3 Office Space Fails That Are Common In New York City

Your office space can either help or hurt your business.  As times have changed recently, office layouts and features have also changed.  But not all of these changes have been for the best.

Here are three of the biggest fails that you might see right here in New York City.

1) The Open Office Layout

This style of office has become extremely popular among the tech companies here in New York and across the US.  This style of office eschews walls for large open rooms.  Some offices even have added couches ottomans and other items that make the office feel much more like a living room.

The original thought behind these open office plans was that they would encourage communication and creativity among employees

However, lately companies are starting to move away from these layouts.  They are finding that people have different needs even during a single day.  Sometimes they need a quiet place to really focus on what tasks lie in front of them at that particular time.  Even the Facebook offices here in Manhattan have a quiet “library” space where employees can get a quiet environment if they need one.

So keep in mind that if you do go with the open office layout it is essential to have some quiet space available for your people.

2)  Not Having A Meeting Space Available

Every organization has regular meetings where multiple people need to meet to work on projects or to just review the status of what each department is working on.  Not having a space to have this meeting is a mistake.

Especially if you are having a management meeting a separate space for meetings is important.  There may be certain issues that you need to discuss that really do need to be kept private and not overheard by the other employees.

Plus you always want to have a professional space that you can use for meetings with customers, prospects and vendors.  First time meetings also make that fist impression which can be a lasting one.

3) Not Making The Most of A Small Office Layout

Here in New York City, office space is at a premium.  You’re often going to be wishing you could afford more space.  So one of the biggest mistakes you can make is not taking advantage of maximizing the space you can afford.

The simple act of strategic desk placement can make a world of difference in a small office space.  

You can set desks up in pairs so that people face each other or organize them into pods of four.  Be sure if you use these patterns that you get people to rotate positions every few months or so.  That will prevent silos from occurring with your people.

You can also use office furniture that moves to make it easier to open up spaces that aren’t being used.  If a desk isn’t going to be occupied for that day, move it out of the way to open up the space for your team.

There are also cool design resources out there.  Young designers are creating exciting new ways to maximize space.  Check out the Rewrite desk by the Danish designers GamFratesi.

You can also start to think vertically.  When you don’t have as much horizontal space, take advantage of the walls in your office to get some of your stuff up and out of the way.

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