Tips for Maximizing Your Office Space

The more time spent at the desk, the more vital it is for an employee to have an efficient compact workspace. Whether we notice it or not, the place where we work can positively or negatively affect our productivity. If the office is cluttered, dark, and cramped, it will likely bring down the employees' productivity. In contrast, a bright, open space may increase the ability of employees to focus. Unfortunately, in the working world, shrinking office spaces are now becoming much more commonplace.

New ways to rearrange office space may be challenging for established organizations and some older employees, but there are plenty of ways to maximize the office space. Thus, offices can feel much more significant than if you follow these tips for utilizing office space.

1. Utilize those common areas.

In any office, it is necessary to have common areas where the employees can feel comfortable. These common areas include the working space itself, where the employees work in cubicles, conference areas, the pantry, or just the lounge area. Focusing on these areas will genuinely help in maximizing the entire office space.

2. Lessen the paperwork, if possible.

The traditional way of work most often is the use of paper documents. However, with the evolution of digital technology today, more companies are now shifting into using electronic records. With less paperwork, any office will have a larger space. Moreover, this can decrease the number of filing cabinets and other storage equipment required.

3. For a fresh start, purge everything.

Clearing out everything is an excellent way of evaluating just how big the office is. However, this task can be daunting, depending on how much stuff there is in the office. An office that's free of any clutter and keeping the bare minimum amount of the furniture can help keep employees satisfied. If there are unnecessary things, for instance, a foosball table that remains unused, remove, or replace them with something more useful. Moreover, long tables are more space-friendly than circular desks since they can fit more people. You may also want to start considering vertical storage spaces to utilize as much space as possible. Don't lose enthusiasm just because it might be a little crazy initially-- always take the time to assess the amount of space the office has from the beginning. It will make it easier to organize your office to become as efficient as possible.

4. Don't forget about the importance of natural lighting.

If there's one aspect of the office that gets overlooked, it would be the lighting. Sometimes, an office needs a brighter room to make the employees feel better and energized. If the office isn't spacious enough, it is essential to make sure that you're not skimping on light fixtures. While dark colors and lighting feel more designer, they can also make rooms appear smaller. Choosing furniture pieces also requires consideration of how well they can contribute to the brightness of the office. Ditch those heavy, traditional desks and opt for something more lightweight and pale-colored to reflect light. Any changes in lighting can dramatically affect how a small office appears and the employees' productivity. Working in a dimly-lit room with little or no access to natural light can contribute to employees' drowsiness and low energy.

5. Keep updated with telecommuting and technology.

Having a small office is not a problem. If some of the employees are going to work remotely from home, they can free up the physical office for other employees who need space for specific activities like meetings and conferences.

Although it might not solve all of the business problems, telecommuting is a great way to secure the employees' privacy when they work. Moreover, if telecommuting is a possible option for the office, it must also be accompanied by a reliable Internet connection and the right gadgets to keep documents on the cloud for employees to share and access from anywhere.

6. Provide different zones in the workplace.

In any office, especially in small ones, maintaining a certain amount of privacy can be tricky. Dividing the entire workspace can help in organizing both the work and the employees. Zones such as one for group work and one for individual work are some of the choices that you can consider. For example, in a group zone, you can think about putting furniture such as long tables or couches that can accommodate three or more groups who might need collaboration on projects. When it comes to an individual zone, it should be a place where the employees can work quietly on their computers and papers. A small amount of desk space is needed where they can use their laptops. If you have these two zones established and separated, you will be able to set a clear distinction for your employees on the two very different zones and the work performed in the office. Creating these workspaces will be able to provide benefits to both types of workers.

7. Incorporate other lights to add to the already existing natural light.

Aside from natural lighting, you can also incorporate other sources of light, such as LED lighting. The use of overhead downlighting such as LED spots or recessed LED lighting is a great option. You can also add a small metal LED desk lamp. If possible, avoid floor lamps that might take up much-needed space in your office.

8. Always opt for innovative office design.

Nowadays, more designers are developing furniture solutions innovative enough to create space-efficient offices. For instance, one design where you can turn non-productive areas into a perfect place for phone calls is the corridors.

9. Take advantage of vertical space.

Make sure to use vertical space. For example, you can use shelves that are attached to the studs in the walls. You can also consider placing sturdy pockets on your walls to hold existing files that are frequently accessed, freeing up a significant desktop work area for your office. For sweaters and coats, stylish wall hooks are also great to keep them off the back of your chair. Also, a desk with shelving above works well in rental spaces where the drilling into the wall is prohibited.

10. Making your monitor mobile is also ideal.

A monitor placed with an adjustable arm can be easily moved out of the way whenever you need more desktop work surface. However, you have to be sure to find the best equipment or furniture to meet your needs.

11. Install access doors and panels.

Even with limited space in your office, you won't have to worry about the storage area if you install access doors and panels. With Access Doors and Panels' general-purpose access doors, you will be able to add more storage space. These doors are ideal for installation on any surface, and they also come in different models.

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