6 Actionable Tips to Dress Your Office To Impress
When you’re opening a business of your own, everything you do is being watched. The banks are watching your business spending, your staff is watching your leadership skills and your clients are paying attention to your business efficiency.
Just like anything else, making a good first impression is important for the continued success of your business. Growing up, you would have been told not to judge a book by its cover. You’d have been told that looks aren’t everything and that beauty is on the inside.
Well, this may be the case for a book or personal relationships, but when it comes to your business, looks are everything. We’re not talking about you dolling yourself up every day for work and we’re not talking about where you buy your business suits from to look sharp in the workplace. We’re talking about your office space.
Buying or renting commercial premises is a big deal, especially when you have spent those early business years in the second bedroom of the home and using that as your office.
You wouldn’t show up to a meeting with an important client wearing old and dirty clothes, so it makes sense that you wouldn’t just throw second hand and dirty furniture into your office and call it a day.
Your office has to make a good impression if you want your company to continue its success. The good news is that your office space doesn’t have to be mega trendy and full of expensive gadgets for people to step back and say, ‘wow’. Think about the offices that you have worked in and those that you have visited.
Have you ever walked through the corridors for an interview feeling mighty impressed by the plush carpets and the pale wood desks and tables? Most people go to large commercial buildings and feel overpowered by the space, and that’s exactly what your office should do.
You need people to walk in and catch their breath at how impressive space looks – even without the latest design trends. The cheapest office you can afford on your new business budget can still be as powerful to look at than a massive open office with vending machines.
You just need to know how to make it pop in the right way. So, to be able to create a professional, impressive and attractive place to work, you need to keep it simple and follow the tips we’ve got for you below. You won’t regret it!
#1 Keep It Clean
If you are smart and you are a stickler for your desk being uncluttered, you’re already on the right track. An uncluttered desk leads to a clear mind and employing the same principle throughout the office is going to make a massive difference to the way that people view your business as a whole when they come to your office for meetings.
The desks should always be free of debris as standard, but this should extend to the entire office. You can employ companies like Atkins, Inc to maintain outdoor spaces and keep your exterior as bright and clean as you would like your interiors to be.
Tiled floors should be as free of scuffs as possible, and you should really invest in new flooring if yours is particularly prone to being scuffed or scratched.
You may not think the walls and floors of your office need as much cleaning, but you’ll be grateful that you did when people have a good impression of your business when they walk through the door.
#2 Let There Be Light
It’s amazing how much a flickering, dimming light can have an impact on office space. It can make the entire floor look cheap, and while you don’t need to decorate with chandeliers to make an office space look grand, you do need to think about how your office image reflects on you.
If you are in an old building and you own the building, it would be worth hiring in an electrician to refit new wiring throughout.
Space should be brightly lit, and it should be steady; no faulty bulbs flashing in either the main office or the bathrooms of your office.
Listen out for buzzing as well, as you need to know if there are any faults that haven’t made the lights flash. You should always opt for LED bulbs where you can. Sure, there’s a pricier outlay, but they last longer and are far eco-friendlier.
#3 Plan Open Plan
A lot of offices love the privacy of cubicles, but an open plan office space can look far cleaner and far less busy. It’ll be filled with people and desks, but with your line of sight is broken by walls of cubicles, it’s an illusion that a cubicle room is busier than an open plan one.
Open spaces are also far more productive for your workforce. Cubicles do give privacy, but they can also allow for laziness, which is not what you need in your office. An open space enforces the idea for your staff that all office areas should remain clean and tidy in case clients or customers do wander in.
Always go for an open space for a modern and fresh look to your office. With an open plan office, you can be creative about the design of the desks and the storage. You can easily turn your desks into shapes to keep things interesting and you can match the chair colors to the brand that you display proudly on the walls.
Don’t be afraid to get creative with your open space – making it look inviting will draw in the clients!
#4 Create A Vibe
While a clean and open office is inviting and professional, you don’t have to stick to a uniform look. Your office needs a buzz, a vibe to give it life and motivation for your staff to work.
The type of vibe that you want for your office is entirely up to you; the furnishing and color don’t have to be standard or sensible at all!
As long as it looks good to you and matches your brand, your office can make a statement and still look professional. Shabby chic isn’t just for the home, so you could use pieces found in thrift stores to make your office breakout rooms look homelier and comforting.
Think about spaces that you enjoy spending your time for the vibe; whether they are relaxed or have an atmosphere of fun and frolics. You need to be able to enjoy your work and feel pumped to arrive, and one way I’ve found to do this is with designer radiators.
If this is how you feel about your work and your office, then other people will feel the very same way.
#5 Go, Go, Gadgets!
When it comes to office furniture and storage, you can have all the thrifty pieces you can find, and you can find some amazing bargains. When it comes to the computers and equipment, though, you shouldn’t skimp on the costs there.
Don’t go for refurbished computer equipment, as it’s just not okay to have people that work to help your business working on the technology of yesterday.
Clients who see your office can always get over a messy desk environment but having work and invoicing etc delayed because of old technology is not quite as forgivable.
Spending the money on office technology is always worth the extra, as you won’t have to replace the equipment that you buy for a while. While we’re talking gadgets, turn some of your fixtures into arty pieces.
Radiators like this can be a talking point while keeping your clients and staff warm during the course of the day.
#6 Safety First
Staff health and safety is paramount and when it comes to impressing people, you have to also impress your staff. If you are looking after the staff workstations and ensuring monitors are at the right height, the chairs are ergonomic, and you have provided footstools for under the desks, then you are caring for the wellbeing of your staff.
While you’re thinking about staff health, you need to also think about the temperature of the office and the comfort of all your staff and visitors.
You may find the constant battle of some staff being too hot and others too cold, so always position the office strategically so that people are sitting where they are comfortable. Lastly, adding some plant life to offer fresh air and a little color to the workspace is a great way to keep your staff upbeat and engaged.
No one wants to turn up at the office and feel sluggish and unmotivated by their office, so you need to ensure that your staff doesn’t feel that way about going to work. If you and your staff arrive somewhere that they are happy to be, they will be more productive.
You can impress clients and hold meetings with a little pride in the place that you call your business. All you need for an impressive office is a lot of fun and a good start – now you have it!
So what are you doing to dress up your office?