Office space planning

An office plan is a blueprint for how your team will work and live. That’s why careful planning and communication is integral to our process.

Office space planning

First and foremost, we create a floorplan that is tailored to the needs of your business. The layout of a workspace encourages movement, houses different business activities in a logical and considered way, and helps bring people together for both work and downtime.

Factors to consider when planning the layout of your office

Peldon Rose start by developing a relationship with each client to understand the intricacies of individual businesses and their needs. Then, the team will interrogate the building that will house the new workplace, so that every detail is considered.

Then, when designing your office layout, we use insights either from our Workplace Strategy findings, or initial conversations to identify exactly how the space can be optimised to operate as effectively and efficiently for both your business and the people within it.

If you're looking for a source of inspiration, check out six of the incredible meeting spaces that we’ve delivered.

Office space planning process

Office space planning process

Extensive research takes place between people from across the business, at all levels of seniority and job role. Through interviews, focus groups and workshops, we explore the things that are working well in your current workplace, and the elements that can be improved.

Importantly, we consider your business needs, your culture and your objectives both in the short and long term, so we can plan an office layout that will serve your business for years to come.

These insights will produce a robust set of data that is used to produce a brief that then works to bring the findings to life in a practical setting.

What’s the best office layout for your business?

The best office layout doesn’t exist. When considering your office interior design, there is no one-size-fits-all approach. It’s important to create a bespoke solution for each business, and the right approach for one business will be different to another’s.

There are a number of vital factors that we consider. However, every office space plan considers how we can optimize your working practices, to incorporate new ways of working to allow your business to continue to lead whatever industry you operate within. We’ll simultaneously provide areas for work, rest, collaboration, or whatever function your business needs to fulfil.

Often, these areas are categorised into neighbourhoods, that house different functions, departments or operational activity. Here, mini communities can form, fostering culture and a sense of unity.

How to create an office plan that offers choice

It’s not just design and style that make up an office build. Office space planning is all about offering your employees choice. Key questions to consider are:

  • How is the office is utilised by the workforce?
  • How many people will be working there at a given time?
  • Who needs to work together?
  • What sort of space will different departments need?
  • Where do people enjoy working, and how do your employees enjoy downtime?
  • Most of all, what type of office space will enable your people to reach their full potential both professionally and personally?

By asking these questions we can identify things like whether certain teams need set desks at all, or how your team might use other workstation options that encourage agile or focused work. A simple change in your approach can mean more open space can be created for use in other activities or by other departments.

In the case of Helaba, we designed a stunning, sustainable space that reduced desk space by 50% - meaning they had more open areas available for other usage as well as to free up space for team members. Giving staff more space to breathe can have a big impact on day-to-day work.

Office space planning tips

Before our workplace consultants and designers can start to plan an office space, they look outwards to the walls of the building your business will inhabit, and also to the wider area around it. Key considerations include:

  • Transport: How will your teams travel to work? will your office require showers for those commuting by foot or bike? Is the parking provided sufficient?
  • Exterior environment: How does light enter the building, and how does this change throughout the day?
  • Building health: How does air circulate through the building? And how will this affect the workplace?
  • The user journey: How will different types of users experience the workplace? Whether they’re employees or clients, it’s important to design with an understanding of the different experiences you will offer to the visitors to your business.

For more information on how modern office design has progressed and how you can incorporate new styles into your space, speak to one of our experts who will help answer any questions you may have about your project.

  • Creating a sustainable, collaborative workspace for Helaba

    Downsizing to a new office space can be a daunting prospect for any business. Following a change in a way of working and a lease break of its current office, Helaba saw the opportunity that a functional, better-equipped space could have for its people and business.

    Helaba needed a design agency that could deliver a fast-track project that encompassed its values and introduced activity-based working. We carried out a full test fit on the space, engaging with Helaba’s team early on to challenge their way of thinking and deliver an exceptional workplace.

    After moving into the new space we realised how well designed and inspiring the new workspace is for us. Peldon Rose was the perfect match for the project from start to finish.

    Helaba Project Team, London Branch

    Creating a sustainable, collaborative workspace for Helaba

    helaba bank reception space with sustainable elements
    Improve employee wellbeing
Detail shot of brown terazzo worktop with brown leather seating

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