Office Space

by Burt Bollinger

For some businesses, growth can be a bad thing — aesthetically speaking, that is. The signs may seem innocent at first. File cabinets begin creeping into hallways. Partitions begin popping up. Cafeteria tables become makeshift desks. As profits rise and new hires are brought on, larger changes are seen. Coat closets are transformed into data centers. Conference rooms become shared office space, and employees are seen hunched over temporary desks.While this is an indication the office is thriving, this kind of change can be devastating if it’s left unchecked.

Companies who fail to plan for growth risk both their business flow and bottom line. What is needed are solid, smart office furnishings and a design that leaves room for expansion. By planning ahead when purchasing office equipment and when designing a new office layout, employers can save themselves both money and productivity.

“What your office looks like in six months … that will probably change,” says Gary Adelman, senior market manager for Haworth, a Michigan-based designer and manufacturer of office interior products ranging from seating to cubicles. “The ‘space squeeze’ is a global issue that businesses are facing these days. As companies grow, the trend is that more people are being put into smaller areas to maximize return on the space.”

Another trend is more and more office equipment – each piece having its own, special wiring needs. “There is more technology in today’s workplace,” explains Adelman. “Now everyone has a PC, sometimes two. The furnishings an employer purchases today must be able to accept multitudes of cabling. People don’t want to have to crawl under their desks to plug things in.”

Because the work environment has such an effect on the employee, Adelman believes it’s imperative to buy the right office equipment for them. Too many employers mistakenly focus on initial purchase price, he says. He recommends instead that they work with a qualified dealer that has a quality track record.

“You may pay $100 for a chair today, but you may have to replace it in a year,” Adelman explains. “When buying, I’d recommend paying more attention to quality, good warranties and the length of time a company has been in business. Businesses should also look at obsolescence guarantees, longevity of product line and the ability of the manufacturer to support the product.”

The overall layout of the office itself is just as important as smart and sustainable furnishings. Those thinking of investing in new office space have considerations that must be taken into account as they plan. How do they make the design work for their business? Just as important, will this design be accessible and pass building codes?

“First, you must have a good plan,” says Ken Domash, president and owner of Domash DESIGNSOURCE. “Then, you make sure it meets life and safety requirements. You see how cost effective it is. Finally, you look at how the company can take advantage of the design of its building as a way to market to its clients and its own employees.” Certified as a designer, professional graphic designer, registered architect and licensed broker, Domash has plenty of experience designing smart office space.

“When you typically walk into a reception area, you want to be able to find someone to tell you where you need to go,” he says. “Ideally, you won’t see ‘the machine’ in action, unless that is the intent. You don’t see the hustlebustle of the office.” The paths visitors take from the reception area to conference rooms are also important. Why walk them past boring file cabinets when it may be possible to instead walk them by an impressive new data center? And what about that new data center, anyway? Plans must be made ahead of time to accommodate the proper cooling, ventilation and dedicated electric it requires.

Wiring is another concern for which businesses need to plan. “Businesses today often have raised flooring platforms,” says Adelman. “The idea is that instead of taking your voice and data wiring and fishing it through the ceiling or down through columns and walls, you lay your technology platform down into a wide open space. If and when employees move around, they are on a grid platform so they can access the wiring easily from any location.”

“It’s important that when you go to do your lease, you need to find out if wiring is a part of it, or if it is going to fall on you to pay,” says Domash. “Once you figure this out, you must make sure to run cable wherever you think you may need it. These types of changes can get very expensive after the fact.”

Be it wiring, sustainable office furnishings or the layout of the office itself, to prevent a slowdown just when business is picking up, today’s businesses must plan ahead. In many cases, the planning is as simple as choosing the right furnishings the first time, and deciding on an office layout that truly meets businesses’ needs, both now and in the years ahead.

BACK TO NETWORK HOME

As your company grows, your office design needs to have the flexibility to grow with it. photo courtesy of Integra, Inc.

Contemporary office design must take into account lighting, space requirements and work flow, plus wiring and configuration of office electronics. photo courtesy of Integra, Inc.