The same way your outfit reveals some of your traits to people, your office space says a lot about your business identity. Nowadays, businesses have become brands and even brands have personalities. Brand identity is becoming one of the most important things that will set you apart from your competitors and attract like-minded clients.
Office design features
The design and organization of your office unveil your priorities to your clients, as well as your company’s culture, strategy, and values. Moreover, it is noticed that office design strongly affects productivity, which in turn leaves a powerful, positive impression on visitors. Your office is a place where you and your colleagues meet your clients or customers. The first impression they get will linger long enough to impact their purchase decisions and, consequently, your business. This is whyit is very important to make sure your office environment is an accurate physical representation of what you and your company stand for.
Your office space says a lot about your business and is an asset that will promote your brand through interactions with your clients. They will base their expectations on several factors like
- your location
- office environment
- how tech-savvy you are
Those factors will indicate how successful your business will be in the end.
Location, location, location
Competition has grown fierce in almost every industry, so, it doesn’t surprise that business owners search for every advantage they can get. One of them is certainly the location of the office. Whether you keep a shop, run a digital marketing startup or a lawyer’s office, you can’t ignore the benefit of having an office in the busiest, fanciest part of the city. Your office doesn’t have to be large to impress; everything you save on rent you can invest in design.
Things you don’t need daily, like your archive, you can keep in an affordable storage facility further away. To find assistance before relocatingto a prospective neighborhood, you should look for companies specialized in commercial relocation. Also, the newly chosen location should be easily accessible to your customers or clients. The stress they accumulate on their way to you will negatively affect their mood, as well as your business dealings. On the other hand, an office located in a well-connected neighborhood will enhance your reputation.
Office environment
It all boils down to how your clients perceive your business. There are a few office design features that convey quite specific brand messages to customers
- Cubicles
- Lounge areas
- Library settings
- Open workspace
So, what do these various office design features reveal about a business?
Cubicles
Companies that want to divide their departments or other business operations use cubicles. They expect their employees to work independently in their separated work areas. Neatly distributed cubicles leave an impression of strong structure, organization, and autonomy.
On the other hand, they can seem too controlling, leaving no room for creativity and self-expression. To make certain your brand conveys the right message, consider hiring a commercial interior designer.
Lounge area
Companies that have replaced a formal waiting area with a comfortable lounge welcome their customers to a home-like environment. Having lounges for employees brings a sense of a cozy family atmosphere. New, creative ideas stem from relaxed conversations.
At the same time, having a lounge area that is constantly empty because your employees are too busy to use it, reflects badly on your company. Office space says a lot about your business and you’d want it to say all the right things.
Bookshelves
Numerous business owners rely on stereotypical office features, believing that their office design should mirror their industry. If you intend to leave an impression of a knowledgeable and refined intellectual, line your office walls with academic books and achievements. Heavy wood desks are commonly used to convey authority.
However, you may notice that the new trends defy stereotypes in almost every area including office design. Unless you prefer to induce awe, books in your office should help your employees with professional development. Bear in mind that bookshelves take a lot of space. It will ruin the practical side of having an impressive book collection if it clogs the office.
Open workspace
Logically, an open workspace is on the other side of the spectrum from cubicles. It boosts collaboration and communication and leads to innovation and improvements. Itmakes the office more welcoming to both employees and clients, as there are no closed doors one needs to knock on.
Open office space says a lot about your business; it also implies that you might not care about your employees’ or clients’ data privacy, concentration, and even health. It suggests that you are too cheap to invest in some walls. Speaking of walls, office building exterior matters, too.
High-tech tools
It truly makes a difference whether you’re using old-school or high-tech tools in your office. The kind of tech you show off has a significant impact on how your customers and clients perceive your business. The only way to send the right message, that you’re a forward-thinking professional, is to acquire technology that you will use to help your staff and better serve your customers.
Otherwise, letting your high-tech tools gather dust will leave the impression that you’re prone to wasting money and resources. A 21st-century office must have a look of continuously added functionality that only new technologies can bring into the picture. Investing in proper high-tech tools means investing in employees and reassures new clients.
Use your office identity to your benefit
Your office is a tool, too, a powerful one that helps you create and model your brand identity. Your office design doesn’t only shape your brand, but your company culture as well. The objective is that your office represents an enthusiastic and strong business with a unique personality. Above all, the image your office space sends into the world should be unforgettable.
Alice Bianchi is a hotel supervisor and a freelance writer. She lives in Texas and writes for Evolution Moving Company NB. She’s is also a travel enthusiast in love with the great outdoors.
