Best Office Layout for Productivity

Jo Horbury

Written By:

Job Title: Head of Design

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Productivity is one of the most desired traits of any business and over the year’s directors, partners and ultimately decision makers have manipulated the way that offices feel and function to maximise the output of their employees. A question that we are often posed with is ‘what is the best office layout for productivity?’ and in this article we will explore that question in more detail.

The Best Office Layout for Productivity

Ultimately, the layout that achieves the highest levels of satisfaction and productivity for a business is one that has been designed around the needs of those employees that work inside it.

Living Organisms

Businesses are living organisms and each one has a unique culture, set of values, way of working and people within them. It is on that principle that we begin any new office design or refurbishment project at Building Interiors. Space planning is a critical function and if you are working with a partner ensure this step is part of their design work.

One element that we suggest is key to success is autonomy. Regardless of whether your office environment is professional or creative, giving your employees the choice of spaces that allow them to collaborate, spaces for undertaking private meetings or to complete more focused work will make for a happier and more productive workforce.

Areas of Consideration

There are a wide range of considerations to make when thinking about office layout but if you are in the process of changing your layout begin with some fundamental questions. These questions will get the ball rolling and help you to get a picture of what your spatial needs are as well as fuel further questioning into what layout will suit the needs of your business best.

  • Do we have spaces that foster collaboration?
  • Do we have space for individual work?
  • Do our employees have flexibility over working environment?
  • Do we too many or too little meeting rooms?
  • How many people do we have in our offices?
  • Are some areas of the office rarely used?
  • How much time is being spent at desks and in meeting rooms?
  • What are our growth plans over the next 5 years?
  • Are our meeting rooms too large for our requirements?
  • How much storage do we need?
  • What IT requirements do we have? And, does are systems allow us to be productive?
  • Do we have adequate privacy for client meetings?
  • Do we have the areas/furniture/equipment necessary to do our jobs effectively?

In conclusion, the answer to what the best office layout for productivity is, will vary from business to business. Our advice would be to approach any adjustments to your office layout with space planning and thorough questioning to understand the full requirements of your office space for your business. If you need help in the process get a partner on board who can help to maximise the space you are in by taking the right steps at the beginning of the process.