Knowledge Base > Growth/ Contraction of Staff > Planning your space - 9 Objectives Planning your space - 9 Objectives 8 Jul 2014 The main purpose of an office building is to support its occupants in performing their jobs (preferably at minimum cost). Alongside this functional purpose, office buildings have an important social and corporate function. The design and layout of spaces can, for example, encourage interaction and stimulate creativity. Furthermore the office can convey a strong message to employees and visitors about the organization’s identity or brand. Planning Your Project Reduction of costs Increase Flexibility Improve Productivity Encourage Employee Interaction Stimulate Creativity Expressing the Company Brand Attracting and Retaining Staff Supporting Change of Company Culture Reduce Environmental Impact Reduction of costs Cost reduction is a major objective in many projects. Accommodation is expensive and not always utilised as effectively as it could be. (On average workstations in office buildings are physically occupied approximately 60 percent of the time) Reduction of workspace reduces heating, power, maintenance costs etc. Increase Flexibility Closely related to cost reduction is the desire to create a flexible office environment. As today’s organisations experience frequent changes in both structure and work processes, buildings need to facilitate these changes when they occur (at minimum cost and with minimum disruption to the business). Improved Productivity The most important objective is also the most difficult one: to improve productivity. Basically it is about improving staff output whilst reducing or fixing costs. Although reducing costs is often the main objective, there is a growing case for providing a more effective work environment to improve employee performance. Encourage Employee Interaction Interaction between employees is critical for organisational performance. The exchange of information and knowledge helps to improve teamwork, social cohesion and the cross-fertilization of ideas. The layout of the work environment plays a crucial role in this. Stimulate Creativity Creativity is rapidly gaining importance for organisations. Many businesses excel through their capacity for continuous innovation, for which creativity is essential. Again, layout and design of the work environment plays a crucial role, creating spaces that stimulate ideas. Expressing the Company Brand Branding is about creating a particular image or perception of the organisation and its products or services among customers, suppliers etc. Traditionally, branding has been strongly focused on logos, websites, and advertisements. However, the physical work environment can also be used to convey a particular message or identity, working as a showcase to the outside world. Attracting and Retaining Staff For almost any organisation, attracting good quality staff and retaining them is critical. This can be done by providing good conditions of employment, but the physical work environment can also play an important role. Providing employees with comfortable, attractive surroundings shows them that they are valued and helps to make a good impression on job applicants. Supporting Change of Company Culture Many organisations spend a great deal of money and energy on rethinking and changing their corporate culture. Changing a culture, however, is one of the most difficult tasks. Culture is deeply rooted and therefore difficult to transform. Office design however can be a powerful tool for ‘change’ in this process. Reduce Environmental Impact Office buildings have a large impact on the environment both in their construction and operation. Next to transport and travel, buildings are the largest consumer of energy and therefore a significant contributor to the emission of greenhouse gas and waste. Good office design can minimize the impact of a building on the environment. At Office Interior Solutions, we will provide you with professional advice and guidance, and offer solutions that will meet all your business needs and budgetary requirements. Call us on 02890 770019 PRINT PDF