4 Great Money Saving Tips for an Office Redesign

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Small Business, Big Style

Having a well-designed office is important. A great office goes a long way to improve your employee’s morale, and it makes your clients feel confident in your business from the moment they enter the space.

You might think that redesigning your office simply isn’t realistic, or might be too expensive, but it doesn’t have to break the bank. And it may actually end up putting more money in your pocket, in the long run.

If your company is large enough to have multiple employees, don’t keep them cooped up in cubicles all day…

So, how do you make your office a great place for your clients and workforce, without breaking the bank? Further, what are the benefits of doing so?

1.  Add Some Color

There’s nothing like an interminable landscape of beige to inspire productivity, right? All sarcasm aside, nothing says, “Please, don’t let me die in here,” like a sea of indistinguishable gray cubicles. If the snack machine is the only glimpse of vibrant color in your office, no wonder you and your staff are always tired and uninspired.

For situations like these, consider doing some repainting, hanging up some art, or changing your window treatments. You could also bring in some interesting furniture that will add a creative spark to your workspace environment.

It’s also a great idea to do some homework on the effects that certain colors and shades have on the brain. For example, purple and blue are known to inspire creativity and calm, red and orange trigger excitement, and black conveys safety and authority. Using well-placed colors in strategic locations around the office can have potentially dramatic effects.

A word to the wise: if you often play host to international clients, it might be a good idea to put some thought into the cultural significance of certain colors, as well.

2.  Go Vintage

If you’re looking to replace some of your generic, yawn-inducing office furniture, checking out some of the local resale stores might not be a bad idea. You might find some real deals that will give your workspace a serious tone.

Typically, you will be able to pick up these great pieces for less than you might spend on new furnishings, which will give more to spend on other office improvements.

Finally, getting vintage or used furniture is better for the environment, as well. It has already been manufactured and shipped, so you’re not adding anything to your carbon footprint, other than driving to pick it up.

3.  Get Rid of the Isolation Chambers

If your company is large enough to have multiple employees, then don’t keep them cooped up in cubicles all day. Sure, there might be some situations in which privacy is a necessity, so you should have some office space dedicated for that. However, many experts agree that having an open floor plan increases creativity, encourages communication, and boosts morale.

As the title of this article pertains to saving money, we’re not suggesting a complete remodel. But, if you have modular partitions, try getting creative with them, or seeing what happens when you get rid of them entirely. You and your employees might be pleasantly surprised by the results.

4.  Maximize Your Storage

If your office is anything like most, chances are good that your storage could use a little optimization. Instead of building out, try building up by using floor-to-ceiling cabinets and other space-efficient options.

Go paperless for the things you can. For the documents that you absolutely must hold on to, consider off-site storage, which is quite likely to be less expensive per square foot and per month, when compared to your office space. Off-site storage of documents which you can free up valuable real estate for more productive purposes.

You spend a lot of time in your office. It should be a place that is a pleasure to spend time in. It should reflect your company’s ethos, and make clients feel like they’re doing business with the best partner available. It should be a space which inspires creativity productivity, and collaboration. And as you can see, you don’t have to break the bank to give your office these qualities.

 

What ideas do you have that might help our readers turn their offices into productivity headquarters? Let us know in the comments section now.