A well-designed office is more than just a stylish space. It shapes culture, supports productivity and communicates brand identity. Evoke Projects explains how to create a workplace that fits your brand and your people.
To create an environment that truly works, businesses must start by understanding their audience.
Firstly, decide who your ideal client will be. This is often referred to as a customer avatar. Branding and business success comes down, in part, to having a clear idea about who you want to work with. If you know who you want your clients to be and what products/services you want to deliver, you can make an informed choice about the workplace design that will help you achieve your goals.
Make sure you check the zoning and rules for the premises you are considering. You don’t want to buy or sign a long-term lease on a property and find out that it cannot be used for your business type or that council have requirements you cannot meet. You may need a certain number of parking spaces or an investment to bring your space up to the required standard.
It is also wise to talk to a design and construction company to make sure the square metreage and premises will meet your workplace fit-out needs. Consider your long-term goals as well.
A brand is so much more than a logo. Work with a specialist to develop a brand that incorporates your values and is likely to attract your ideal client. This will help you to communicate who you are to the world. Your brand should be unique, relevant, memorable and recognisable. Your brand will be incorporated into your workplace fit-out through colours, design elements and signage.
Incorporate your brand in all your business’ touchpoints, from your website to brochures to promotional materials and business cards. Consistency helps to build confidence and brand recognition.
Define your budget. Make sure you can afford the property, equipment, supplies and the office fit-out. It’s sensible to talk to your financial adviser, bank and accountant, and look closely at your business plan to determine how much you need to spend to achieve your business goals.
Your design and construction company should take time to get to know you before they start producing office design concepts. At Evoke Projects, we call this the “Explore” stage of the project. We want to know as much as we can about you, your clients, your staff and your vision for your business. We’ll ask many questions to make sure we know exactly what you want to achieve. You shouldn’t move to the next step of the design process until you are confident the company you are working with truly understands your people and your purpose.
At Evoke Projects, we believe success lies in not only catering to your clients but also to your team’s needs. Why? Well, to start with, the work environment has been shown to be closely linked to job performance, so your team’s performance is intimately tied up with your business’ success.
If there is a shortage of talent in your industry, prospective employees can pick and choose who they work for. To form a great team, you need to be an employer that people want to work for, otherwise known as an employer of choice.
People value their workplace environment. If they feel good in a space, they’re more likely to enjoy work, have a sense of well-being and a positive attitude towards coming to their place of employment every day. This shapes the culture of your company.
A well-thought-out and perfectly delivered design can raise your team’s levels of satisfaction and happiness. Happy team members tend to take fewer days off, burn out less often, and stay with their employer for longer.
Please call Evoke Projects on 1300 720 692 to discuss a workplace fit-out that fits your brand and your people.
