Your office design is a major consideration. The appearance of your office gives a first impression to customers and suppliers and, in turn, affects your business image.
Employees are also affected by your office design when it comes to well-being and productivity. You should not therefore undertake an office renovation or redesign without careful consideration. Find guidance with the three questions in this article…
What is the purpose of my office?
This first question might sound slightly puzzling. An office is just a work space, right? Well nothing could be further from the truth! Today, our working methods are completely different to twenty years ago. Technology has taken on a huge role in our professional lives (in the form of online meetings or working in the cloud, for example), as have creativity and flexibility. As employees increasingly work from home, you should perhaps view your office as a multifunctional meeting room?
What is the budget for your office design?
It goes without saying that you should set your budget in advance but you must always consider the long term too. Are you planning on spending several years in this office or will you seek out new premises in the not-too-distant future, because you need to grow or wish to explore the potential of new employees? As a result of shortages in the labour market and the war for talent, recruitment and retention are often a question of ‘going out to find the talent’ rather than ‘letting the talent come to you’.
Whether your office design is permanent or temporary is bound to affect the amount of money that you wish to invest. Sharing an office building with other organisations in a co-working space will give you greater flexibility in this regard.
Which legal considerations must I take into account?
Finally, your office design must not only be reconciled with your business, it must also fulfil all the legal requirements of the FPS Employment, Labour and Social Dialogue. The so-called ‘act of 4 August 1996 on the welfare of employees in the execution of their work’ (in short the ‘welfare act’) offers rules on the dimensions and volume of rooms, among other things.
Support from professionals
These initial questions clearly illustrate that there is a lot to think about when designing an office or an office renovation. It is wise to bring an expert on board. The team at Alternativ will examine the whole puzzle with you – from acoustics and ergonomics to sustainability. Finally, we will help you find the appropriate furniture. Handy, right?
Feel free to get in touch for a chat.
