As more businesses return to the office, many employees are reconsidering what they want from their job and workplace. It’s important to design workspaces that are inviting, promote productivity, and can accommodate hybrid workers who spend some of their time working from home. Make sure your workplace in Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chespeake, or a nearby city in Virginia is optimized to retain your workforce and increase collaboration, productivity, and creativity with these four workplace renovation ideas.
Ditch the Cubicles
Cubicle culture has never been a favorite of workers, but it’s more unpopular now than ever before. Spending all day in front of a computer in a partitioned space is a recipe for isolated and less productive workers. Not only that, but with the promise of fully remote jobs and the concept of working from home, an unwelcoming cubicle can inspire some workers to search for a fully remote job.
Instead of cubicles, consider a more open workplace. Open-plan spaces encourage brainstorming, teamwork, and a sense of camaraderie. They’re also more practical if you plan on allowing employees to work from home some days and in the office other days because more than one employee can use a collaborative workspace, while a cubicle usually only belongs to one employee.
Getting rid of cubicles can increase productivity and allow for flexible work arrangements which will retain more employees during the Great Resignation.
Incorporate Breakout Spaces
Teamwork is great, but certain tasks require quiet and solitude. While you might want to ditch the cubicles, it’s still important to have quiet spaces where employees can work. A breakout space is an area separate from an employee’s usual workplace where they can brainstorm quietly. Because it offers solitude and a change of scenery, it might help employees be more innovative and creative at work.
Breakout spaces can be designed in many ways. They can be anything from a quiet nook to a small room with noise canceling walls. Similar to open spaces, they don’t have to be assigned to one employee, making them perfect for flexible workplaces where some employees come in some days and work from home others.
Modernize Meeting Rooms
Open-plan offices help keep energy levels high and encourage interaction. However, one team’s meeting can be a big distraction for another team. Meeting rooms give teams a place to interact away from workers involved in other projects.
When you are designing or renovating meeting spaces, meeting rooms should be designed to accommodate hybrid meetings. Make sure your meeting rooms have the right technologies to host meetings where some employees are zooming in from home and others are physically in the meeting room space.
Buy the Right Kind of Furniture
Many of us spend one third of our workdays at our desk so it’s important that office furniture is comfortable and fosters productivity. Ergonomically designed chairs, desks, and tables prevent back pain or other debilitating conditions face distractions. They can help employees stay focused and present at the task at hand.
By eliminating cubicles, creating break-out spaces, modernizing meeting areas, and updating office furniture, businesses are able to create a more productive environment that meets the demands of today’s work environment.
If you want your office design to be modern and welcoming for employees, you need to work with a good contractor. The right contractor will be in tune with modern workplace concerns and trends. They will be able to design a workplace that helps you retain productive and happy employees.
Carlton Building Services in Hampton Roads Virginia
Carlton Building Services specializes in repairs, maintenance, renovations, remodelings and build-outs for a variety of clients in Hampton Roads, Virginia. We have years of experience handling projects in the retail, office, and healthcare space and would love to work with you on your next project!
To learn more about our services, check out past project highlights or contact Carlton Building Services to see how we can help with your next project.
