{"id":2200,"date":"2023-05-01T11:06:16","date_gmt":"2023-05-01T10:06:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/offices.net\/news\/?p=2200"},"modified":"2024-06-07T06:21:57","modified_gmt":"2024-06-07T05:21:57","slug":"12-office-space-planning-tips","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/offices.net\/news\/12-office-space-planning-tips\/","title":{"rendered":"12 Tips to Optimize Your Office Space Planning"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Commercial real estate costs have been<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.globest.com\/2022\/03\/01\/office-occupancy-rents-rose-in-majority-of-us-metros\/?slreturn=20230203010832\" rel=\"nofollow\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">increasing in most US urban markets<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for a while, which has highlighted the need to be strategic about new office space investments.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For this reason, office-based businesses are rethinking their space allocation after making changes to work models and switching to hybrid or<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/offices.net\/news\/15-benefits-of-coworking-spaces\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">remote work<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Planning the optimal use of office space is a smart move. Not only can this help reduce costs, but it also ensures employees work in a more<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/offices.net\/news\/5-ways-to-create-a-great-office-culture\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">pleasant environment<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that is conducive to productivity and well-being. This means that office space planners are in high demand, however, not every company has the luxury of having an employee that is up-to-date on office space planning guidelines.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In this article, we look at 12 ways in which US businesses can optimize their office space planning. If you are looking to polish up on office space planning basics, then read on to find out more!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-2203\" src=\"https:\/\/offices.net\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/office-floor-plan-e1682935633984.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"427\" \/><\/p>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<div id=\"toc_container\" class=\"no_bullets\"><p class=\"toc_title\">Contents<\/p><ul class=\"toc_list\"><li><a href=\"#12_Tips_for_Better_Office_Space_Planning\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_1\">1<\/span> 12 Tips for Better Office Space Planning<\/a><ul><li><a href=\"#1_Set_your_priorities\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_2\">1.1<\/span> 1. Set your priorities<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#2_Balance_current_and_future_needs\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_2\">1.2<\/span> 2. Balance current and future needs<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#3_Explore_alternatives_to_traditional_office_layouts\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_2\">1.3<\/span> 3. Explore alternatives to traditional office layouts<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#4_Make_room_for_flexible_space\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_2\">1.4<\/span> 4. Make room for flexible space<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#5_Rearrange_space_to_suit_your_workflows\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_2\">1.5<\/span> 5. Rearrange space to suit your workflows<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#6_Get_feedback_from_your_staff\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_2\">1.6<\/span> 6. Get feedback from your staff<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#7_Technical_considerations\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_2\">1.7<\/span> 7. Technical considerations<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#8_Dedicated_wellness_space\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_2\">1.8<\/span> 8. Dedicated wellness space<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#9_Reduce_clutter\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_2\">1.9<\/span> 9. Reduce clutter<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#10_Maximize_natural_lighting\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_2\">1.10<\/span> 10. Maximize natural lighting<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#11_Inclusive_planning\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_2\">1.11<\/span> 11. Inclusive planning<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#12_The_smart_office\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_2\">1.12<\/span> 12. The smart office<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><a href=\"#Need_to_find_an_office_space_in_the_United_States\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_1\">2<\/span> Need to find an office space in the United States?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n<h2><span id=\"12_Tips_for_Better_Office_Space_Planning\"><b>12 Tips for Better Office Space Planning<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span id=\"1_Set_your_priorities\"><b>1. Set your priorities<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The first step involves determining the reasons why you want to make changes, as well as what you want to accomplish. Being clear about your company\u2019s needs and priorities can help you make decisions that support your goals and serve you in the long term.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For example, you may want to redesign your office space to accommodate a new department, office functions or a growing staff headcount. In other cases, the priorities could be creating more collaborative spaces or retrofitting existing space to be<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/offices.net\/news\/leed-certification-guide\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">more sustainable<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Each situation involves different priorities, which lead to different planning decisions. Make sure your priorities are clear before you start.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"2_Balance_current_and_future_needs\"><b>2. Balance current and future needs<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Things can change quickly in the business world, but most business owners have a good idea of what their company will look like in 6 to 12 months.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If growth is in the cards, consider whether the changes you make today will facilitate efficient work processes once your team grows. It\u2019s not only a matter of fitting in more desks \u2013 you\u2019ll also need to consider whether there\u2019s enough space for visitors, better amenities, etc.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"3_Explore_alternatives_to_traditional_office_layouts\"><b>3. Explore alternatives to traditional office layouts<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Conventional office space distribution tends to fall in two categories: open floor plans and cubicle layouts. These arrangements are still valid, but they don\u2019t suit every company.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It pays off to research alternative space distribution models to see if they suit your work practices better. Some layouts to consider include<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/modulesolutions.eu\/a-multi-space-office-saves-space-money-and-nerves-tips-for-planning\/\" rel=\"nofollow\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">multi-space offices<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, team cluster layouts, private spaces, and<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/serraview.com\/why-abw-is-a-better-alternative-to-open-office-design\/\" rel=\"nofollow\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">activity-based working<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"4_Make_room_for_flexible_space\"><b>4. Make room for flexible space<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When planning for a better use of office space, it\u2019s common to end up allocating<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/offices.net\/news\/united-states-commercial-property-prices-per-square-foot\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">every foot of space<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to a specific use. This approach to planning is typically driven by a focus on efficiency, but it doesn\u2019t account for the changes that all organizations experience.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If the office floor space and<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/offices.net\/news\/cost-of-an-office-fit-out-or-renovation-in-the-usa\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">budget<\/span><\/a> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">allow it, it\u2019s useful to make room for<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/offices.net\/news\/quick-glossary-of-commercial-real-estate-terms\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">flexible<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> or unallocated space. This means choosing a part of the office that can be used for multiple purposes, or whose set up can be easily altered on demand and based on the needs of your team.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"5_Rearrange_space_to_suit_your_workflows\"><b>5. Rearrange space to suit your workflows<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As a business owner, you\u2019ve spent a great deal of time creating the workflows and processes that best support your operations. Poor space distribution can interfere with the smooth functioning of those workflows and lead to serious inefficiencies, so you\u2019ll want to make sure that your office space planning addresses this potential problem.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It can be useful to consider incorporating the<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.knightfrank.co.uk\/office-space\/insights\/culture-and-space\/how-to-design-an-agile-office-space\/\" rel=\"nofollow\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">principles of agile design<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> into office space planning. As an added bonus, agile workspaces enable teams to achieve more using smaller amounts of space.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"6_Get_feedback_from_your_staff\"><b>6. Get feedback from your staff<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your staff spend their working day in the office and may have an insightful perspective into what would make you create a more productive office layout.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Depending on your company\u2019s size, you may request feedback through the HR department, during an informal meeting, placing an \u201cideas and suggestions box\u201d in the office, or through online surveys.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here\u2019s an interesting<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.workdesign.com\/2017\/09\/how-robust-employee-feedback-inspired-a-complete-workplace-refresh\/\" rel=\"nofollow\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">case study<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that shows the benefits of bringing office users into the space planning consultation process.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-2202\" src=\"https:\/\/offices.net\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/Office-cubicles-e1682935674155.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"427\" \/><\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"7_Technical_considerations\"><b>7. Technical considerations<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Technical considerations can limit or rule out certain office layouts, especially if you have physical infrastructure in your office, such as data cables, servers, or large-scale network equipment. Always consult with your IT department or with an IT professional before making any changes to commercial office interiors.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On the other hand, redesigning your office space could be the perfect opportunity to evaluate your tech infrastructure and invest in an upgrade. For example, cloud-based services could replace physical servers and free up a significant amount of space in your office.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"8_Dedicated_wellness_space\"><b>8. Dedicated wellness space<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Health and well-being in the workplace have become determining factors affecting productivity, corporate culture, and employee retention. As a result, many companies are making changes to their offices that promote better physical and mental health.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This doesn\u2019t necessarily mean that you have to make room for an office gym. Wellness in the office can be fostered in other ways. For example,<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.makeuseof.com\/ways-noise-hinders-productivity-how-to-manage\/&amp;client=firefox-b-d&amp;hl=en&amp;gl=ro&amp;strip=1&amp;vwsrc=0\" rel=\"nofollow\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">noise is a major cause of stress in the workplace<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, so you could plan the office layout in a way that minimizes noise exposure.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"9_Reduce_clutter\"><b>9. Reduce clutter<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s helpful to audit every space in your office with the goal of reducing clutter that interferes with optimal use of space.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some common culprits are paper archives, unused furniture, equipment kept for \u201cjust-in-case\u201d situations, and office supplies.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"10_Maximize_natural_lighting\"><b>10. Maximize natural lighting<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019re trying to decide between different office space configurations, consider which one maximizes the amount of<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/offices.net\/news\/colors-in-the-workplace\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">natural light<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that reaches workspaces. Even small actions like rearranging<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/offices.net\/news\/choosing-the-right-furniture-for-your-office\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">furniture<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> or equipment that blocks windows can make a big difference.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"11_Inclusive_planning\"><b>11. Inclusive planning<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Office planning can help make the workplace more inclusive by ensuring that staff with different work and communication styles can contribute their best to your organization.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here, you can read more about how to implement the seven principles of inclusive design in office spaces.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"12_The_smart_office\"><b>12. The smart office<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lastly, consider bringing smart<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/offices.net\/news\/the-impact-of-proptech-on-commercial-real-estate\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">technology<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> into your newly planned office space. Some valuable additions include smart lighting and temperature control systems, smart meeting and conferencing room technology, and sound masking technology.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">New technologies will likely play an increasingly important role in the office of the future, so incorporating them today gives you a head start.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-2204\" src=\"https:\/\/offices.net\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/pexels-photo-5506057-e1682935694623.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"427\" \/><\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"Need_to_find_an_office_space_in_the_United_States\"><b>Need to find an office space in the United States?<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Looking for an executive office or shared workspace near you? Offices.net currently lists a wide range of offices in major cities such as<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/offices.net\/ny\/nyc\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">New York City<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">,<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/offices.net\/ga\/atlanta\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Atlanta<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">,<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/offices.net\/ma\/boston\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Boston<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/offices.net\/il\/chicago\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Chicago<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Contact us at <\/span><b>972-913-2742<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for a personalized discussion of your needs, or reach us on<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/officesdotnet\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/officesdotnet\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Commercial real estate costs have been increasing in most US urban markets for a while, which has highlighted the need to be strategic about new office space investments. For this reason, office-based businesses are rethinking their space allocation after making changes to work models and switching to hybrid or remote work.\u00a0 Planning the optimal use [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[569,4,570],"tags":[568,532,571,572],"class_list":["post-2200","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-569","category-office-organization","category-office-planning","tag-568","tag-flexible-office-space","tag-office-space-planning","tag-tips-and-tricks"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/offices.net\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2200","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/offices.net\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/offices.net\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/offices.net\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/offices.net\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2200"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/offices.net\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2200\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2356,"href":"https:\/\/offices.net\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2200\/revisions\/2356"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/offices.net\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2200"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/offices.net\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2200"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/offices.net\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2200"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}