When it comes to redesigning and rebranding your office, comfort is often an afterthought. But when it comes to adding long-term value to your space, taking the time to consider their degree of well-being and ease-of-use is close to essential.
No matter whether you’re an established business, a new start up, or anything in between; taking your office’s ‘comfort factor’ on board can add value to your work in ways that may surprise you.
So, what exactly does working in a comfortable office space mean and what can you practically do to improve the day-to-day experience for your employees, key staff, and clients alike?
What does comfort mean?
When we say ‘comfort’ we mean something a little more in depth that adding a plush sofa.
Comfort represents how satisfying and easy a space is to occupy for its residents. This includes elements of physical touch but also extends to your overall aesthetic, layout, lighting, practical working spaces, and much more.
Keeping comfort in the front of your mind means following a people-led design methodology and, when people are happy, time has proven that profits roll in. A comfy worker is one that is able to stay in a space, avoids the distractions and needling that comes with a difficult work environment, and is able to put their best-foot-forward when it comes to managing clients.
Having a comfortable space that is uniquely yours should be an essential factor in any office design project. And the rewards can be significant.
What are the advantages?
Considering your working environment’s comfort factor can come with a number of significant benefits. These include but are by no means limited to-
Employee satisfaction: Being able to feel content and comfortable in a space is a crucial part of acquiring, optimising, and retaining quality workers. This can be as simple as providing a quality working space for your teams, a comfortable and efficient set up for your conference calls, or social areas that allow teams to talk and cross-pollinate ideas.
Efficiency: Having a comfortable workspace can help cut down on long-term issues and increase engagement. While it’s important to take regular breaks and stretch throughout the day, deskbound tasks become much more tolerable, communication can improve, and physical obstacles no longer become part of the equation.
Client Management: No matter your business, having a space to meet customers or high-value clients can help present a positive image of your business and help them feel valued. Creating a dedicating meeting space can help leave people with the best possible impression about your work.
What can you consider?
If you’re finding it difficult to know where to add comfort to your space, there are a wealth of options at your disposal. Some of the most commonplace choices include-
Office Seating: First and foremost, having comfortable and ergonomic seating can help prevent issues such as back pain and RSI with your key team members. Having a comfortable and practical social space can also allow your team members to fully relax during breaks and develop a deeper connection and awareness about daily activities, roles, and responsibilities.
Office Desks: This can extend to adding mobile desks and partitioning to allow you to take a modular approach to your setup. Choosing an option that is easy to work in, with effective cable management and storage can help prevent cluttering and allow your teams to work with greater efficiency.
Branding: While not directly linked to physical comfort, elegantly embedding your branding materials and content with your interiors can help establish a sense of place and create a comfortable aesthetic. Choosing a consistent colour palette can help workers feel at home while remaining replicable across your promotional materials.
Lighting: Perhaps the biggest ‘quick win’ for any space is managing your lighting and encouraging as natural, soft, and sufficient a supply of light as possible. This can be brought in by organising your space to enjoy optimal sun exposure or installing your own lighting system – even bringing a bespoke neon LED signage into play as a statement piece that’s easy on the eye.
Deciding to personalise these elements can be an incredibly effective way to develop a comfortable and effective working space that fully embodies your business and brand. Taking some time to think through your office space branding can allow you to approach a provider with purpose and knowledge, allowing you to get the best possible results for your business. And keep your employees happy and comfortable too.
