You put a huge amount of time and effort into your business, with the average person spending just under 100,000 hours of their life at work. That is the equivalent of an 11 and a half year shift, so it is important that you make the most of every opportunity!
Creating an office which is in keeping with the way in which you want your business to be perceived is of vital importance, especially if you are often entertaining visitors. You want to make sure that they have the right impression of your company and, if your current setup doesn’t do this, then a refurbishment could well be the way forward.
Reception
This is the first port of call for anyone who enters the building whether it is staff or visitors, so you want to make the best impression possible. Depending on the type of business you run, you may want to go for a modern and sleek style, or the complete opposite with a grand dark oak reception desk – it all depends on your business and brand. Interior design firms like UK-based CJ Ceilings will take into account the exact requirements for each area and come up with a design that works for you. Make sure you tell them all the key design aspects that you want to include so that the final result is everything you hoped for.
Make sure you have a comfortable seating area as guests want to feel welcome from the first moment they come through the door. Depending on the size of your company and how many visitors you have on a daily basis, there should be sufficient space so that everyone has a place to take a seat while they wait. It may also be a good idea to include plants and pictures so that there are interesting features which stop the area feeling too bare and empty; otherwise their wait may seem far longer and they are likely to be agitated by the time you come to greet them!
Meeting Rooms
A meeting room should be professional, but should also show a little of your company’s personality. This will allow visitors and clients to build a true impression of you, and this is also applicable for interviewees. We all know that it is as much about selling the role as it is about them selling their skills and experience to you. Try to include boards which could feature pictures or screenshots of great work you have carried out – whether this is digital design, event work or completed projects.
The tables and chairs are also far more important than you may think; meetings can go on for hours on end and if people are uncomfortable their impression of their meeting won’t be great, and they may be in a rush to get out of there as soon as possible – this is not what you want if you are trying to secure a deal. By having good quality furniture, it will be obvious that you take pride in your business and care to make a good impression.
General Work Space
There is no point in having exquisite reception areas and plush meeting rooms if the area in which your staff work is out of date. If you are trying to get a customer on board then they will no doubt want to meet the people involved in the business. Therefore, it could look bad if they are led out into an area which is of a completely different standard to the meeting room they were just in. This is also true for interviewees as they will most likely want to see the environment in which they will be working before they accept any post.
Partitions between desks can be a great idea to keep the noise level low and will create clear sections for separate teams. Making sure all of the furniture is the same will also create a feeling of equality even between the interns and senior management.
This post was written by professional blogger Amy Bennett on behalf of CJ Ceilings, the office refurbishment specialists who offer innovative designs ideal for your needs.