Does your space cost you or pay you?
Reduce footprint, increase efficiency, downscale space and boost ROI. These are all terms we’re hearing more and more in relation to office space. In a pricey real estate market, firms are looking to cut costs by making less space count more. With the escalating cost of rent and real estate, space has become money, and the potent question being asked … “Is your space costing you or paying you?”
So how can we optimise office space and make it pay more? The key is to make the same available space work smarter. Contemporary open plan layouts are great space savers, blending the lines between personal office spaces and incorporating a greater amount of shared space. Multi-use areas like team collaboration areas, breakout spaces and informal meeting areas combine multiple areas of the traditional office into one multipurpose area, making every square metre count more.
ABW and open plans offices are no longer just a trend, but a priority for organisations seeking to get a higher return on a smaller space. Research shows office space per employee dropping from 20 square metres per person in 2010 to 14 square metres per person by 2017, that’s 30% less space in 7 years, a major cost saver for large organisations.
Reducing space doesn’t mean offices will become cramped, cluttered or overcrowded. Simply, the modern office requires less space for paper storage, less admin space, portable IT resources and technology like cloud storage and WiFi for a smarter use of the available space. Contemporary layouts are well planned with highly usable multi-use areas and plenty of breathing space in between.
With this transition comes new opportunities. Opportunity to intensify staff satisfaction, increase employee retention, make the workplace enjoyable to work in, build up a stronger brand image, improve the company culture and surge productivity. Now every square metre is paying more in every area of the business.
Office areas no longer need to be designated to a person or task, making the space saving possibilities endless. Team work in the café? Meeting in the library? Conversation in the lobby and quiet time in a booth? Absolutely.
Some key questions around saving space and ways to optiise office space:
- What will the space be used for?
- Who will be using this space?
- What furniture will serve this purpose best?
- How can I make this area multi-functional?
Find furniture solutions for modern breakout seating, team collaboration tables, team booth seating, shared open plan desking and quiet booths.
Talk to a specialist about space saving furniture layouts for your next project.