When it comes to work, our environment can impact our output more than we may realise. A badly constructed and dull environment will not inspire creativity and originality. A professional will always get the job done, but how much better, more innovative, more creative, and ultimately more successful could it have been?
Is your office still the same as it was many years ago? Do your employees sit in the same place by the same people every day? Maybe you would benefit from shaking things up a little. Whether it’s a simple refresh, a full office fit out, or just the introduction of a few new elements, the results can far exceed expectations.
Below we’ll take a look at just a few of the ways progressive companies have used modern office interior design to invigorate their workforce.
Zone Overlap
It has been proven collaboration is more likely when you create spaces where people working on different projects come into contact with each other. This is known as zone overlap. Unplanned interactions improve the performance of employees by helping to bring a new perspective to their challenges, which leads to more collaboration and innovation.
‘You are a product of your environment. So choose the environment that will best develop you toward your objective. Analyze your life in terms of its environment. Are the things around you helping you toward success, or are they holding you back?’
W. Clement Stone
You can be really creative about how you create the zonal overlap with a modern office interior design. They can be workspaces or social spaces. Encourage employees to mix on any level and the benefits will follow. Even removing visual obstacles can create greater interaction, more opportunities for informal brainstorming, and generally promote more dynamic office interiors.
Pets in the office
Admittedly, this could be awkward in a lot of work modern office interior design, but when handled properly it has several benefits. It promotes social relationships between employees and helps to keep employees de-stressed, as well as promoting a better work/life balance. It sounds like a novelty at first, but the number of offices that have successfully implemented a pet policy are growing every year.
The benefits go beyond simple social interactions. It also forces employees to take short breaks, which has been shown to boost productivity. One University study found people that brought their dogs to work produced less cortisol (the stress hormone) than their colleagues without pets. Throughout a typical day the people without pets saw on average an increase of 70% in stress levels, while those with their dogs in the office saw a decrease of 11%.
Having their pet in the office also removed the need to rush home and feed/walk the dog, meaning employees were more likely to do an extra hour or two to finish what they were working on. Would a pet policy benefit any office interiors Dublin you know of?
Modern office interior design must go green
We’ve covered the benefits of bringing a little bit of nature into your workplace several times since we started our blog, and we’re not about to stop now. Why would we when according to psychologists adding some greenery to your workspace can increase productivity by 15%.
It’s common sense that being around lush greenery is good for our general mood, we are organic after all, and nearly everybody has positive associations with a little lush greenery.
Google are renowned for their innovative approach to modern office interior design, and their Dublin office is no exception, featuring greenery throughout. While Google tend to take it to extremes, you can implement some much simpler ideas to add that bit of restorative feel-good greenery to your office.
A flexible office solution
Some companies have moved one step beyond the concept of hot desks (where employees are of no fixed abode) and made the leap straight to movable furniture. This allows employees to adjust the furniture to suit their task. It facilitates collaborations of various sizes, and also makes getting some quiet time easy.
This can be achieved by simply employing movable furniture, but some companies have even managed to add a novelty element to how they achieve it. Skullcandy, based in Zurich, Switzerland, use customised desks that fit together like pieces of a puzzle.
Is this the natural evolution of hot desks? It’s flexible, collaborative and mobile, ticking a lot of the boxes modern office interior design demands.
Superdesk
No, it isn’t where Superman sits to check his e-mails. It’s actually a single desk designed to fill a 20,000 sq ft office, while comfortably providing seating for up to 170 employees at a single desk. It’s the ultimate expression of an open plan office. It can be found at the Barbarian Groups office in New York.
The design undulates back and forth across the office, rising in places to provide additional nooks for a quieter work environment. Despite how complex the desk looks, it was constructed using low cost materials. It also acts as a visual representation of the company’s collaborative approach to their work, and we’d imagine it provides a pretty big talking point for any visitors to the office.
A company with a proven track record
Some of these ideas sound too fanciful for office design Dublin, but you don’t need to implement extreme ideas to benefit from some of these. We can help you create the perfect modern office interior design for your company, to maximise your choices in a way that not just makes sense today, but will continue to serve your business tomorrow.
Creating a successful modern office interior design that will work for your company often hinges on striking the right balance. We are experts in all elements of modern office interior design, fit out, and refurbishment. Whether you are considering a more traditional office design or something a little more innovative, we can help. Get in touch with our friendly team today on 015240989, or send us an e-mail at [email protected], we’re always happy to hear from you.