People can tell a lot about your business from looking around the office the moment they walk in the door. As a new business, it is imperative that your office space looks presentable, professional, and well-established even if you’re a fairly new company. First impression matters and you should work with an office design tailored to everyone’s needs and business image. Create a workspace that portrays the right image to employees and visitors alike.
Work Out Your Storage
Sometimes you can get lost in the paperwork and forget to organize your office. Papers and files may end up swallowing up much of your space, giving visitors the impression of a cluttered, unorganized business. Although you may be buried deep in work, you don’t have to appear disorganized. Implement a filing system to put your paperwork and essential files in order, then ensure that you and your employees all stick to it.
You can also go for custom shelves to utilize the available space. With file cabinets and wall shelves, you can easily retrieve your files for reference when meeting with a client. This gives the client a professional impression, and it shows you’re organized.
Furniture
Check out your office space and determine the right furniture for your office. If you have a lot of space and few employees, you can give them larger desks with plenty of storage space for their paperwork and personal items. If you have less space or more employees, you might want to opt for smaller desks or communal workspaces.
If you have a lobby, think about what kind of impression you want to give visitors when they walk in the door. Do you want a sleek, modern feel? If so, leather couches and glass tables are good design elements. Do you want visitors to feel comfortable and at home? In this case, warm colors, woods, and soft furniture is a wiser choice. Look for furniture that highlights the personality of your brand.
Art
Adding artwork to the office helps to cheer, inspire, and motivate your employees. It can also help employees to relax, thus improving their productivity. Additionally, art around the office shows visitors that you’re already established and successful.
Wall art is an easy way to add color to your office. Different colors can have different effects on the mental state of those that see it. For example, warm colors like red can motivate employees and increase their confidence. However too much of it can lead to irritation or aggression. Cooler colors like blue can encourage a calm, collected mind, but too much around the office could also cause lethargy.
Sculptures are also great additions to the office. While these often aren’t as colorful as wall art, especially in a corporate setting, kinetic sculptures—or those that move or evoke the idea of movement—can boost energy in employees and visitors alike. For example, many contemporary stainless steel sculptures are placed in or outside offices to evoke balance, movement, and cooperation.
Reception
It’s essential to treat visiting clients as guests, so you should have a place to greet them when they arrive. Your clients will need someone to meet them as they walk in, talk to them with a smile, and tend to any needs they might have before their meeting. This makes your business look professional, and it shows that your company values its clients. Because of that, you should ensure you set up a waiting bay or reception bay to receive your customers. Even if you’re working with minimal space, you can add a front desk with a polite receptionist.
You can incorporate art, sculptures, and plants into your office design without appearing flashy. It’s all about maintaining a professional image and creating an excellent first impression. The design of your office will tell clients and visitors a lot about your brand, so it is worth putting an investment in it.
