A little office renovation isn’t always necessarily a “treat yourself” indulgence, although a few style-minded touches never need be entirely out of the question. As should almost always be the case when guiding an evolving business, the first and foremost question must always be, “Why do we need this?”

For one thing, unless you happen to be of a rare profession in which you rarely, if ever, need to invite clients into your personal workspace, the state of your office makes subtle and profound statements to what can be expected of you. If you happen to run a company with more than one or two employees, potential additions to your staff begin their impressions of time spent working for you from the immediate environment in which they’d be expected to perform. Consider that 90% of top management professionals surveyed by the American Society of Interior Designers confirmed that revamped office design noticeably improved productivity through positive morale and even brand awareness.

Rest assured, the urgent signs that your space is due a facelift will be almost unmistakable.

 

  • Making Space

In at least one important sense, your day-to-day operations are like a comfortably roomy pair of pants: you may have space to spare now, but one day, you could very well find yourself with more waist than waistband.

A designer well-schooled in effectively planning office space can get surprisingly creative when managing existing space to accommodate your staff’s individual needs. This is a much more time- and cost-efficient measure than splurging on a brand-new cavernous office space and could potentially be a more illuminating solution than just shoving an extra desk into a corner or a closet. Bringing in a fresh set of eyes may bring your space’s effects on your staff’s collective psychology into sharp, revealing relief that focuses on improving comfort, flexibility, and even just a bit of privacy for everyone.

 

  • Modernize

A retro charm can be kitschy, amusing, and even inviting. It can also create an impression that your business is not currently primed to accelerate forward and embrace certain modern ergonomic and technological leaps in comfort and quality.

Don’t let your clients doubt whether you can keep pace with their cutting-edge demands or if a competitor more in-step with the times would better suit them. Invest in some refreshing furnishings, if not to make a sterling impression on your clients, then because workplace injury costs such as medical bills, administrative insurance costs, lost wages and loss of overall manpower are both staggeringly high and tragically avoidable.

Take your staff’s immediate needs and daily practices into consideration. A standing desk and easel may better suit designers and creative’s who literally think better on their feet. Look into dynamic desks that can raise to suit standing work or be lowered when it’s time to sit at a computer a while. Remember, the ideal is “90-90-90″ – feet flat on the floor with all joints at perpendicular angles.

It’s an equally good time to make sure your office is maximizing its productivity with lots of natural light. One scientific study after another demonstrates that a properly illuminated office – for example, one with task lighting or, even better, full spectrum light – is an office humming on all cylinders. It may even do some good to switch to space-saving flat computer monitors.

 

  • A Touch Of Color

The onslaught of employees and clients in boots and shoes tromping across your floors or carpeting will take an eventual toll. Where traffic patterns are the most hectic, stick with high-end vinyl flooring for improved durability and easier cleaning. There are even some patterns that bear an uncanny resemblance to actual wood, for a more handsome and elegant feel.

While you’re at it, consult a designer to better understand the impact a fresh coat of paint in a new color on the walls can have on productivity without spending a great deal of money. While it will eventually wear down and show its age with constant traffic, new carpeting is bound to impress new clients with its freshness. Try to keep your palette for both your walls and floors within your brand’s traditional signature to uphold the associations of your company’s culture.