It’s Time for an Office Makeover for Productivity & Networking

The new generation of workers is mentally preparing itself to receive information quickly and to give information as straightforward as possible. These young workers are perfectly content with these brief exchanges that even completely forgo courtesy.

This modern approach to productivity is similar to social media and the way computer networks are able to communicate with each other in this age. This is actually quite normal in a world where cellphone calls last less than a minute and video chats allow for instant meetings.

Here are five tips for embarking on an office refurbishment project, to create a contemporary and highly functioning office space suitable for an agile and flexible working style.

1. Create an environment that feels out-of-office

It is not uncommon for office buildings to have a break room that resembles a cafe or a conference table that would be more at home on a boardwalk or in the library. Old space is being given new office fit outs that resemble out-of-office work environments. It, in part, has to do with psychology and in part has to do with the practicality of office refurbishment with multiple uses.

2. Take out cubicles

The concept of a new office fit-out is more than updating wiring to make sure every cubicle can receive wireless; an entire space is reorganized to be more productive or to include new features. The process might be as simple as tearing out old cubicle space in favor of a new arrangement that saves total floorspace and allows additions to be made. An office refurbishment should keep in mind that computers are smaller, and other equipment has disappeared entirely in favor of more portable media. Slimming cubicle space in favor of a shared working area also reflects new ways to be productive.

3. Make greater use of available space

The importance of a new fit out is making use of available space. Renting a large room is expensive, and even an owned building is expensive to upkeep. Corporations seek to decrease overhead, and the two greatest expenses for offices tend to be the building and the actual workers. Nowadays, offices can become smaller because more people are preferring to work remotely. The office can now be a cafe or a library or a home office.

4. Focus on how to make small meetings easier

Increasing numbers of meetings are quick and informal, and have more to do with workers collaborating as small self-chosen teams. Often face-to-face meetings exist to coordinate an ongoing project, and workers continue to work independently after frequent yet brief updates together. Wireless communication removes distance, and so workers can be monitored without having to peer over their shoulders. This reduces the need for cubicle space and increases the need for casual meeting tables. Workers will still come into the building, but they will not be setting up shop quite like they used to.

5. Make a modern office that is warm and inviting

People tend to associate modernized office design with colder color tones, which can make people feel aloof and unwelcoming if done incorrectly. The warmth of solid wood office furniture is appealing and never out of style. Style your room to be cozy or welcoming by choosing the right decor and wood furniture pieces will help brighten the atmosphere.

Fresh office fit-outs must respect these realities. Formal meeting rooms and fancy executive offices will still have their place, but the psychology of modern business is moving towards the fast and accessible. Catering to this trend allows the new generation to work naturally, but also saves money by using less space more intelligently.