Reducing costs in the office is a big deal for most owners. Scaling down, or indeed, ‘shrinking’ your working space is something that is not only desirable but also achievable too.

This stems from the fact that office spaces are nearly always over reliant on successful desk occupation, when the reality is often a starker view. An overestimation like this leads to a distinct sense of wasted space and a feeling that your business could be much better arranged.

 

The Great Desk Graveyard

 

The realisation that desks are only being used for 50% of the day is a great hammer of truth to many owners and should create a distinct action plan. Due to meetings, courses, sickness, training, external workers etc, the office is rarely at full capacity. So what’s the answer – relocate somewhere half the size? The answer needn’t be so drastic and this just isn’t an option for long lease businesses.

 

It isn’t just empty desks that are the problem though. The typical office incorporates needless corridors that could be easily reshaped and used more effectively; the emphasis on filing en masse eats away at any layout; the desks are too large and not configured correctly to the office floor; there are ‘gaps’ and ‘dead zones’ where no-one quite knows what the point is.

 

Shrinking Solutions

 

The answer is to usually stick a table and a pot plant there. Essentially as an owner, you are looking around your office and seeing a lot of objects and not many workers. This is a problem.

Fortunately, there are plenty of solutions out there for you to truly get the most out of your office. The big one is to start moving away from paper-dependency and into online storage. Filing takes up a huge portion of an office – shredders, copiers, fax machines, laminators, printers, storage cabinets – it all makes a difference and depending on your industry, paper output could be reduced.

 

Making Space

 

If you have large areas left over, then don’t neglect these or try to dress them up as something they’re not. Worst of all, don’t have any kind of dumping ground – everything should have its place. If you make enough extra space, then why not try and integrate a meeting room and be amazed with how shrinking your office allows for alternate rooms to be born.

 

It isn’t all about casting adrift items though. It’s as much about readjusting the whole business. With reduced desks comes a flexible working environment and you might be thinking of introducing space sharing as a way forward.

 

Get the Team Behind You

 

Whatever approach you choose, don’t leave your team out of the loop – keep them informed every step of the way. This is to gauge their feelings and avoid hitting them with one almighty curveball when they turn up to work one morning and see that everything’s changed.

It’s healthy to include them in discussions about the way the shrinking of the office and where the business is heading. This could include creating remote, work from home posts, investing in tablets or other mobile digital media that can be used anywhere. Also, developing flexible work areas, less individual desks and more thought on space for problem solving and group discussions.

 

Shrink to Grow

 

So, as you can see, there is more to reducing the size of an office than meets the eye. In lots of ways, you aren’t shrinking at all – you are growing and going forward with the times. Not only will this change in company ethos make for a more focused, contemporary office, but also bring your staff closer together and make them feel appreciated. It’s a win, win situation, so call the office specialists Send Business Centre NOW for a quote on the best in managed office space.