Often, the best available office space is big and open with little design inspiration. But, the new office can be made to look more intimate and user-friendly with the addition of modular office walls. Space can be divided into communal office space, executive offices, break rooms, conference rooms, and so on. There are many types of portable walls and partitions to create an attractive office environment that offers just the right amount of privacy to get work done as well as communal space to share ideas.
Putting Up Walls in Open Office Accommodations Can Be a Good Move
Commercial work spaces can be improved with office wall systems of different types such as:
- Portable walls
- Partitions and dividers
- Floor-to-ceiling walls of glass
- Modular Walls
- Framed Glass walls
By working with a commercial office designer, a business owner can create a work environment on a budget that helps employees be satisfied and more productive. There can be a separation of customer areas, worker’s desks, executive offices, and communal areas that work well for everyone.
Successful Open Office Designs
Ending up with an office design that works well for all employees takes a lot of planning. It does not have to entail a total redesign of office space. In an office that is too open and does not offer workers privacy to work, adding a few well-placed portable walls can make a big difference. Moving desks and employees around so people who work on the same projects and need to collaborate are in the same area helps. Small changes in furniture and wall systems can have a significant impact on office productivity.
There must be a good balance of open space for employee interactions, meeting places that have movable walls to divide them as needed, and workstations for employees to work at their desks with a minimum of distractions and ambient noise. The design goal must be to get the right people interacting in the right ways at the right times and to give each employee a comfortable private space to complete their work.
Redesign Existing Offices to Support Employee Productivity
When it is time to redesign the office space to improve employee productivity and satisfaction, hire a good design firm or contact an office wall system supplier with free design help. Ask the design team to consider these factors when it comes to placing movable walls and building spaces for workers’ desks and work spaces.
- Avoid bottlenecks with good design. Which departments work closely and need to be in close proximity? What might slow office traffic down?
- Room acoustics are important to cut down on sound distractions.
- Eliminate employee distractions and help employees do their best work. Consider better lighting, better layout, more privacy, etc.
- Try to create some areas for employee movement such as walking back and forth when brainstorming or fleshing out an idea. Also, allow enough space for distancing for safety during things like the recent COVID-19 surges.
- Include spaces for employees to take plenty of breaks. Design experts recommend having employees take short breaks every hour because doing so ramps up employee productivity.
- Add or subtract walls with a definite purpose in mind, and make sure the finished space has an uncluttered look with good traffic flow and adequate work spaces for employees. There should be well-located spaces for employees to get together to exchange ideas and collaborate on projects.
Even the best-designed office space will need redesign as offices and companies evolve. Movable walls rather than solid ones allow the flexibility modern offices require.