How to Use Your Office Space to Reflect Your Brand
Businesses today understand that company culture and branding have become critical components to the success of their organization.
The physical environment should not beoverlooked as an important part of culture and brand. Employees spend much of their time in their offices, so a workspace is more than just walls, desks, chairs and technology. Your workspace has the potential to be a motivator for your employees, a recruitment tool for top talent and retaining your current employees. By thinking outside of the cube and using your space to shape your brand and culture, it will create positive outcomes that will lead to the overall success of your business.
Your Brand Starts With Your Employees
Your employees are your brand messengers, so it is important to make sure that your employees believe in your brand and culture and feel connected to it. The workplace should be a positive experience for all of your employees because they spend a lot of time there and are invested in their jobs. If your employees feel a strong emotional connection to your brand and culture, your clients will feel it as well. When you create a branded workspace, it is a constant reinforcement that your company believes in its values and is committed to the well-being of all your employees. It will constantly reinforce to your employees that you care about them as much as you care about your clients. Studies have shown companies that have a branded workspace increase employee engagement, and when employee engagement increases, so does productivity.
Establish Your Brand
Your brand isn’t only just about your fantastic logo and vibrant company colors. Before designing to reflect your brand, you first must define it. Think about all of the people who experience your company including employees, recruits, applicants and clients. All of these people play a role in defining your brand, so consider their experience when they enter your workspace. Telling your story is a great way to establish your brand. Let all who enter your space experience your story, your history, your milestones and your achievements—to not only inspire them, but create a feeling of belonging. Telling your story through design elements will communicate that your company stands apart from the rest and subtly remind clients and employees what makes your company uniquely you.
Office Design to Leverage the Power of Your Brand
Your mission and values shape and support your brand. The goal behind good branding and design is to create an experience for everyone that enters. When people walk through your door, they will immediately receive your message. What is the feeling they get from your workspace? Are your brand, mission and culture creating connections and a positive experience? Office design including your logo, paint colors and furniture is part of the experience, but effectively connecting your brand with your mission and culture is much more than that. Once you have established your brand, understand your employees are what defines your brand most and your brand should reflect your organization’s core values and mission, and you can then use office design to leverage the power or your brand.
Here are a few ways to use the power of your brand in the workspace:
• Use pictures, timelines, art and décor to tell the story of your company.
• Signage: Your company name, logo and colors should be displayed for all to see.
• Colors: Use colors that reflect the uniqueness of your brand.
• Comfortable spaces: Create comfortable seating areas for your clients and employees to work in to increase employee engagement and happiness.
• Use breakout spaces to increase flexibility and mobility, and encourage collaboration.
When your workspace is well-branded, it will enhance and support your brand and culture. If the design reflects your brand and culture, it will serve as a reminder to employees and visitors about what you do, who you are and what your company believes in.
