A good office interior design is necessary to help you create a conducive working environment. To achieve this, you need an interior designer who comprehends commercial spaces. Organizations tend to make several office interior design mistakes. The mistakes usually happen when organizations choose to cut on costs. There is an assumption that professional designers cost a lot of money. On the contrary, the designers can actually save you a lot of money by helping you make the right decisions.
Here are 6 mistakes that you should avoid.
1. Not Planning Adjacencies
Every office needs to plan for adjacencies. This involves identifying particular groups that should be close to one another. When an organization fails to make these plans, it becomes difficult for the teams to collaborate. It will also interfere with traffic flow and acoustics in the office. Planning for adjacencies saves time and allows employees to focus on their tasks. There are various factors that will influence adjacency planning in an organization including:
Which departments collaborate?
Is privacy required?
Where should the shared equipment be located?
2. Failing to Consider Traffic Flow
Efficient flow of traffic in an office ensures that employees spend the least amount of time moving from one area to another. Failure to consider traffic flow can be a costly interior design mistake for an organization. If employees are wasting time trying to access facilities in the office, it interferes with productivity. A professional designer will consider the facilities required by each department and come up with a well organized traffic flow.
3. Overlooking Acoustics
Open floor plans have gained a lot of popularity in office environments over the last few years. However, research shows that these plans have not improved productivity. They are not ideal for every employee. Some employees prefer to work in privacy while others enjoy the interaction and easy access that these plans allow. Organizations ignore acoustics when they are planning their office interior design. This is a major mistake that can have a negative impact on productivity. Noise is one of the main concerns in open floor plans. It can be very distracting. To avoid this, organizations have to combine both closed and open office areas. It is also advisable to take advantage of building materials that are designed to reduce noise levels. An interior design expert can help an organization to pick the right placement strategies and use the existing flooring and walls to reduce noise levels.
4. No Branding
An office interior design should be a reflection of the organization. Clients and employees should know about the organization by simply looking at the interior design. It should represent the organization. Branding should be part of the interior design. The brand should be present in each aspect of the office. This differentiates you from the other offices that your clients visit.
5. Disregarding Aesthetics
This is a major office interior design mistake that should be avoided. The interior design has to promote a certain image. You want to convey a particular message to your clients and make your employees feel comfortable. Functionality is important but your office also needs to be appealing. Focus on aesthetics to enhance productivity and creativity in the office.
6. Lack of Preparation
A good office interior design is only possible with proper and adequate planning. Lack of preparation is a common interior design mistake. An organization has to identify what needs to be changed and how it is going to be done. The preparation process also involves considering employee ideas. You have to think about where to use office lighting, carpeting, air conditioning, and accessories. There are various elements that are considered to get an efficient office interior design.
When an organization avoids these mistakes, it will be easy to create a working environment that helps to enhance output and resourcefulness. A good interior design can also promote trust among your clients and employees. Using a professional is a cost effective approach if you want to come up with an aesthetically appealing and efficient design. However, it is advisable to work with an experienced designer who understands the goals you want to achieve. The professional has to comprehend your organizational culture and have the ability to select items and layouts that will work to your advantage.