There is no standard or minimum amount of space required in any office. There can be too much unused space, or there can be too little room to put all the furniture in and fit every employee, both of which can hinder the flow of productivity in the office.
Moreover, more other problems arise because of the bad management of office space, most especially with small office spaces. The congestion in a small office may affect the room temperature, produce more clutter and noise, and leave no extra space for new employees or even guests.
The most obvious solution to having to this is moving into a bigger office, but that could not always be the best solution. Whether you are tight on the company budget, or you think proper office designing is all you need, then here are a few creative small office design ideas to utilize your small office space better.
Remove the dividers
In most situations, dividers or cubicle walls can be a beneficial in increasing the office productivity because dividers give employees a sense of privacy despite working with other people within the same room, and thus, help them focus. However, dividers seem impractical and unnecessary in an office space that is already small and intimate. For a small office interior design, it would be best to just remove them and join together the individual office desks whether side by side or opposite each other to utilize the already intimate space while creating more room in the office.
Although it may seem informal, this layout is most definitely advantageous for work that requires a lot of collaboration and discussions. Employees can hold impromptu meetings without leaving their seats, and without the need of a separate meeting room. Of course, it is also possible to still put low dividers between tables if desired and needed.
Utilize the sides and corners
Joining office desks and situating them in the middle of the room, like a mini meeting room, can be beneficial for several teams that need constant collaboration, but it could be distracting to other kinds of workplaces. One of the best small office design layout ideas that can give employees more privacy despite the small space is utilizing the sides and corners of the room.
Instead of employees facing each other while working, which can be highly distracting, companies can simply make them turn their backs on each other by making the office desks face the wall and the corners. This layout would also still allow offices to put low dividers on the sides of each desk, as well as create a bigger looking space by having the middle of the room unoccupied.
Use space-saving fit outs
Cutting down on furniture and going for a minimalistic style is definitely one of the obvious solutions to creating a better space for a small office. However, employees having less space to store their documents and other belongings within their reach can be disastrous and even create more visible clutter on their desks. For situations like this, companies should look for cleverly designed and space-saving fit outs for their offices. Alternatively, they could provide lockers or multi-purpose cabinets in a separate area for everyone’s use.
It is best to consult or check with a construction company in the Philippines about the most fitting and space saving fit out designs for a small office space.
Let natural light in
Lastly, to make small offices seem like they have a bigger space, companies need to carefully pick their color scheme. Light or neutral colors like mint or beige would work better for this compared to darker colors like orange or blue. They help create an illusion that the room is able to breathe well compared to having a suffocating and chaotic feeling from using dark and contrasting colors. Additionally, having bigger windows and letting lots of natural light in the office can help the room look bigger than it actually is.
A good office does not need to be large. Always remember that more than the size, it is the design that matters more. Just a little reorganization or renovation can make your small office even better than other offices including the bigger ones.
By following the list of tips above for your small office design, you can surely create a comfortable and productive office space for you and your employees.