Good office interior design brings a host of benefits for your employees. It increases productivity, boosts mood, encourages creative problem solving, keeps people motivated, and enhances your corporate brand. A well-thought out office space ensures that team members are comfortable both working at their desks and coming together to collaborate on larger projects.
Drawing from fundamental principles of how people think and work, office interior design in Singapore is very much both a science and art. Creating the perfect environment involves adherence to well-established ideas and moulding them to fit your unique needs.
1) Spaciousness vs Cubicles
Space plays an important role in office design. Expansive spaces with high ceilings promote conceptual thinking while lower ceilings and tighter spaces are better for tasks that require concentration. For any business to be successful, you need some employees who can think out of the box, and others who can diligently work on the gritty details.
The answer is usually balance. Communal areas and meeting spaces should not feel cramped while individual workspaces should be cosy and emphasise productivity.
2) Distance Between Colleagues
It is intuitive that the distance between team members affects the amount of organisational interaction between them. Offices where employees feel comfortable reaching out to other team members for clarifications or idea generation can prove to be a real boost to the overall corporate culture.
Building on this idea, it is also beneficial for employees to physically see their colleagues from their own desks. It makes it easier to identify when they are busy and find opportune times to connect.
3) Acoustics
Sound is something not everyone considers for office interior design. After all, it’s not immediately visible or obvious during the planning stage. But if you’ve ever struggled to get work done when there’s too much noise or overlapping conversations, then you might understand the critical importance of planning for acoustics.
Collaborative or communal spaces should not be near workspaces as they can be distracting to employees trying to work. Thought should also be put into how walls and cubicles reflect sound and impacts should be minimised.
As a caveat, not all noise is bad. Too much quiet can be distracting on its own and might make some employees feel trapped and uncomfortable. Good interior design for offices should ensure that no employee is left isolated from the rest of the team.
4) Strategic Communal Spots
Creating an environment where employees never have to get up from their desks might tempt some managers. It’s an outdated belief that an employee who stays at their desk all day is more productive. However, this is far from the truth for modern office workers.
Not having any reason to get up from your workspace can actually limit productivity. Having strategic communal spaces allows for brief encounters with other team members which can strengthen communication and increase quality of work output. Sitting at your desk all day is also bad for physical and mental health, and having spaces where employees can take a break and recharge can go far in improving your workforce.
5) Colours
Increasingly, we are understanding the impact colours have on people and incorporating them into office interior design. Shades of blue and green can be calming, while yellow and orange are better for encouraging creativity. Having your entire office in neutral shades of white or beige might make the space feel drab and uninspiring. On the other hand, too much colour can be distracting so it’s important to strike the right balance.
Good office interior design is often logical and sound. Small tweaks can have knock-on effects that reap benefits for the entire organisation. The science of office interior design is one that has been heavily studied and companies that make the change may well have an edge over the competition.
As a regional commercial interior design firm based in Singapore, ID Inc is committed to delivering a diverse range of office interior design services that can transform your workspace. Get in touch with us today via our Contact Us page and let us know how we can help you.
