Ensuring that the design of your office space fits the needs of your staff as well as offering a professional and practical setting for your business can be an immensely tricky balance.

You may have seen images of high-flying city offices with floor to ceiling windows, in-house restaurants, coffee machines, gyms and ergonomic and trendy desks. But is that achievable for the rest of us? Probably not. Chances are you cant afford to splash out on this design process, but there are many things you can do to make the environment you work in more welcoming and user-friendly but also pragmatic without breaking the bank.

There is a rising expectation from the workers of the UK to be given flexibility in their work, both with the time they spend in an office, to how they interact with the business and its customers.

Flexibility

Remote working and flexible hours are highly coveted among workers and it can be difficult to justify spending time and money on an office redesign if half your staff are rarely in the office to experience it in all its splendour.

The first question you may need to ask yourself is “Is it needed in your business and will it actually help?”

The answer in most cases is ‘Yes’. The benefits can range from better office cohesion (and therefore higher productivity), a boost in morale and even a higher level of attraction to talent or clients who visit your office.

Many CEOs struggle with creating a vibe or buzz in their office that would be attractive to visitors, but a redesign of colours, shapes and setting can open up the space and make it more welcoming.

Health benefits

There are also health benefits to consider; a bright and ergonomic office can improve the wellbeing of your staff without them even realising. An open and bright office that allows natural light to flow through will reduce lethargy in staff and allowing for a range of furniture, desk options and comfortable meeting spaces could positively impact the health of your employees.

Creative juices

If you discover that creativity is becoming an issue among staff, creating an influential and stimulating space will soon massage out the creative side of your workers. Consider a space with a designed wall, or even let your staff draw and design their own creative space to get the juices flowing and make them feel included in the process.

Ultimately, you want to attract the very best talent you can and keep them in your business for as long as you can; the best way to do that is to give them a working environment that they can be comfortable in and enjoy.

With that in mind, check out the infographic below to see what you can change in your office.