per employee in their Sales and Service offices, down from 150 today. They do not plan to accomplish this by drastically reducing the size of workspaces but by better supporting employees working remotely, recapturing underutilized workspaces, and providing more collaborative spaces. Achieving this metric is a gradual process. These companies recognize that a significant amount of remote work is already happening. The new design and management of the workplace gives these mobile employees “permission” to be away from their desk. As a result, individual work space is less in demand.

Part 2 of 2

Workplace Strategy Part 1

Despite the benefits of Workplace Strategy (WS), the introduction of change may initially be unsettling to both employees and managers. Even at companies where the value of WS is recognized, selling the concept and progressing to its implementation can pose challenges.

Managers who have driven WS initiatives involving open-plan work environments, telecommuting, flextime, and on-demand space options report that objections about distractions and loss of privacy are common. For example, some employees insist that privacy is critical to their operations. But after further exploration, it may become apparent that they are expressing a personal desire rather than a true business requirement. It may also mean that providing a more varied set of space options, including individual privacy rooms throughout the space, can fulfill employee needs. Other common objections are from business unit managers who raise concerns about the upfront technology and furniture costs of WS, fear of lost productivity, as well as a personal sense of lost control when employees work in remote locations.

Most obstacles can be overcome with thorough planning and expert execution. Methods for getting buy-in more easily include: Aligning the WS program with the business goals: For example, if a business unit leader’s goal is to reduce costs, WS can be structured to produce savings in the intermediate or even short term. If the mission is to foster greater collaboration among business lines, open-plan environments and team rooms should be emphasized.

(Part 1 of 2)

Face it! It’s not as fun to do it by yourself…..

What’s funny is the fact that some customers see no value in the expertise of quality space planning capabilities. If I had a nickel for every time I heard, “we won’t need that service….we will do it ourselves.” Well obviously some feel they can do their regular ‘day job’ and devote a token amount of time to planning the layout of an entire office.

Honestly, offices have changed so much in the last 20 years that these customers….the ones that see no value in professional help….will someday be left in the dust. Why? As I explain the process…perhaps the process itself will answer the question.

Develop an interior space “Masterplan”
Before space planning and design of an interior project, someone (or group) must decide the direction or vision of the final interior plan (even before site selection is made). This will aid in the effort of “what type of space are we looking for?” If you don’t know your interior needs…how do you know where to begin?

It is an essential preplanning tool on all projects that range from medium to large scales due to their complexity. The primary purpose of a “Masterplan” is to determine the space, type of furniture, equipment locations in proximity to workers, and special needs of a company for move-in.

This Masterplan acts as a guide during the study and the preparation of space layout and the “type” of commercial space you are looking for. It is also a communication tool between the commercial real estate broker, your senior staff or advisors, your designer, and equally important, your office furniture team.

During the development of the Masterplan program, the furniture “programmer” will solicit detail information from the client about the company’s history, organization, operations, policies, personnel, and group requirements that make-up the company. Much of the programming effort focuses on quantitative calculations using basic unit takeoff that derives from revision of existing space standards from the company or from industry standards. This is why you need a professional.

The final “program book” includes overall space summary for move- in, personnel, and space projections for future, building feasibility analysis, space distribution analysis and planning recommendations for the new space. Programmers can generate additional company space statistics by comparing the types and usage of spaces between the company’s organizational units that are meaningful to identify growth patterns and planning directions. The statistic aims to provide interior space planners with additional information that will influence space layout decisions.

The nature of work is changing rapidly, and the workplace must adapt to keep pace. Technology allows knowledge workers to work anywhere at any time, improving their productivity while enhancing mobility both within and outside the office. In the office, employees can be freed from a static, dedicated space, thanks to technologies such as Voice over IP, wireless phones, and wireless computer networks. This allows them to seamlessly move from workstations to team rooms to private offices to café settings — wherever their work takes them within the office. In addition, these technologies allow employees to be productive when outside of the office setting as well, including at locations such as client sites, home, the local coffee shop, while traveling, etc.

Changes in the nature of work allow office environments to be managed as “on-demand” resources, with rooms and workstations allocated by reservation or on a first-come, first-served basis. The on-demand approach is often part of Workplace Strategy (WS) solutions.

If you are not concerned about the future of your knowledge workers, you soon will be. As baby boomers age out of the workplace there will be a shortage of high-end knowledge workers until the boomer’s echo generation develops the skills needed to replace them. If you are in a people-intensive business of innovating, building relationships or solving problems, the implications for your business are staggering.

What are you doing to improve employee retention?

Successful organizations realize employee retention and talent management are integral to sustaining their leadership and growth in the marketplace. Becoming an “Employer of Choice” by retaining high-caliber employees in today’s labor market should be the highest priority. An effective office environment can help.

…..next let’s discover the importance of Workplace Strategy and how that affects your Masterplan.