How to design a totally efficient office? What is the difference between an effective office and a business office? What are the considerations you need to take into account before starting?
Designing the ideal office is important because real comfort and work efficiency depend on it. But if the office is too informal or not effectively separated from other environments, productivity spikes could be missed.
Comfort is a mainstay in any office, which means it must be 'insulated' from other natural sounds and interruptions that could affect work efficiency.
The first step in designing a productive office is understanding the physical limits of the workspace. That is, focusing on the design itself.
Before you start, ask yourself the following:
- What activities will be carried out in the office?
- What is the type of work to be done?
- Will it be a transit point for customers?
- Will it be a transit point for members?
- What kind of materials will there be?
- What is the equipment required for the job?
- Will there be meetings and / or conferences?
By answering the previous questions, you will be able to prepare your program for the development of the office.
What are the 5 most important things to keep in mind when designing your office?
The next thing is to prepare the space. Where are you going to install your office? It can be a large or small place; expensive or affordable, but the most important thing is that each area is clearly delimited.
Remember that your goal is to quickly find what you need, access the material and make the space as efficient as possible.
Team
Speed and efficiency are two critical aspects in any office. But don't make hasty decisions. Before deciding, make sure that you are going to pay for equipment that you are actually going to use.
Opt for wireless, as this will give you the possibility of being flexible, for example, to work with the computer from the desk, the chair; standing or sitting. This simple decision can improve your creative ability to think and solve problems faster.
The phone is another highlight. You don't want to miss any calls, so you will need to have a line that is always available. It is vital that the terminal has functions such as messaging, conferencing and hands-free.
Better to invest in the fastest equipment available and worth trusting. Productivity will be higher when things work better.
Therefore, it is also important to have insurance that covers any loss or disaster.
illumination
Correct lighting is essential.
The best thing is that the light is as natural as possible, so it is always advisable to choose places with a window that improves the lighting.
If there is no natural light, it will be necessary to balance the general and task lighting system. Think about rainy days or early or late in the day. If your office is on a ground floor or has no windows, you will need light sources that reproduce natural light.
In addition, you can add attenuators, to be able to control the amount of light emitted at all times.
eye! Excessive light can cause glare. Try not to place the spotlights directly on or in front of computer screens.
Bottom line: to avoid eye strain and stay productive for longer, just make sure you can control the brightness and intensity of each light source.
Privacy
It is very difficult to concentrate in a place full of noise or interruptions.
The different spaces in your office should offer a certain degree of privacy, depending on the activity to which it is dedicated.
Although headphones can be useful at times, hardly anyone wants to have to wear them all day.
The dividing screens are usually very practical, since in addition to dividing, they can also perform storage functions.
Peace of mind in an office can be synonymous with concentration and productivity. However, some white noise, such as fan or air conditioner noise, can come in handy to enhance the work environment.
Design / Organization
Having a good organizational design means having just enough space for work, but also having covered basic storage needs.
The surface of the office desks are not only useful for working with the computer, but it will be the main place where much of the workload takes place. The desk is where the worker spends most of the time.
For this reason, solutions to properly organize your desk help you maintain order and prevent the case of stacks of papers and other materials.
Items such as pens or paper trays are extraordinary resources for keeping all your work tools in one place.
Ergonomics
Health, safety and well-being in the office clearly depend on the quality of the items you select for the job.
In recent times, office chair manufacturers have found it necessary to adapt their designs to the comfort and ergonomics of users.
Advances have been made in biomechanics that have made people's lives easier, even when they are working all day on the computer.
Focus on finding chairs that help keep your shoulder free and that the balance point of your pelvis is secured.
An option that you should not overlook is the footrest, mouse instruments that facilitate the movement of your hand, or pads to rest the wrists while we type on the computer keyboard.
In any case, the goal is to make office work more comfortable for the body, especially those we use to perform work tasks.
