Office space is usually the second largest overhead after wages and one of the key influences on workplace performance. An inefficient work space can negatively affect your staff and business bottom line.

With a regular space planning review and small improvements to the furniture, design, layout or lighting you could greatly improve your working environment.

With over twenty years of working with businesses all shapes and sizes, we?re expert in space planning for existing work spaces and office moves. Here, we explain what space planning entails and give some examples of how we work with companies to improve their work environment.

Does your office reflect your culture and brand values?

Workplace design is certainly not 'one size fits all'. Your company culture plays a significant role in determining the style of your workplace.

A drinks brand such as Heineken has a very different culture to long established high street name such as Marks & Spencer. Part of our solution when working with Heineken was to create a purpose built bar, not something you would propose to Marks & Spencer where a space saving feature was the addition of automatic sliding glass doors.

Are all departments happy with current layout?

Rarely does a company require one type of space to complete an office. Each department often requires a completely unique type of space to work in. A solid space plan will work the different space types into a cohesive design.

Support spaces

It?s often the support areas such as filling areas, printers, mail area, break and kitchen areas that aren?t as well thought out as the work and meeting room areas. All too often, they?re sited too close to someone?s desk or in the wrong part of the office. It?s never too late to re-design particular areas of the office.

Legal Requirements

There are many legal requirements to consider such as the Equality Act of 2010, Building Regulations ? Part B Fire Safety Volume 2; Part M Access to and use of Buildings; Part E (Resistance to sound), The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations. As specialists in Space planning we will take care of ensuring your office space meets all current requirements.

Does your office space meet short and long term requirements?

It's important to consider the here and now, as it is the long term when space planning. A well thought out office will be able to react to your changing business, quickly, effectively and cheaply.

This article covers just a few of the considerations when space planning. Every office space is different and has its own set of challenges, or as we like to call them, opportunities.