Getting your office fitout right can be tricky. Especially as your organisation is constantly evolving. When you start out, your office fitout might be great at meeting all your needs but as your organisation expands this is less and less likely. But how can you tell when your office fitout is no longer working for you? Here’s 5 key warning signs to watch out for.
1. It doesn’t connect you with the company’s mission
The Employee engagement is one of the biggest problems HR departments face. Every company, no matter what size or industry it operates in, struggles to keep its employees engaged and on track to achieve the company’s mission.
Furthermore, the 2016 Workplace Survey found that a sense of purpose is integral to creating an innovative company. It’s important to reinforce why people work at the business. This keeps employees engaged, which in turn impacts the quality of the work they produce. If your office fitout isn’t doing this, then it may be time to make a change.
2. It makes it impossible to focus
Does your office design allow you to concentrate? Can you get everything you need to done? A recent study by Oxford Economics, a spin-off organisation of Oxford University, found that uninterrupted work time was at the top of employee wish lists when it comes to what they want in their work environment.
Millennials in particular are the most vocal about noise complaints, 74% of which currently work in open offices. This once popular office design is making it increasingly difficult for employees to focus. The study also found that 30% to 40% of a person’s work day involves solo work. So, if your office design is preventing your employees from concentrating, it may be time to rethink your office fitout.
3. Your Office Fitout lacks diverse space
A diversity of space is important if you want to provide your employees with a work environment where they can concentrate while doing individual work but also collaborate with their colleagues while working on team projects.
According to Diane Hoskins the Co-CEO of Gensler, an American design and architecture firm, “collaboration is critical for innovation.” In fact, that same study by Oxford Economics revealed that, the most innovative companies (as ranked by employees) emphasised individual and group work. Furthermore, these companies were five times more likely than less innovative companies to have spaces that accommodate collaboration.
4. It’s cluttered
Is your office design cluttered? As a small business, it’s very easy to outgrow your office fitout pretty quickly. This can lead to a build-up of clutter, with extra supplies and equipment taking up space in communal areas. Some employees may even have to share their workspaces with inventory.
However, most employees don’t feel productive in an environment that is overrun with people and excess stuff. In fact, the average individual workstation has shrunk from 80 square feet in 1992 to 39 square feet in 2014. That’s according to Jacobs – a major design and workspace construction firm – who note that 39 square feet is likely a bit more than most office workers actually have.
5. It doesn’t inspire you
A Ipsos poll carried out on behalf of Steelcase, found that British workers feel uncomfortable, uninspired and unable to concentrate at work. This is said to be leading to an increased rate of burnout among employees. New research published in the Frontiers in Psychology, shows that employee burnout is caused by a mismatch between a person’s subconscious needs and the opportunities and demands in the workplace.
So, if your office fitout isn’t inspiring your employees, you may experience higher levels of burnout. This may end up costing your company a lot of money in the long run. In fact, the Health Programme of the European Union estimates that the annual cost of employee burnout to the EU is €272 billion.
Do you need to rethink your office fitout? Axis Office Fit Out provides a range of services including office design, office fitout and office refurbishment. So, if you’re looking to freshen up your existing office or create a completely new one, get in contact with a member of our team today.