Optimize Collaboration with an Agile Workspace

Workplace density changes brought on by agile work environments, office sharing, and employees working from home have changed how offices utilize their workspaces. In fact, the annual cost of operating a workstation rose by 1.5 percent worldwide this past year. Some of this is due to increased technology costs. Others are due to trading out traditional workstations for more collaborative designs.

Defying Convention With Flair

What kinds of office furniture or equipment is considered standard for an agile workspace? That depends. According to Serraview.com, in the typical corporate office, 6 of 10 desks sit unused daily. That wasted space isn’t conducive to fast-paced meetings or brainstorming through sprint sessions.

Keep your workstations mobile and simple. Cubicles filled with a desk, an ergonomic chair, computer, and phone are passé, especially with younger office employees. Half of all employees feel mobility is key to collaboration and getting work done in quick iterations. Clustered employees sitting in a room full of cubicles with individual offices around their perimeter does nothing for an agile workflow.

Meeting rooms with tables and chairs that move around easily allow office employees to work collaboratively. Furniture must be comfortable. Eclectic is good, functional is best. Furniture and office equipment must allow flexibility, mobility, and engagement. It all factors into enhancing your employees’ satisfaction. Optimizing your office space with furniture that promotes the collaborative nature of an agile work environment will make the best use of your employee time.

Be of an Agile Mindset

Arranging your office space to support the collaborative freedom of agile work methods builds choice and autonomy. Check out your local discount furniture store to find non-conventional, edgier furniture to fit the “new” open office concept. You’ll find that you will be operating with less space more efficiently. This saves your company money and keeps employees happy.

The bottom line is that if you are going to invest in commercial office space, you have to think outside the box. You will be paying for your lease and its associated utilities, maintenance, and security. Plan your office to make that new space work better for you. You may not be able to reduce your square footage, but you sure can optimize the way it is used, which eventually ups your return on investment.