The UK economy has been trundling along at a regular clip for a good eight years now. With talk of the “recovery” receding and with growth on the up, it finally seems as if the country has returned to some semblance of economic normalcy.
One could go as far as to say that the economic climate is similar to that which pertained before the crisis of 2008 and the recession of 2009.
But, as it turns out, that’s part of the problem. Debts are still rising, wage growth is still stagnant despite all the new technology that’s come online over the last eight years, and the stock market is reaching new highs. It all seems rather familiar.
Businesses have a sense of foreboding right now. On the one hand, the economy looks to be in good shape. Consumers are spending, and unemployment is low.
But on the other hand, there’s a niggling sense that it’s not going to last. The valuation of companies in the stock market suggests that the economy should be growing at a rapid rate.
But growth is modest at best – better than it was, but still not at the level that the stock market would suggest.
For businesses, the threat of another crash is all too real. What part of the system will give way first isn’t clear, but many firms are now taking the view that now is not the time to upscale and move to new offices.
Instead, they’re looking for ways to improve and iterate on what they’ve got so that they can win more clients, protect their capital and dig in when the economic climate turns bad again.
So what can your company do to improve on its offices if it decides against expansion?
End Your Open Plan Obsession
For one reason or another, open plan became the must-have office layout in the 2000s. The revolution was led by Silicon Valley companies who wanted to foster an atmosphere of creativity and openness in their businesses, rather than the stuff, cubicles of the firms of yesteryear.
But it turned out that open plan offices weren’t the silver bullet that they were looking for. Instead, many employees found open plan offices to be stifling and to cause additional stress.
When science backed up this claim, it appeared as if we would soon return to the cubicles of the 1970s. Fortunately, that needn’t happen in your office.
Simply dividing the space into zones where people can either work solo or in groups provides the best compromise.
Keep Things Simple And Clean
Hiring a contract cleaning service is something that the vast majority of top businesses do. With so many people coming and going, offices can soon get dirty and grimy, and so they need regular – perhaps even daily – upkeep.
Create A Theme
Finally, to impress both new recruits and potential clients, it’s worth having an office “theme”. The best themes are those which attempt to reflect the culture of your company.
Design companies, for instance, often incorporate creative statement walls and focus on interior design.
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