Designing and Installing Office Partitions in and around the London area has been our specialty for 35 years. In that time there have been many changes in, and many different opinions about office designs and office layouts and their effects on personnel, and ultimately the business / organisation occupying the office space. Office partitions however have continued to advance in terms of materials and design options and have become a more important feature than ever in the best office designs. So how and why could they be relevant to your office design / plan / layout? Some of the ideas below may provide a different perspective on your place of work that you hadn't thought about:

Is your organisation missing 'assets'?

In accounting terms, businesses may have a number of tangible assets. The space inside the office however can be an asset when it is created and laid out in a way that fosters creativity and communication between individuals and groups, whilst being able to provide areas where quiet and concentration are possible. When you really think about modes of behaviour at work, most of us are either trying to concentrate on something particular, trying to communicate (or not :-), or maybe trying to think and behave creatively. The flexibility and scope of partitions can create an environment where all of these things are possible within an area that is appropriate for us to occupy depending on our position in the organisation. For example the offices in London we have worked in have used different combinations of height, materials, positioning, finishes, frames, logos / designs / artwork, flexibility of movement, to create a balanced workspace where all of these modes of thought are achievable with minimum effort.

Are you saving energy and money with your workplace layout?

The central part of the building is a good place for any solid enclosed offices. Other more open office spaces could utilize e.g. glass, with the main work areas nearer the windows of the building. This will make the best use of the natural light i.e. not relying completely on artificial light. As well as natural light being better, it also means that there can be energy cost savings.

Have you considered security and confidentiality in the office

There are some parts of the workplace where some degree of confidentiality are needed. For example, certain functions such as human resources will need to be accessible and yet will need at least sound proofing, and to some extent some physical screening. Office partitions can be constructed to provide a high degree of sound proofing e.g. but can also maintain enough glass / glazing elements to screen the area from view if and when it is necessary e.g. by frosting glass / parts of the glass, by use of blinds etc. Senior management may need a similar arrangement - they may want to be close to and to be able to see (and at times hear) and to able to maintain a direct route of communication (visual) with other members of staff. Senior managers may also need to allow their staff to feel as though they aren't being watched at all times, and they will also need to be able to have privacy and confidentiality from members of staff when necessary - partitions can provide the flexibility to meet the needs of all kinds of work situations that solid brick walls never can.

Finance, and perhaps areas of reception will also need a degree of security and yet a look and feel of accessibility - once again, partitions can achieve this by combining a number of design elements.

Have you considered hierarchy and cultural perceptions?

Solid offices far away form the workforce can be real indicators of hierarchy, which although it may actually be present in terms of authority, it may send the wrong cultural messages. Clever layouts can not only make management seem more approachable, but can also give management keep an ear to the ground and get a good feel for what's actually going on in the office. the partition can also provide a level of privacy when needed.

What about vicarious learning, mentoring, and training?

If more experienced and skilled members of staff are hidden form other members of staff trying to learn the same job, shutting them away in solid offices can deprive other members of staff from learning and in a sense being naturally mentored by them. The organisation will ultimately miss out on an opportunity to provide a kind of ongoing training (which doesn't incur any extra costs). A more open office e.g. between certain workstations / work areas, and not ceiling height can allow this 'training' to occur.

Are you creating the right conditions for the right job?

There is an argument to say that certain types of job e.g. data processing work, needs a large degree of privacy / insulation from potential disturbances, whereas jobs that are wider in scope will need more interaction / communication with other staff. In these circumstances, and for the two types of work to take place in the same office space, without ostracizing the data processing workers, divided workspace can offer the perfect solution e.g. with acoustic divisions for data processing workers.

What governs the layout of your office?

Is the layout of your office the result of organic growth or is meticulously planned to follow the pattern of work? Organically developing offices seen to be less effective as they're not particularly linked to a logical plan from the earliest layout decisions, and they may not make the best use of the space available. Setting out the office to follow and fit in with the flow of the actual work is a much better strategy. Since this itself may be subject to change, the use of office partitions in varying degrees of permanence may be the best course of action.

Are you stifling the right kind of communication?

Fast communication in an office is vital to the performance of the organisation. Creating an environment with a more open look and feel can allow all kinds of communication to take place, and much of it can prove to be creative and productive. Visual and aural communication can be facilitated by e.g. office partitions that are glazed / partially glazed, varying heights etc. By allowing staff to feel less isolated, and to fell better informed, they feel more in control and are therefore morale and confidence levels are likely to be much higher.

Flexibility too is a major advantage in office layouts e.g. some types of dividing materials can be easily dismantled and erected at another location very quickly and without incurring any significant costs.

If you are in the London area and you would like more information about how the intelligent use of your workspace could help your organisation, call 0208 900 1128, contact us online, or ask for a free quotation.