In today’s working climate there is no longer such a thing as a generic office space. Companies now need their office spaces to be purpose built, so they can support staff whilst working on a regular basis. Though this is true in all industries, the recruitment industry is one that benefits from this heavily.
Due to the assortment of daily tasks most recruitment companies handle on a daily basis, including group interviews, client meetings, and one-to-one employment appointments, recruitment companies regularly rely on agile working solutions that allow both group and independent working.
There is various design and build work that recruitment companies can complete to transform their workspace into one that facilitates their flexible working needs, whilst still creating a supportive, welcoming workspace for staff, clients, and visitors alike.
In this blog we’ll show you four ways recruitment companies can transform their office space to achieve this.
Many office-based businesses can usually make do with just a couple of meeting rooms as it is likely they will not encounter many visitors throughout the day. However, even the smallest recruitment companies will need much more space than this, due to the high volume of individuals that will walk through their doors each day.
Not only will they need meeting rooms, but recruitment agencies need access to a variety of working spaces to support the different tasks required of them each day. Offices for one-to-one employment appointments and conference rooms for client meetings and group interviews are sound examples of where a
variety of meeting rooms and working stations will be required in this setting.
To ensure your office space is optimised effectively, consider one or two big meeting rooms which can hold large groups of people at once; this will be effective for hosting client meetings and group interviews, and will minimise the risk of distracting other residents in the office.
If office space is at a premium, for one-to-one appointment why not look at installing independent working booths could be ideal to create a sense of privacy for those individuals seeking career advice. Alternatively, if space is limited, office partitioning can help to create a similar feeling without the need for a designated room.
When it comes to waiting areas, ensure you have enough space and seating to accommodate large groups of people at one time. Particularly during busy periods, some of your clients and potential job prospects could be waiting a little longer than usual so it’s essential that they are comfortable.
Office furniture such as soft seating and sofas will be ideal in ensuring all of your guests have a place to sit and relax whilst waiting. Low coffee tables are also a great addition for these spaces and can hold reading material for visitors to use whilst waiting too.
Office layout is always important when designing or refurbishing any office space, but particularly ones that see a lot of visitors.
When visiting a new place for the first time, guests feel much more at ease if the layout of the setting is clear, and they are aware of where they need to go. Especially when entering a recruitment agency, the added pressure of not knowing where you are going can make the process even more daunting.
When it comes to your office space planning, creating an open plan layout may help to create a welcoming atmosphere when visitors arrive.
Instead of having your waiting area sectioned off and your staff working in isolated cubicles, which can sometimes be off-putting and difficult to navigate, create a waiting room area that is easily viewed by staff at their desks. The benefit of this being that staff can see when their appointment arrives, and approach them as soon as possible. Not only will this make visitors feel much more at ease, but it will also help your agencies reputation too, as you will appear to be responsive and respectable to guests.
It can be all too easy to put all the focus on your clients and their prospective employees when manging a recruitment company, but it’s important to remember to look after your staff too.
Where their days can often become filled with back-to-back career advice meetings, interviews and client call back, it is beneficial for them to experience some relaxation time too.
Implementing recreational activities such as pool tables and dart boards are always regarded highly by staff who want to add a little bit of fun into their office. Having such activities that staff can divert their focus towards can actually help to relieve symptoms of work-related stress and can help facilitate
communication amongst employees. All of which can actually support a positive working culture. Though this little design feature isn’t accepted by all, we personally think it’s a great idea!
Even still, if this is something you are still not entirely keen on, co-working booths are another great way to help staff relax and take them away from their desks to collaborate and talk to each other socially, rather than just professionally.
With the job market continuing to boom, the recruitment industry is set to become busier than ever, so there is no better time to be thinking big.
All things being well, a lot of recruitment companies will likely need to expand over the coming months so having a large office space will be extremely beneficial. Whilst you may think you are overstepping the mark, and your new office space may feel a little empty at first, this early change will allow room for significant growth, before the desperate need to move arises.
During this time, it is important to consider your office space planning and layout to ensure your current and future workspace
is best optimised to get the highest quality work out of your team.
At Building Interiors we are experts in optimising your work space to get the most out of your staff, and have your visitors blown away by your office design, specifically in the recruitment sector.
More recently, we have undertaken work for Kevin Edwards Recruitment. The project consisted of creating co-working spaces, a wellbeing area, conference and meeting spaces, a games area and workstations to facilitate the fast paced, dynamic company. As a result, we were able to transform their existing office into an exciting space that their staff couldn’t wait to use, all within a 9-week timeframe.
You can read more about this project here: https://www.buildinginteriorsgroup.co.uk/our-work/kevin-edwards-recruitment/
If an office refurbishment or re-design is something you are considering for your recruitment company, or you would just like to speak to a member of our team regarding other services we offer, you can call us on 0113 388 6522, or please contact us here.