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Space-planning Practices for Smaller Offices

Contrary to common sense, when planning an office for your small business, size doesn’t matter. What’s even more important than the raw square-footage of your office is design. A great office doesn’t need to be large, in fact, there are many benefits to being small that larger business will try to emulate when conducting their space-planning. Here are a few tips and tricks to keep in mind when doing your space-planning to maximize the productivity your office design offers.

Space-planning, office design, small business

Mirror Layout and Company Structure

When starting a small business it’s important to figure out exactly what kind of structure best suits your company, and its identity within the field you are competing in. Will decision making follow a traditional top-down model, with a CEO, managers, and employees? Or will your business work from the bottom up, where choices are made collaboratively? Office design plays a crucial role in this process and should reflect your company’s structure. A traditional office might put its CEO in a corner office, close to mangers but sectioned off from employees while a more bottom-up business could place everyone together in a single, open space.

Increase Operational Opacity

A recent trend in space-planning for small businesses has been the elimination of walls and cubicles. While this might seem like a fast way to eliminate any workplace privacy, there are good reasons for doing so. Researchers have found that open, small-scale office spaces increased productivity, and helped foster a positive social environment leading to better information exchange and sense of satisfaction in the workplace without severely impeding employee’s sense of privacy.  It’s important to remember that a completely open plan may not work for every business and most will need to find a balance between structure and freedom.

Small Perks Mean Great Morale

One of the central debates when allocating funds in office planning is whether any extra money should be spent on amenities or simply added to paychecks. Often a nice espresso-machine, or drink dispenser can mean all the difference when it comes to employee morale. While people are more naturally inclined to say they’d rather just have the money, research has shown that these small perks can increase office satisfaction and willingness to stay in the office far more than simply doling out cash.

Need Help? Have Questions?

If you are interested in maximizing office efficiency, or simply have more questions about space-planning, you’re in luck! The experts from American Design Associates can work with you to decide on the office design and furniture for your space that will best suit your needs. Contact them today for more information!

American Design Associates, Inc. is a Contract Furniture Dealer and Design Firm located in Towson, Maryland. We proudly consider ourselves a “Dream Team” comprised of experienced project managers, interior designers, service technicians and an outstanding customer support team. We service clients throughout the Mid-Atlantic region including Maryland, DC, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and beyond. We have the resources and the know how to provide the best solution for all of your business needs.

 

Source: INC.com

This entry was posted on Wednesday, September 10th, 2014 at 1:38 pm. Both comments and pings are currently closed.