Not every company has the budget to immediately invest in a massive office space. Moreover, we also don’t need the biggest space if our team isn’t that big either. The rule of thumb is at least 120 square feet per employee or team member, so if your manpower is on the smaller side, then you can make do with a smaller space too, at least for now.
If your company’s office is on the smaller side, there are tips and tricks you can employ to maximize every square foot and make it as gorgeous as possible. Here are some pointers you need to know.
Forego having too many desks
It’s possible for employees to feel like their space is still their own even if they don’t have their desks. For now, you can explain to them that your office will feel more like a co-working space than an actual office with cubicles or individual workstations. Here are some ways to make a big table work for everybody:
- Keep everything neutral to make it feel like a blank canvas. If you go right out the gate with a Fuchsia pink table, you run the risk of alienating team members or employees who hate that color. Go for an elegant, timeless, and inoffensive color palette that everyone can enjoy.
- Another thing you need to consider is that portable technology continues to advance as the years go by, so spaces will also benefit from being more mobile and multi-functional. This reflects on an employee’s ability to produce excellent work—gone are the days when your team would need to stare at a computer screen all day to finish their tasks. Consider that they might also want to leave their desks from time to time, or to bring their laptops to your balcony or outdoor space—so if you have one big table with multiple electrical outlets in the middle, that’s already a good start.
- Make sure the temperature remains as comfortable as possible. Have the heating and air conditioning system repaired and maintained yearly, and ensure that the temperature is optimal for all genders—because so many studies have already found that office temperature is usually sexist towards women and that geared towards the comfort of male employees.
Instead of making your small office feel like an actual office, opt for a co-working space look, feel, and atmosphere. It will help you save so much space, and it will give your place of work a more modern and contemporary feel.
Be strategic and smart with your storage
Because you’re contending with less square footage, you need to be smart about your cabinetry and storage. Here are some key things you need to consider:
- Keep in mind that your team member would need a space to store their coats, bags, and other belongings if they don’t have their cubicle or workstation. So if you have the privilege of doing some remodeling or upgrades, make sure that there is storage for their coats and some lockers for their valuables.
- Opt for bespoke or flexible storage solutions. The good news is that there are plenty of brands in the industry that offer this kind of service, and it will allow you to customize your storage solutions according to your space and your company’s needs and culture. The best news is that there are more affordable alternatives and your company doesn’t need to spend an arm and a leg to have some customized storage solutions.
- Consider foregoing paper altogether, especially if it’s not necessary for your company to operate. As much as we wish it weren’t the case, printed documents and physical files accumulate and if not managed regularly, they can take up so much unnecessary space in your office.
Enlist the help of your most organized and interior design-savvy employee
If you have an employee who has a knack for keeping things organized and a good eye for interior design, consider enlisting their help in doing the planning and layout of your small office. You can even turn it into a company project and get everyone involved—your employees would appreciate having a say in how the office is designed, after all, they will be the ones who will have to work in it.
The beauty in starting from scratch is that you get to build something that you and your team can take so much pride in for years to come. You may have to manage to do everything from a smaller office right now, but as long as you and your team work hard, you will be moving to a bigger office space in no time.
