The Office Room (and Other Spaces) Every Business Should Have
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You and your employees will spend so much time in the workplace that it'll feel like a “home away from home.” Therefore, it should be comfortable and well-equipped with the must-have office room, other essential spaces, and all the accessories your hardworking team members may need.
If you want your employees to do the best work possible, increase your team's productivity, and motivate your staff to strive to achieve your business goals, your office facilities should promote creativity and inspiration.
Moreover, a well-constructed and equipped workplace will demonstrate your commitment to a proper work-life balance, which will improve workers' mental and physical health, lead to increased efficiency, and reduce turnover.
Do you want to create the ideal workplace for your employees? This guide contains valuable information about office rooms and other spaces that every business must have. Read on!
Must-Have Office Rooms and Spaces
What spaces should your business office building have? Is there any essential area for your employees? Below are the most important recommendations:
Reception and Greeting Area
Workplaces should have a separate area from the spaces where people often work. This is where visitors can enter, request information, or wait for their host to take them to other offices or rooms. Therefore, it should have comfortable seating.
Meeting and Conference Room
The most essential space for a business is definitely an office meeting room. These areas can serve multiple purposes. Below are the most common:
- Large conference rooms: Big spaces with numerous seating options and a presentation screen
- Small meeting rooms: Tiny and intimate spaces where around five people can meet at a time
- Video conferencing rooms: Modern areas equipped with tools and devices that employees can use for video calls, such as webcams and monitors
- Brainstorming rooms: Isolated spaces that can double as multi-purpose areas and are often equipped with a marker board to help employees come up with business ideas
To determine how many meetings and conference rooms your workplace should have, consider the following factors:
- Your employee count
- How often your employees have meetings or organize conferences
- The layout of your business office building
Common Area
Your employees need to socialize. Besides being essential for their mental health, this can foster a collaborative environment in your company. Therefore, your business office building should have a designated area for this purpose. Otherwise, some workers could distract others.
Ideally, this common area should be separated from the main workspace and be a space where employees can relax. Plus, it should include comfortable seating and other amenities, so workers can take a load off or entertain themselves.
IT Room
If your company greatly depends on technology, which is true for most of today's businesses, you also need to have an IT room in your office facilities.
This area is often built as a hub for businesses to manage all the technological solutions that employees use or systems require. Does your company have on-site servers? In that case, they must be stored in a secure and climate-controlled space, so your IT room must meet these standards.
An ideal IT room should be accessible to professionals, too, since it'll store expensive computers and other devices that may require regular maintenance.
Webinar and Recording Room
Does your business rely on webinars, podcasts, or video recordings? If so, this room is a must. Plus, this space should be adapted to these purposes and equipped with the right features.
A webinar and recording room should have soundproof walls and doors to block noise from the outside that may interfere with your activities. Additionally, this area should have some tools and devices that your employees can use to produce multimedia content, such as microphones and headphones.
Phone Rooms
Although it isn't common to see the word “phone” on office room names, designating this area is essential for open workplaces.
If your employees work in an open office, it'll be a good idea to build small rooms where they can take private calls. These spaces can maximize efficiency and productivity, as workers won't interrupt people who are using a meeting area, for example.
Plus, it’ll reinforce your commitment to creating a healthy and comfortable environment for your team.
Wellness Room
Many business owners overlook this space, but it's crucial in many workplaces. Wellness rooms are designed to offer privacy and allow employees to focus on themselves or their health.
These areas can be built as fitness hubs where employees can exercise, relaxing places where workers can get away for a short time to regain energy during a long day, or lactation spaces where new mothers can get some privacy to breastfeed their babies.
Kitchen
Although many companies have extravagant cafeterias or spaces with well-stocked vending machines, not all business owners can't afford to feed all their employees. However, most should have at least one kitchen where workers can prepare their own meals and have lunch or eat a snack in the middle of the day.
In addition to affecting their mood and performance, working with an empty stomach can harm your employees' health. That's why it's always a good idea to designate an area for a kitchen and equip it with a refrigerator and other small appliances, such as a microwave and a coffee maker.
Don't forget that your employees need to stay hydrated, too, so try to place hydration stations, such as water coolers, in high-traffic areas across your business office building.
Nice-to-Have Office Rooms and Spaces
Besides the must-have business office room and the essential areas described above, what other spaces should you build in your facilities? Below are some ideas that can help you create the perfect workplace.
Fitness Area
Incorporating a fitness area can take your office facilities to the next level. People are becoming increasingly conscious about their physical health, which is why many like to exercise at least once a day. Therefore, these spaces can be really valuable for your team.
While you need a significant investment to build an office gym, these areas offer many benefits. Healthy employees usually don't have trouble focusing on their daily tasks, are more productive, and can manage stress, which means they're more likely to get excellent results.
Although it’s a nice addition to your business office building, a fitness area isn’t an essential room. You can offer other wellness programs, such as fun activities or yoga classes, if you want to help your employees maintain good health.
Locker Room and Showers
Locker rooms and showers are especially important if you have a fitness area or office gym in your workplace. This space should be private and intimate to allow people to clean up after an exercise session.
If you don't have a fitness area in your building, it can still be a great business office room. A space with lockers and showers can be very useful for employees who use their bicycles to go to work or like to go for a run through a nearby park during their breaks.
Bike Storage Space
Not all your employees use their own vehicles to get to the office facilities. Many will rely on public transportation, while others will ride their bikes. That's why it's great to have a space where workers can store their two-wheelers and keep them safe.
Outdoor Space
Even if you have a well-equipped business office with all the amenities any employee can dream of, being inside all day can make people feel stressed and overwhelmed.
Employees may need to take some fresh air or just relax in the sunlight at some point in the day, so having an outdoor patio or green space in or next to your office would be great.
Keep in mind that it isn't mandatory to build an outdoor space, especially if you don't have a suitable budget. Don’t have this area? Encourage your employees to go for a walk in a local park when they need to get some outside time.
Tips to Set Up an Ergonomic Office Room
Now that you know the benefits that an ergonomic business office room and other essential spaces offer your team, are you ready to build the areas your employees need to increase their productivity, improve their health, or simply feel more comfortable while they work? Check out the following tips to achieve the best possible results!
Assess Your Employees’ Needs
You should identify what your employees do, use, and need throughout the day to build adequate spaces and equip them with the right tools, furniture pieces, and devices.
Consider Your Business Office Building's Layout
Before building a new business office room, you need to think about your workplace's layout and dimensions to avoid creating spaces that are too large or uncomfortable.
Choose Suitable Furniture
Each chair, table, or any other item you add to your rooms must be suitable for those spaces. Too large or too small elements can affect your workplace's ergonomics. You should consider standard office desk dimensions or measure the furniture pieces you plan to purchase to choose the right ones.
Don't Overlook Decor
If you're building new spaces in your workplace or renovating existing ones, you should make sure they're visually appealing and comfortable. Colors, lighting, and layout can affect employees’ mood and focus, so choose the best office wall ideas and the right accessories to make it pleasant to be in these areas.
Leave Room for Customization
Your employees will feel more comfortable in spaces that they can adapt to their needs and preferences. If possible, create customizable spaces and encourage them to look for some office cubicle decor ideas to add their personal touches to their workstations.
Set a Budget
Whether you're building new areas from scratch or are just changing office room names, it's essential to set a budget and stick to it. This is something that every business, large or small, must do.
Maximize Your Spaces
Even if your workplace is tiny, you can create comfortable and functional areas for your employees. You just have to look for some small office ideas for working spaces.
Necessary Office Furniture and Accessories for an Ergonomic Setup
Did you create the perfect office room for your business? Are all your company's essential areas ready to use? It’s time to equip them with the right furniture pieces and accessories. This is what you may need:
Standing Desk
Although you have many options to choose from, a standing desk can be a great choice if you want to encourage your employees to stay active during the day. Remember to pick a model with enough room for users' legs and feet, adjustable features, and ample work surface.
Ergonomic Chair
An ergonomic office chair is also essential for any worker. Ideally, each seating option should be comfortable and support users' spine. Many models feature adjustable armrests, headrests, and footrests for enhanced comfort. These are the best alternatives!
Office Accessories
Besides a comfortable desk and an ergonomic chair, you'll need some office accessories to take your new office room to the next level. These are some options:
- Keyboard and mouse
- Cabinets and drawers
- Monitor stands
- Cable trays
- Desk lamps
- Organizers
- And more!
Introducing the Autonomous Bulk Order Program
Furnishing a new office room requires a big investment. Additionally, you need to find options that are both stylish and ergonomic to keep your employees comfortable and productive. Where can you find the furniture pieces and accessories you need and save?
Autonomous offers a solution through the Bulk Order Program! This initiative seeks to meet the needs of businesses of all sizes by providing significant discounts on bulk office furniture and accessories, whether you need to buy desks, chairs, or any other office tool.
Benefits of the Autonomous Bulk Order Program
Below are some of the benefits of using the Autonomous Bulk Order Program:
- Save money: When buying in bulk from Autonomous, you can get significant discounts, which will help you stay within budget.
- Wide selection: Autonomous offers numerous furniture options to fit any office. You can choose from different colors, styles, and features to create the perfect workspace for your employees.
- Free shipping and returns: This brand also offers free shipping and returns on certain bulk orders, making it easy to get the furniture you need without any hassle or huge expenses.
Final Thoughts
Investing in well-equipped office rooms with ergonomic furniture and useful accessories can benefit your business. By providing your employees with spaces and tools that suit their needs, you can help them improve their health, boost their productivity, and enhance job satisfaction.
If you're looking for a one-stop shop for all your office furniture needs, Autonomous is a great option to consider. The best part? You can save money with the Bulk Order Program!
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