The design and layout of office space can significantly influence business productivity. An organized area creates efficient traffic flow and aids in employee convenience. This organization will help create a happy and enthusiastic workforce which will help the business achieve productivity and success. Therefore, it is necessary to make an effort to allocate enough time to organize the space in an office to meet the long-term business goals of the company. To effectively utilize office space, consider the following factors:

Separate Departments

Both small and large companies are composed of different departments. This delineation of a business is something that should not be neglected. Sorting out and identifying the function of each area makes simple, every-day processes easier. Employees who are in the same department should be placed in the same area. Doing this creates a proper traffic flow which will make it much easier to delegate work assignments to all employees in the same organizational unit at the same time, resulting in more efficiency and higher productivity.

Understand Every Department’s Nature

Each section of the organization performs a different function for the company which allows the business to run efficiently. All the various sections perform their jobs in the way they are expected to meet the established goals of the business. As an owner, this is an important factor that must be taken into account, especially when designing the area in which each section is intended to work. Knowing the needs of each department will help in this process.

Know Positions and Job Descriptions

The assignments that each employee performs should also be given some consideration. Identifying what job each worker performs gives the business owner or manager an idea of the type of equipment that is necessary for each employee. For example, consider the marketing department of the company. The marketing director’s office should have its own desk, printer/scanner/fax machine, intercom and telephone system, internet connectivity, computer, and paper shredder. This standard equipment takes up space so an adequate and well-designed area should be provided.

Accessibility

Equipment that is generally used by all employees, such as telephones, copy machines, printers, scanners, fax machines, binding machines, paper shredders and laminating machines should be placed in an easily accessible area. They should be strategically placed in the center of the office space where they can be readily accessed by all employees for maximum office efficiency.

Meeting with the Architect

After giving careful consideration to all of the above factors, consult with the building architect to conduct a survey and analysis of the office space, both existing and new. During this phase, the business owner and all other involved personnel will meet with the architect to discuss the allocated spaces for each of the various departments.

Once the architect has gathered all the needed information and has analyzed the efficiency of each office space, they will create a written report and present it to the business owner, upper management and leasing agent for approval. There are several important elements that must be included in the architect's report, including: gross density ratio; enclosed-to-open ratio; and conference room ratio. All of these elements should be recognized and calculated by the architect.

Other important factors to consider are the areas of public exposure and the size of the actual rooms. Public exposure areas include the dimensions of the hallways and pathways in relationship to the outer walls. On the other hand, room sizes deal with the proper square footage for each room that will allow everyone to move around comfortably and unrestricted. These include the size of private offices, cubicle sizes, training offices and conference rooms.

Being organized is a critical component to ensuring that an office space runs as smoothly as possible. To improve the efficiency of both current and new space, one must analyze and consider important elements that contribute to the success of the business. Finding excellent ways to effectively use office space will promote a smooth, efficient and productive work environment!