Whether you are refurbishing an existing workspace or designing a new one, office design layout ideas have probably crossed your mind. By using modular furniture and creating flexible workspaces that can be easily reconfigured, an office design layout plan facilitates effective collaboration and communication among team members.
The modern office design plan incorporates elements of both open and enclosed designs, incorporating enclosed offices and conference rooms for private meetings, as well as open areas for group meetings. It has also been shown that biophilic designs, including those incorporating plants and natural lighting, are trending since they promote well-being and productivity.
With today’s advancements in technology, office design ideas extend to using office automation, virtual reality and ergonomic furniture. Some of these include standing desks and treadmill desks. This article presents a variety of ideas for office design layouts that will help you make the most of your space.
What is Space Planning?
As you may already know, space planning is an in-depth analysis of space use in buildings. It takes into account the purpose of the space as well as the users.
Space planning is a process that takes several steps, and it is an essential part of interior design and architecture. It ensures efficient use of floor space without wasting it.
When done right, space planning also accounts for all possible uses of a space. When the process is completed, it can lead to a comprehensive office design layout plan. This refers to a drawing that defines the needs and requirements of a space, such as its windows, doors, and even furniture.
In order to create a functional workspace, it is important to have an office layout plan that is both efficient and effective.
You can start by identifying the office planning objectives before you decide on your office layout because it affects how your employees perform their tasks. As soon as these are in place, you should consider the types of tasks your employees perform, the interactions they need with each other and your clients, as well as the accessibility of your support functions.
There are many types of office design layout ideas to fit different work styles and company needs. From traditional workspaces to agile offices, office design layouts have evolved greatly.
So here are some office design layout ideas for you to consider in your next project.
1. Your Office Design Layout Plan Should Allocate Space for Employees and Departments
Our very first point in our list of office design layout ideas is planning your office space correctly and serving the needs of your team which requires taking into account the type of work being done and how many people are working.
In addition to storage requirements, you also need to consider collaboration requirements and how many people will be working in the office at any given time. This is particularly important in today’s hybrid work environments.
You can also make sure that all of your office space is utilized (even if you are on a budget) by making sure that all space is used: walls, desks and under them, doors, etc. Before making any final decisions, make sure you explore all the possibilities when it comes to storage and organization.
2. Ensure that the Office Design Layout Plan is Conducive to Any Work Type
The second point of office design layout ideas is to take into account the type of work that is going to be done there when planning your office layout. If a lot of employees will be using computers, it would be beneficial if they had enough space and the layout allowed for easy movement between desks.
It is important to have a meeting room or break-out area where your team can collaborate more frequently, especially if you have people on the field. For employees frequently working on the phone it’s important to ensure they have enough space and privacy to perform their work without disturbing others.
There is still a strong demand for open spaces. These spaces encourage collaboration, innovation, and a sense of community in the workplace. They are also more cost effective than traditional offices since fewer walls are needed.
Hybrid work and desk hoteling is one of the best office design layout ideas if you want an office space plan that’s affordable, efficient, and doesn’t require a superhuman effort on your part.
Depending on the needs and location of employees, this program allows them to “hotel” or book desks ahead of time. You will save space by doing this, as employees won’t have assigned desks, and you will save money by not buying as much furniture (or renting a larger space as otherwise).
3. Taking Advantage of Natural Light and Fresh Air
It’s important to provide employees with access to natural light and fresh air in the workplace in order to increase their productivity. With the trending sustainable office designs, this is third on our list of office design layout ideas.
Light is important for employee productivity and well-being (as the statistics cited earlier in this article indicate). Make sure your office space plan includes plenty of windows and skylights, and use light colors on walls and floors.
The use of plants in the office can improve the air quality as well as make the workplace feel more inviting. They also absorb sound, so they can help to reduce workplace noise.
Plants aren’t the only natural touch you can use to bring the outdoors inside your office space. Wood, special natural fabrics, or stone can also help to bring the outdoors inside.
4. Improving Communication and Collaboration Between Employees
In order for employees to communicate and collaborate effectively, one of the good office design layout ideas is to have enough space to move around and talk to each other. This is even more important if you have a team working on a project together.
Having a well-designed office space reduces noise levels, making it easier for employees to concentrate. Include a space where employees can collaborate and brainstorm. Meeting rooms, lounge areas, or even open areas with comfortable seating could all be used as these areas.
When you give employees some quiet time, they will be able to concentrate better. In order to achieve this, you should designate areas for quiet work, such as phone booths or meeting rooms.
Flexibility is also essential when considering a hybrid work model, as you will need to be able to accommodate a variety of employees at any given time.
5. Designing A Flexible Office Layout That Can Be Easily Reconfigured
Our final point in our list of office design layout ideas is that you’ll need an office space that is easily reconfigurable as your team grows and changes, whether you add or remove walls or rearrange furniture.
Redesigning/replanning your office doesn’t have to cost a fortune. In fact, you can save a lot of money during the planning process. Instead of buying new furniture and fixtures, you can choose to reuse existing ones, or you can choose a modular design that can be easily reconfigured as needed.
Our checklist of office design layout ideas will help you plan out an effective layout
- Analyze the current state of office space
- Find out how much space your organization really requires
- Communicate with each team separately
- Consider what type of space would be most suitable for your team.
- Make a plan for achieving your office space goals
- Implement your plan and get stakeholder buy-in
If you are planning to design a new office or redesign your existing office we have The Ultimate Guide for you.
The commercial interior design process can be a complex and intense undertaking, whether it’s designing for a new space or renovating an existing one. It has many logistical and budgetary implications that, at best, disrupt daily business operations. Book a free consultation with our design team to ensure each stage of your office design project is handled seamlessly.