5 QUESTIONS TO ASK YOUR EMPLOYEES BEFORE DESIGNING THE OFFICE
As the centerpiece of a business, it’s important to design an office space that best caters to your employees’ needs to guarantee quality performance and results. Here are five questions to ask your employees before designing the office to create a workspace that enhances their work life.
1. How Do You Like To Relax on Your Work Breaks?
Regular moments of rest throughout the workday help employees maintain their energy and motivation. Asking your employees how they like to spend their breaks—outside, engaging in physical exercise, snacking, in solitude—allows you to implement spaces in your office that generate productive rest.
2. What Type of Workstation Stimulates You the Most?
Everybody’s idea of ideal work conditions is different. Some people prefer to work at an enclosed and designated desk they can personalize. Others like to stretch out on a couch with a laptop in hand.
There are many ways to customize a workstation to enhance productivity, from ergonomic furnishings to aesthetic pleasures, such as color schemes and lighting. Gaining insight into your employees’ workstation preferences allows you to supply them with adequate and beneficial options within the office.
3. Do You Prefer To Work in Solitude or Collaboratively?
Along with specific workstation conditions, many people also differ in work style preferences. Those who prefer to work in solitude find productivity within the silence and safety of their personal space. Those with collaborative work styles, on the other hand, appreciate easy access to coworkers, shared workspaces, and community-centered environments.
Knowing your employees’ preference affects an array of design decisions in the office. For example, collaborative spaces furniture like lounge chairs, booths, and connected or large multi-seating desks heighten teamwork and cooperation. Contrarily, individual offices and desk dividers generate more solitude.
4. What Office Features Do You Use the Most?
Do the jobs in question require a lot of technology? Is everything digital, or is heavy paperwork involved? Do you provide lunch or encourage employees to pack from home? Depending on the office culture and the type of work, certain office features experience more use than others.
Ask your employees what office features they use the most during their workday to equip them with the right tools. These features could include printing stations, updated devices, and lunchrooms or kitchen spaces.
5. What Are Some of the Biggest Struggles of Your Job?
The ideal office space provides enhanced working conditions that streamline one’s workday. However, like most life situations, certain hiccups get in the way.
Mitigate the number of hindrances for your employees with a space that minimizes major workday struggles, like communication barriers and outdated equipment. Ask your employees what their biggest struggles are and provide possible office design solutions.
Ask these five questions to your employees before designing the office to produce an ideal workspace that meets their many needs. At Bluespace Interiors, we’ll help you design the best office space to enhance your employees’ work environments. Check out our services, and let’s create a productive, aesthetic, and functional office space.