There’s one big conundrum that offices and workplaces eventually face once they’ve been around for long enough: how can you tell when comfortable, familiar surroundings tip over into dated, outmoded obsolescence? Just because you can feel at home in an office you’ve grown accustomed to over the years doesn’t mean that visitors, clients, and prospective new hires won’t survey the place and wonder whether your business will ever catch up with the times. It can be a major decision to give an overhaul to your office’s floorplan and decor, but it’s best to know just when it’s time to take the plunge. Here are three clear signs that your workplace could stand an update:
Stagnation
It doesn’t matter if 2009 feels like it was just yesterday, or if you’ll always have a soft spot for the faux wood paneling your then-new office came with: people will notice if your workspace feels stuck in the past, and wonder the same about your business plan and your treatment of employees. Workplace trends change fast enough that failure to pay attention can be costly in the long run. New studies emerge on a regular basis that uncover previously untapped yet thoroughly beneficial design trends that businesses thrive after incorporating. And since these trends often parallel and help bolster new ideas businesses can incorporate into their culture, it’s best to think of advancements in design working hand-in-hand with new ways to advance your business’s philosophy.
Employee Retention
Sometimes, the work itself isn’t the reason people leave: it’s the work environment, which is often made unnecessarily stressful or inflexible due to outdated design philosophies. A 2019 survey of over 3,500 office workers discovered that 90% of respondents stated they were more productive and happier in well-designed workplaces — including both collaborative spaces and dedicated areas for focused solo work — while other design and layout amenities such as flexible work locations, natural light, and sitting/standing desk choices figured prominently in positive experience. If your workplace doesn’t provide these options, it can very well lead to your employees jumping ship to one that does.
Space
All successful businesses grow at some point, even ones that stay in the same location for decades. And if you take on new hires, the idea of finding a place for them in your office can quickly highlight just how important actual physical space can be as a concern. Psychology specialists have found in studies that overcrowding — primarily in prisons, but applicable to just about anywhere from schools to offices — that a dearth of space can contribute to mental health issues, including high levels of stress. The old-school cubicle-partitioned floorplan can contribute to this problem, simultaneously crowding employees while separating and isolating them — it should be one of the first things to go if you want to encourage employee productivity, creativity, and teamwork.
At Aura, we can help update your office and meet its needs, whether it’s a stylistic rebranding or a reworked, space-maximizing floorplan. Contact us today to find out what we can do for you!
