While there are many factors that can impact your team as a whole, one that’s often neglected or overlooked is the design of your office. Here are 6 of the most common office design mistakes to avoid.

When it comes to choices for office designs, things have certainly come a long way from cramped, plain cubicles and neutral, uninspiring color schemes. Completely open office designs, beverage bars, gaming lounges, workout studios — your amenity choices are limitless, and so is the potential to become overwhelmed by them all.  Pick the wrong ones, or too many of them, and your office has gone from ‘amazing’ to ‘complete overload’.

That doesn’t mean that creating the perfect office is out of your reach, however. This list of the six most common office design mistakes to avoid will help you create the necessary balance between what your team wants, and what they need, to be successful. 

Lighting Woes

How your space is going to be lit is the first thing you want to consider when you’re designing your office. Improperly lit work spaces can be a headache for everyone involved: lights that are too harsh can trigger migraines in some people, while lighting that’s too dim can lead to eye strain and other issues. You’ll want to incorporate as much natural light as you possibly can, while incorporating a mix of other lighting types to make the most of your design layout. 

Improper Layout

Office designs that are open are often like flipping a coin. On one hand, the open space can be invigorating and refreshing for your employees,  fostering a feeling of collaboration and truly being part of the overall team. On the other hand, when a plan is too open or poorly designed, distractions can become a huge issue.

To get the most out of your design, you’ll want to consider your business and team needs, before creating that amazing open office plan you’ve got in mind. This way, you’ll be able to get the perfect balance between communal spaces for the whole team, and distraction-free zones for individuals, which leads to our next point. 

No Room To ‘Breathe’

If forced to work too closely with others, your team members can be a huge source of distractions for each other. Even if it’s unintentional, invasion of personal space can lead to flared tempers, poor attitudes, and a serious drop in productivity. By ensuring your employees have plenty of ‘elbow room’ to stretch out and work without others breathing down their necks, you’ll end up with a close-knit team that’s working at peak performance for you.  Make sure you leave plenty of room to add new additions to your team while you’re at it.  

Inadequate Break Areas

While a card table, some folding chairs, and a coffee pot might technically be considered a break area, it’s not going to do very much for your employees, or their morale. The best layout doesn’t have to be lavish or over the top, but it does need to be a space where they can properly relax, refuel, and regroup their thoughts before tackling the rest of their day. 

Comfortable furniture, appropriate appliances, and possible recreation activities are all things to consider when creating a great break area for your team. 

Neglecting The Reception Area

Don’t forget the front of the office while planning your design. Whether they’re clients, vendors, potential new hires, or other important visitors, you’ll want a reception area that’s comfortable and welcoming to them. Not only will this make a great first impression, but it will go a long way in helping to build relationships later down the road. 

Overlooked Storage Needs

One important, and often forgotten, step in planning the perfect office design is asking yourself: Have you allotted enough storage space to cover all of your needs?  You don’t want to allot too much space and eat into room needed for other things, but if you have too little you can find yourself running into a myriad of problems. Clutter, fire and tripping hazards, running out of needed supplies, and lack of replacement furniture/equipment are just a few of the issues you can experience if you’re not smart about planning your current and future storage needs. 

Now that you’re armed with this list of the most common office design mistakes to avoid, it’s time to turn that dream plan into reality. When you’re ready to take that next step, contact us  and we’ll help you create the perfect office for your business, together.