Planning an office isn't what it used to be. Say goodbye to throwing together some cubicles and giving leadership the offices — today's workers want open spaces, natural meeting areas, and even a place to exercise. We caught up with Shelton Keller Group, an office design firm that has helped create spaces for companies like the Chive, Cirrus Logic and Livestrong to see what they think are most important when designing office spaces today.
"When we work with our clients there are many things to consider in creating the right workspace," Beth Goff-McMillan, Principal at Shelton Keller Group, said. "Most people want to think about design elements initially because those are tangible and fun. However, what makes a great space is how a space is truly utilized, and how it inspires work."
Here are four things she told us to consider first when planning your office space:
Plan for the future
When we start working with clients we try to get them to evaluate the optimal way to get work accomplished, and how the evolution of their business could impact how future work gets executed. Most people try to plan based on what they have instead of how it should be. Instead of planning based on what has always been the norm, we encourage clients to consider how work should be getting done to accomplish business goals.
Shifting Modes of Work
Another important element is helping clients explore when team members are working at peak effectiveness and efficiency. There are several work modes to consider as one size fits all is not always the right recipe. When planning a work environment, providing a variety of spaces or opportunity to transition from the various work modes is essential. Work modes could be classified as focus space for heads down work, shared space for a two-three person team of quick work, or active space where larger groups of collaboration takes place. Consider the work modes and how to transition between them.
Group Space
Group space is essential to drive culture and the impromptu transfer of knowledge. These spaces are a hit when they can be easily accessed, provide a sense of privacy from the main stream work areas, and have the right blend of technology. We find the most unused spaces in an office environment are interior spaces off the beaten path lacking in technology.
Options
Today people have choices. The notion of customized sneakers and endless coffee drink choices has naturally transferred to the office environment. Options are essential for employees these days. Providing work tool options at the desk to support individual work is one way to accomplish this. Providing a variety of meeting options in terms of group size, casual/formal to support the activities taking place.
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