When working on office interior design, the interior design professional has to overcome a number of challenges. Some of these stem from the different personalities and the needs of the people employed by the respective organisation.
Interior design in Singapore in recent years has been geared towards collaboration and agility like open spaces and solutions that encourage easy, free and constant communication. These will appeal to extroverts most as they would probably like spending time in the company of their co-workers. Experienced interior design professionals, however, know that the best solutions create balance and take the needs of introverts in consideration, as well.
Is it possible to build an office that will make both introverts and extroverts feel comfortable? The short answer is “yes.” Flexibility and multi-purpose design can be used to accomplish the goal.
Customised Spaces That Enhance Productivity
Universal office interior design solutions that address the needs of all businesses don’t exist. Rather, interior design companies have to acquaint themselves with the nature of the work and the types of professionals employed.
A person that carries out thorough technical analysis will need peacefulness and seclusion in order to do a good job. Marketing professionals, on the other hand, will be pursuing collaboration opportunities with the other departments.
The best office interior will feature custom-created spaces that encourage the execution of different kinds of tasks.
There’s no need to have fixed spaces for every single department or team member, that can get expensive. Rather, good design will envision customised spaces that can be utilised to perform specific tasks, focus, collaborate, relax or do effective brainstorming.
By featuring both seclusion and collaboration areas, the office will also address the needs of both introverts and extroverts working there.
Acoustics and Sound-Related Interior Design
The layout of the venue and the materials used to craft the interior will be determining for the acoustics and the propagation of the sound. Sound considerations are incredibly important for the creation of the right corporate environment.
Too much noise can be a problem. Acoustic panels, carpets, cork dashboards and other accessories that “absorb” sound are a great choice for absorbing the noise. These are especially needed in the case of open floor plans.
Even extroverted workers will be distracted by too much noise. Thus, design will ensure that communication is going to take place without distracting people from the work that they’re doing.
The old cubicle is far from the best choice when it comes to sound blocking. While introverts like the silence and the seclusion, the cubicle design is going to make them feel isolated from the team. Movable partitions, plant walls and even strategic curtain placement can be used to create little isles of silence. At the same time, the worker will not feel as isolated as in the case of being physically separated from others via walls.
Carry Out Surveys and Observe the Work Dynamics
The best way to determine what your employees want is observation. You can also carry out a survey to get a better idea about the specific needs of different workers.
The iconic Google Zurich headquarters resulted precisely from such type of feedback collected from the employees. The resulting interior design is flexible enough to accommodate everybody’s needs.
As a result of the survey, the Google managers found out that their workers need a diverse environment that also makes work fun. The importance of personal space was high but people were even more interested in getting quality communal areas.
The survey produced an office with common spaces that are easy to reach and an array of work stations/desks. Thus, collaboration is prioritised without underestimating the preferences of introverts and the manner in which they work.
Do a lot of observation before getting started on a renovation project or on designing your new office. It may also be a good idea to invite the interior design team to the venue. By getting acquainted with office dynamics, interior designers can make suggestions that are based on the actual strengths and the challenges that the team faces on a daily basis.
Pods and Innovative Personal Spaces
The open floor plan can be maintained without reducing opportunities for seclusion. Luckily, contemporary furniture and accessories can be used to make the office space much more flexible than ever before.
The installation of personal seclusion pods in the office is just one example of how introverts could be given a chance to be on their own.
Little nooks and crannies could also be utilised for the purpose of giving introverts a chance to focus without being disturbed by others. Such office spaces need to be labelled and designated clearly so that everyone is aware of their function.
Pre-fabricated rooms are also a good choice. These can easily be “dropped” inside a Singapore office that features an open floor plan. These separate spaces are ideal for those who seek solitude. The market features an array of such possibilities that come in soothing colours and that also feature autonomous lights.
Thus, even if you already have finished work on your office interior design, there are possibilities for additional small modifications in the future. There’s no need to start from scratch and you can base the decisions on the current dynamics you’re observing.
The best offices feature balanced environment and a number of choices for the employees. Don’t be afraid to seek feedback from the employees, especially if you plan to do a major commercial renovation. Nobody knows the process better than the people employed by the company. They may make suggestions that managers would have never thought of.
Choosing the right interior design team for the execution of the project will also be determining for staff happiness. Singapore interior design companies like Home Guide have extensive experience in the field of office projects. We know what it takes to create ideal spaces for different industries and for an array of businesses. Don’t hesitate to get in touch with us together and we’ll be more than happy to help you conceptualise the perfect flexible space for your organisation.
