Between conducting experiments on electricity, helping draft the Declaration of Independence, and posing for the $100 bill, Benjamin Franklin coined the phrase, “A place for everything, and everything in its place.”
And while it goes without saying that the furthest thing from his mind at the time was office furniture layout, the fact is that his proverbial wisdom applies perfectly in this context.
Why? Because an office layout is more than just a matter of aesthetics and artistic appeal; although these are certainly important factors. It’s also a matter of productivity. Or to put this another way: poor office furniture layout reduces productivity, which ultimately hurts the bottom-line.
Let's look at a few ways it does just that.
3 Ways Your Office Furniture Layout Affects Employee Productivity:
1. Workflows
In most workplaces, employees don’t sit at their workstation all day. Rather, they regularly or constantly move around, in order to retrieve and share information and documents.
An optimized office furniture layout supports these general traffic patterns and workflows, so that employees get more done in less time. Indeed, while it may seem like a small detail, a strategically placed desk – or more often, a removed cubicle – can literally save hours of wasted time and effort each month.
2. Collaboration
Workgroups and teams often need to collaborate on everything from resolving customer problems to developing strategy. However, most office layouts are not suitable for collaboration. On the contrary, they make it needlessly challenging for employees to connect and share.
An optimized office furniture layout recognizes the link between collaboration and productivity, and as such makes it much simpler for employees to connect. For example, many workplaces are saying goodbye to cubicles (especially when they discover what used office cubicles are worth), and embracing an open office environment where collaboration is easier, more efficient and more effective.
3. Morale
Most employees spend more “waking time” at work than they do anywhere else – and this includes their home! Poor office layout is a definite morale-killer, because it’s simply not an environment that employees find supportive. That is, it’s not designed for them – and they’re reminded of this every day they walk into work.
However, an optimized office furniture layout clearly sends the message that supporting employees is a top priority. This boosts morale and engagement – which in turn supports productivity.
Learn More
If you’re concerned that your office furniture layout is working against your employees instead of for them, then contact Precision today. We’ll work with you to customize your office layout, so that it’s optimized for your employee’s productivity -- and for your business’s profitability!
