An open office can not only improve space utilization, promote employee communication, but also reduce decoration costs. According to The Wall Street Journal, businesses using open offices can save up to 50% on costs compared to companies with traditional offices. In addition to removing partitions, bosses can try the following five strategies to renovate the office space, allowing employees to exert unlimited productivity in a limited space!
1． Transparent screens create flexible partitions
If the office space is limited and you want to make the space planning more flexible, the company can consider installing some large folding screens, which can be pulled out to divide their respective workspaces when necessary. Traditionally, sealed screens are used to separate different working spaces or divide meeting rooms, etc., but modern designs often add semi-open elements, for example, using glass transparent screens to increase the visual effect of the space and add more space to the office. Use flexibility.
Transparent screens and sound insulation measures can not only allow employees to enjoy a quiet space to concentrate on work, but also help improve work efficiency, and the visual space is still spacious, while maintaining the advantages of an open office - the connection between colleagues will not be affected isolated by walls.
2. Reserve a small amount of independent space
Martha Clarkson, global office space strategist at Microsoft, once said that if you want employees to work in a shared environment, you must provide them with enough privacy, such as separate office rooms, lounges or outdoor walking areas . At present, the offices of many enterprises have adopted the design of mixed open and private spaces. There are not only unassigned collaboration desks, but also independent and quiet cubicles, allowing people to focus on solving work. Close collaboration and uninterrupted concentration can exist at the same time.
The company can set up several closed studios, which can be used for meeting or meeting with customers. When colleagues need to think quietly, they can also move to the closed space to continue working.
3. Switch to mobile desks and chairs
The open office has no fixed partitions and lacks independent desks, which can certainly reduce decoration and operating costs. However, just putting a "pork table" in the middle of the office is not an efficient open design. The essence of open design is to allow employees to move around flexibly, to communicate with other colleagues, or to work in different corners freely as needed!
Companies can choose flexible work desks, chairs and furniture, such as whiteboards and monitors, plus laptops, so that employees can work in groups or move to corresponding corners as needed.
4． The tea room turns into a coffee shop
Office spaces that combine leisure and work are also a big trend. Bosses can make good use of the open space, decorate the pantry more delicately, place some tea tables and comfortable chairs, and cooperate with soft lighting to create a relaxing atmosphere. Employees can enjoy the rest time more comfortably, and they can also gather in the pantry to communicate with each other about work and daily life, making the working atmosphere more pleasant and helping to improve employee morale.
5. Use different materials to separate areas
It is not necessary to use screens to separate the work area and other functional areas, but also to use building materials to make different areas in the open office more distinct. For example, concrete floors are used in the work area, and the cool-toned decoration can make people calm and focused; the rest area or meeting area can use wooden floors that give people a warm feeling.
As long as you give full play to your creativity, you can create a more comfortable and flexible open office space, so that employees and bosses can communicate conveniently and truly mingle.
