A modern business deserves a modern office. Whether you’re a tech startup, a marketing company or simply a forward-thinking organization, you can benefit from having an office space that fits in with the times.
The right workspace can help your team to work creatively, helping you build a collaborative workplace that can drive results.
So how can you design an office that suits your modern business? Here are some tips for building your creative, tech-focused office.
Choose a modern layout
Offices are a different place from what they used to be. While old-school companies still enjoy individual offices and closed doors, modern businesses are much more likely to have an open plan office, where everyone sits near each other. You’ll want to consider the advantages and disadvantages of an open-plan office to help you decide if it’s the right move for you.
Something else you could decide to implement is a hot-desking policy. Hot-desking means employees don’t have a fixed desk, allowing them to move around as needed. This is a good way to encourage flexible working, while also making sure that teams can work collaboratively together.
Take a look at the latest office design trends
It’s an exciting time to be looking at setting up an office. Modern businesses are doing some impressive things with their offices that help them become desirable places to work. Current office trends include a range of styles, including bright, white and open offices (like an Apple store!) or those that are industrial and feature exposed brickwork and hardware to make a cool style statement.
Choosing an office interior gives you a wide range of possibilities, but you should also consider your business and your brand to help you come up with a design that suits. Remember to consider breakout areas, coffee spots, your meeting rooms and more when designing your office to make sure you and your team have everything you need to do great things.
Invest in equipment that helps your team perform
Getting your equipment right is vitally important for your business. You’ll want to invest in the latest technology to make sure that your teams are able to perform well and not be plagued by tech issues. Different employees will require different equipment, and it’s important that you sit down with them to establish your needs before you start ordering.
As well as having the right equipment, you need to make sure that it’s managed correctly. You can bring in an in-house tech team or use a management team that works remotely to handle your technology. Many people are switching to Mac in the office, especially creatives, so it’s important that the company you choose also has experience in Mac management. Technology is important to your business, so make it a priority when it comes to building your new office space.
Use smart technology across your office
Creating a new office gives you the perfect opportunity to adopt some greener principles. A smart office can not only save your business money, but it could take the time and effort out of tasks that would normally eat into your productivity.
There are some great examples of smart office solutions. From wirelessly controlled heating to self-watering plants, there are easy ways to bring in technology that will give your office a boost and make your space more contemporary. You could even bring in a home assistant system to your office to help you control lighting and the office playlist!
Use collaborative working tools
Teams that work collaboratively can produce some excellent results for your business. It gives employees the opportunity to work closely together, build and share ideas and share skills on different projects.
There are some great tools available to help your teams work more collaboratively. Some of the best collaborative tools include Trello, Asana and Podio, but there are many more to choose from depending on what your business needs. These tools work online and allow teams to stay on top of projects, provide comments and feedback, communicate and organize their work. Not only can these tools help boost productivity, but they’re also useful for businesses who have remote employees or want to provide more flexibility to their staff.
Embrace the cloud
Cloud working is being embraced by many businesses today, and it’s easy to see why. Many cloud services operate on a subscription base, allowing more users to use the software without buying multiple licenses. Cloud working also provides backup and security, with no need for a tonne of internal servers that need maintenance and updating.
Popular cloud software includes suites like Office 365, which contains all of your typical Microsoft programs, including Word and Excel. It can be used across Apple computers too, so it’s great for teams to be able to work together.
Cloud software also benefits from being secure and instantly accessible. Being able to access documents any time, anywhere will save you time, while also knowing that everything is being backed up constantly. As a way to reduce your business costs and save you the hassle of managing regular software updates and upgrades, you should give some serious consideration to cloud working.
Make use of creative breakout spaces
If you take a look at top tech and creative offices like Google and Facebook, you’ll see that they not only have your typical workspaces, but that they also have plenty of breakout areas too. Having some cool breakout spaces will allow teams to meet as needed, or enjoy a bit of quiet time to read or focus on a project. You should also give some thought to your break areas to ensure that your teams have access to great facilities.
Creating the right office space will require a lot of consideration, but getting it right will help ensure the best results for your business. Now is your chance to design something that helps you be the business you want to be, as well as ensuring happy and motivated employees. Design an office that’s built for creativity and take your business to new heights.
