Design & Construction Tips for Building Flexible Office Spaces

Whether you’re a Fortune 500 company or a small startup, your office space is a reflection on your company’s approach to business. In today’s evolving remote/hybrid/return-to-office work environment, office spaces are challenged to keep up – and do it cost-effectively.

With decades of experience in design-build construction, we’ve helped business owners plan their office spaces for maximum productivity and functionality. If you’re in the initial stages of planning for a new build or office renovation, we can help you keep key design and construction considerations like these in mind:

Do You Have Room for Both Collaboration & Privacy?

Gone are the days of static walls, closed doors and stuffy boardrooms. Today’s office spaces are built for flexibility. For example: teamwork is critical to most organizations, but how do your teams work best? Open layouts were once the norm for encouraging collaboration, but these left little room for privacy. Today’s office spaces now feature modular/movable walls or window walls to encourage an open feeling while still providing privacy. Multi-purpose rooms and “right-size” workstations also help avoid wasted space and can evolve with your business needs. Built-in AV setups for virtual collaboration are also more important than ever – and require planning to assure they function seamlessly from a wiring and electrical standpoint.

What Is The Employee Experience & Company Culture?

Whether your employees are hybrid or in the office full-time, their work environment can heavily influence their productivity. Accessibility, noise control, workflow and break areas are all top considerations and can reduce distractions. For example, living walls or biophilia – plants and natural textures – can improve productivity and reduce stress. Does your company emphasize health and wellness? Does this mean including a fitness space, relaxation seating, a full-service cafeteria, or outdoor areas? Thoughtful design considerations can boost employee morale and help with retention and culture.

Will You Host Clients & Prospects?

The client/prospect experience is a critical part of any office space, especially if you host meetings on a regular basis. Building planning should include the entire customer experience: from the moment they park and walk in your door to any follow up visits they make. Some considerations include:

It’s important to think through all the “what ifs” that make the client experience positive and memorable.

Safety & Security Considerations

Fire suppression systems, building and parking lot access control, and on-site security or monitoring are important to plan for early on in a construction process. Access control includes how both your employees and visitors enter your space and how you monitor equipment, data and personnel. All of these systems require advance planning for wiring and plumbing. They also will likely grow and evolve over the years – so planning should include futureproofing.

Data Management

Another “futureproofing” consideration that requires advance planning is data management. What type of data servers or other critical equipment will you need to house? Temperature and sound management are important considerations here, since high-tech equipment requires careful environmental management.