Office Design: What the best companies do that you do not?
September 10th, 2019
For many of us, offices are like second homes. It is the time that we want to be productive, effective, and hopefully relaxed. And the office design plays a big role in all of that. The way we arrange our spaces affects our productivity. It is the knowledge that the best companies have taken on with full seriousness. While for some, it might seem that the care they put into arranging game zones and kitchens is a little too much extra, the truth is they know what they are doing. How can you do the same? So, if you want to join their ranks and create a space that people want to do great things in. Here are our tips on setting up the best office, learned from the most ‘envy-inducing’ office designs.
1. They go green
‘Green’ is the newest trend in office interior design. And, as you have probably guessed it, refers not only to only the color of the walls. The term ‘green offices’ has been adopted by the best offices in the world in all of its meanings. Companies like Google, Adidas, and Facebook do their best to promote sustainability and breathe life into their spaces by decorating it with living greens.
But no one does it like Lendlease. Their office building in Barangaroo is just the green dream of anyone who cares about sustainability. There make sure you not only minimize your harmful impact on the environment but also enjoy working while you are they.
We all have to agree that working amongst the trees and greens is much more enjoyable than staring at the naked walls.
2. Don’t tell — show it
Who are you? What your company stands for? What are your main values? Instead of only writing about those things in long corporate policies that no one will read, you can use your interior office design to highlight those messages.
Just a look around Adobe office will be enough for anyone to tell what the company does. It is the leading company in all things typography, art, colors, and design. Every corner of the place reflects Adobe’s mission.
The interior is not merely about decorations. It is a way for you to foster a strong corporate spirit. Not only it will help your employees feel more comfortable within its walls, but also like they are a part of something bigger than themselves.
3. Let them get a taste of what you are doing
The best office design is the one that allows people to understand how companies work and what they produce from within. No matter who you are and what your job is, by understanding what your company does, you will have a better grasp your customers’ mindset. And that would only lead to delivering better results.
At Etsy's office, you can not only market and write code — you can handmade something yourself. And the same goes for many of the best offices. At Urban Outfitters you can get your hands on the newest clothes.
So, if you want your team to care about the toys, car tire, and delivery service they are promoting, let them try those things first-hand. You will be surprised by all the creative ideas that will come out.
4. Mobility is key
Yes, most of the jobs are stationary those days. But it does not mean you should force all your employees to sit in one place without movement. Not only does it have zero effects on productivity, but might lead to health-related problems.
You can set up a bar like tables, or place comfy chairs in the garden. Zynga has done it best. In their office, you can work from almost anywhere. Sometimes standing up and walking around is the only thing you need to do to get back on track.
So, if possible, you should always try to arrange more space people can use for work. That way, when someone gets tired and needs a bit of fresh air’ or a bit of inspiration, they can take a laptop and work on a sofa in the hall.
5. Keep it clean and organized
Despite being extraordinary, the best office designs have one thing in common — they are functional. They never go overboard with decorations and choose comfort over beauty. That is how, despite being bright and loud, they feel minimalistic. In the best offices, everything is there for a reason. The same principle goes for trade show booths and other spaces.
There are many examples of the office that use ‘keep it functional’ as the motto, but the one we liked the most is the G2 Insurance’s office design. Their modern office is simple. It is clean and calm, corresponding to the insurance’s organization’s mission and vision. You would want nothing else but to be productive within its walls.
Functionality is important and should never be sacrificed for aesthetics. It is great if you can have both, but one without the other is, well, not enough.
6. Like a swiss knife
The best office design looks like many offices in one. Why? Well, it’s easy. That kind of layout promotes creativity. Airbnb’s office in San Francisco is the best example of that attitude. The company’s office is not far off from its main line of work. Just like it offers accommodations in different of the world to travelers, it lets its employees get a taste of the feeling.
In the office, you can lose yourself in different ‘worlds’ without having to even leave the office. All the employees can walk amongst the locations that remind more movie sets more than they do offices. No wonder so many brilliant ideas were born there!
7. It is about your employees
As weird as it sounds, the best offices remind cities with their infrastructure. Not sure what we mean? Here is an example. No one has done it better than Google. With all of its offices, it tries to do the impossible — design a space that feels like home, in a large sense of the word. At Google’s envy-inducing offices, you can go out for a walk, read a book, play around, and work hardcore without having to leave the building. The systems they build are self-sufficient and independent.
And no, they do not spoil their employees. If anything, they do their best to promote creativity and efficiency. Google knows better than anyone else that the best employees aren’t the one dream of going back home as soon as they step in.