The past 18 months have transformed day-to-day life for the majority of UK workers. Working from home (WFH) has become the new norm, with some business owners deciding to give up their office spaces for good. For employers who do envisage a return to the office, the concept of “reopening” needs to be rethought.
Gone are the days of bland office spaces that offer nothing but row upon row of tightly packed office desks. To encourage workers back to the office, workspaces need to be reimagined.
Offices don’t have to be a thing of the past. In fact, many believe office culture is more important than ever as employees look to reconnect and collaborate with their colleagues again after months spent alone at home.
To encourage employees back to the office, we’ve put together a list of design attributes that will help to reshape your office space and make it a more inviting and relaxing place.
- Ditch the desks – Many workers cite hybrid working as their preferred way of working, splitting their time between WFH and working from the office. Due to this, many employers are removing desks from their workplaces and transforming them into team spaces. This allows employees who work remotely to then return to the office for collaborative meetings and team video calls.
Due to the cost and practicalities involved in creating new workspaces, many employers opt for pop-up products such as partitions, screens and moveable walls to help designate collaborative areas. These semi-permanent options also have the added advantage of offering easily reconfigurable spaces.
At Gralyn we can provide many joinery solutions to help create collaborative working spaces. From large, moveable wooden planters to modern transportable room partitions, all our joinery products are bespoke and made to meet our customers’ exact brief.
- Open plan offices – It’s often proven that natural light and fresh air have a positive impact on a person’s overall wellbeing. When it comes to office spaces, an open plan design facilitates these features, increasing employee wellbeing as well as making communication easier and encouraging collaboration.
Although the benefits of an open plan office are evident, open plan layouts have recently faced a lot of negativity due to the current heightened need for germ control. To stop germs spreading, strict cleaning schedules should be enforced, and social distancing should be adhered to.
At Gralyn we can create innovative bespoke desking solutions and workstations that complement your interior design and facilitate your transition to an open plan office space, helping to lure workers back into the office.
- Quiet nooks – Pre-pandemic many workers struggled to find privacy in the workplace. Having now worked from home for more than a year, they’ll likely want to maintain the privacy they have become accustomed to even whilst in the office.
Quiet nooks such as privacy pods, snug areas and phone booths provide private areas within busy offices and also allow anxious employees to work away from colleagues, whilst still being within the office environment.
When it comes to privacy pods, the possibilities are endless. At Gralyn we can build pods in any shape and size, ensuring they’ll fit comfortably into your workplace.
- Breakout Areas – Breakout areas allow employees to spend time away from their desk to socialise and switch off, whilst still remaining in the office. Breakout spaces often have a comfy and casual look and help employees to reduce their stress levels.
Lounge areas, breakfast bars and recharge rooms are all common examples of breakout areas and can be created here at Gralyn Joinery. We have experience in building everything needed for the perfect breakout area, from food bars to banquette seating to shelving units.
- Design matters – When it comes to the aesthetics of your office, it’s important to get it right. A well-designed office has been shown to increase employee satisfaction, productivity and retention. The correct interior design will also give a good first impression to visiting clients or customers.
Blue is a good colour to use in offices that require focus and precision, yellow will incite creativity, positivity and happiness within employees, and green will provide a calming atmosphere. Just by adding accents of colour you can add interest and change the mood within any office.
Our joinery solutions can be produced using specific coloured woods, or we can stain, varnish or paint our pieces to either blend in with your office aesthetics or to create a focal point within your workplace.
If you’d like our help in re-imagining your workspace or would like to know how our joinery solutions could work in your office, please get in touch. We also partner with leading interior designers who will be able to achieve your final desired look. Call us on 0113 253 7307 or email us here: https://www.gralyn-joinery.co.uk/contact-us/.
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