Whether you are a new startup that recently made San Francisco your new headquarters or an established company that is looking to change how your office looks, designing a proactive workspace is imperative.
The details may not sound like they make a difference, but Ben Waber, CEO of Sociometric Solutions, told Reuters it does.
“Think about who your people are and how they work before you start making decisions about how to get them to interact with other employees,” said Waber, whose company studies workplace interactions.
This largely depends on the type of work your business does on a day-to-day basis, as well as the culture of your workforce. For new companies, imagining a work culture can be hard, so think of the type of environment that meshes with the personality of those who are already on board.
For example, Reuters explained that a financial services firm may not benefit from an open-floor plan because clients discuss sensitive matters with advisors.
On the other hand, it is necessary to place departments that constantly work with one another close by, encouraging collaboration, innovation, and efficiency. According to Waber, about 40 to 60 percent of all work interactions occur with those who sit physically nearby.
Ultimately, when a business decides to change the design of the workspace, executives are going to need additional commercial furniture to replace pieces that are broken or missing; however, business furniture can be very expensive at retail value. In order to maximize the budget, consider purchasing used office furnishings instead. These products are carefully selected to be implemented as high-quality pieces suitable for corporate use.
