Small Business Space Design: 7 Tips for a Better Workplace

The design of your small business space is nothing to take lightly. Whether you run an office out of your home or rent space to produce and showcase products, the look and feel of your workplace will have a definite impact on customers and employees. Here are seven tips for designing a space that will attract business and bring out the best in your staff:

1. Emphasize natural light

Everyone has an aversion to fluorescent lighting and other touches from soulless workplaces. Now that you are in charge, do your best to fill your workplace with natural light. The psychological impact will be palpable for team members and anyone visiting your company. While you cannot create windows to the sun where they do not exist, you have the option to insist on natural lighting when you choose which space to use for your business.

2. Get the entrance right

The first thing customers and employees see when they enter will color their impression of your company. Take the time to visualize what you would like to show them in a small business space and work toward that goal. Whether you have a front desk where customers are greeted or you have a workplace without a traditional layout, dive into branding for the entrance. Everything from the sign outside your door to the cleanliness of your waiting room counts. Give customers an immediate feel for how special your company is.

3. Avoid cubicles

Cubicles put employees in safe compartments and give customers the impression that your company is exactly like the rest. To craft an image worthy of your venture, work out a better system of seating than drab cubes can provide. Open layouts are great when collaboration is important to your work, but grouping design teams and other natural partners together also makes sense. Ask your employees what makes them comfortable before finalizing a decision.

4. Make it colorful

As with lighting and layout, you can do more in small spaces by using bright colors. Compared to dull grays and browns, brighter tones provide visual stimulation for employees sitting indoors all day. For the best results, use colors that work with your business logo so you can reinforce branding for anyone entering your workplace. If you are not great at spotting the potential in a small business space, ask your most creative employees to help. Delegating should never be limited to decisions about content.

5. Consider the physical element of work

Sitting, typing, sketching, and building are physical acts with varying degrees of stress. Think about how each work activity impacts your employees throughout a day in the office or shop. To avoid exacerbating back problems or joint issues from excessive typing, invest in ergonomically sound seating and place keyboards and screens at comfortable levels. Furthermore, allow employees to sit and work in ways that make them comfortable. Creativity thrives in comfortable atmospheres.

6. Add decorative flourishes

Small businesses that specialize in classic movie posters know exactly what to put on their walls, but there are options available for any field. Think about decorative flourishes around the workplace that will inspire your employees and pique visitors' interest. You do not have to spend a great deal of money to get design pieces for an office. Local vintage stores and other secondhand shops supply unique items at basement prices.

7. Set aside a quiet place

Even in a collaborative workplace, keep a space where employees can think and communicate in quiet. Everyone needs such a spot during a long week at work. When you have an open floor plan, you can achieve a haven by setting up tall plants or getting creative with screens. This spot will also give visitors a space to feel comfortable amid a busy workplace.