What is Office Space Planning?

What is office space planning?

Office space planning is a strategic approach to designing your office layout with a focus on productivity, engagement and employee wellbeing. All too often, we see office spaces that aren’t being properly utilised; whether it’s a traditional workspace that isn’t equipped for a flexible hybrid team, or certain areas aren’t being used, space planning is the first step to updating your workspace.

Office space planning takes into account:

• Functionality: Every workspace should be designed and set up to support specific work tasks, whether it’s focused work at a desk, collaborative breakout areas or private meeting spaces.
• Employee wellbeing: Your office design needs to take into prioritise employee health, accounting for natural lighting, ergonomic chairs and desks, greenery and quiet zones for focused work.
• Technology: Modern offices require modern solutions, for example desk booking software for hotdesking hybrid workers, meeting room booking systems, and digital tech for clocking in and out.

What are the benefits of planning your office space?

Attract and retain talent

Some of the most successful brands and sought after employers have the coolest offices. They understand that if they want the best talent, a great office design grabs attention. First impressions count, and when it comes to recruiting, your office is often the first impression of your business. Frayed furnishings and a five-year old paint job won’t cut it; regularly freshening up your space and incorporating technology and productive spaces is key.

Plan for future growth

Office space planning is the best opportunity to take stock of your current needs and plan for future requirements in terms of physical space and amenities. When planning your layout and investing in office furniture, be sure you’re able to adapt to changing needs.

Reduced costs

Planning ahead means you’re less likely to make unnecessary purchases. Plus, if you’ve made the switch to hybrid working in recent years, use this time to identify any underutilised spaces that could help you reduce operational costs like rent, heating and lighting.

Improve productivity & communication

An environment that supports your workforce means they can give you their very best work. Space planned with various areas for different tasks, like focused work, meeting spaces and breakout zones, encourages concentration and collaboration, depending on what staff are working on at any given time.

Examples of different types of office layouts

There are lots of different ways to layout an office, and the best one depends on your team’s style of working. Here are some of the main types, plus their pros and cons…

Cellular offices

Traditional cubicle style office layouts are great for working solo as they provide quiet, focused areas for concentration. However, they don’t typically facilitate communication and teamwork, and might dampen team relationship building.

Open plan offices

To combat the isolation of cubicle style office layouts, many offices transitioned to open plan, and this continues to be one of the most popular ways to plan office space today. While it’s much easier to collaborate and communicate in this style of office, it can amplify noise and distractions.

Co-working spaces

If you’ve got a small team, co-working spaces can make a lot of financial sense, as you’ll be sharing your space with other organisations. While this is great for networking, they can feel impersonal as you can’t add as much of your branding as you can to your own space.

Agile office design

Agile workspaces, sometimes known as flexible office design, are multi-purposes spaces with dynamic layouts and zones where employees can work where and when they choose.

Hybrid office design

Rapidly rising in popularity since the pandemic, hybrid office design integrates traditional face-to-face collaboration with remote working. They often feature a combination of collaborative spaces with private spaces for virtual meetings, bridging the gap between in-office and remote teams.

Got a small space you’re not sure how to lay out? Here are seven effective small office design ideas to inspire your space. 

How to plan your office space to maximise productivity

1. Audit your current workspace

Before you start ordering your office furniture and bring in a fit out team, assess what’s already working well (and not so well!) in your current space. Consider:

• Functionality – How many people currently use the space? Are there any bottlenecks or overcrowded spots? Alternatively, are any spaces not used at all?
• Comfort – Is there enough natural lighting? Do you need to address noise levels and acoustics? How ergonomic is your current desk set up?
• Identify pain points – Ask employees what slows down work or causes distractions. They’re the ones who use the space day in, day out, so they’ll have the best ideas of what’s working.
• Inventory check – Note what furniture, storage and tech you already have and what might be outdated or unnecessary.

2. Define your office space planning goals

The right office design should align with your business goals, whether that’s building a strong brand identity or growing your team. Tie goals to outcomes like improved focus, better team communication and reduced downtime.

3. Plan the layout

Based on your goals, think about the types of workspaces you want to create, such as:

• Working zones – spaces for focus work, collaboration, meetings and breaks
• Ergonomic considerations – desk placement, monitor height, seating comfort
• Natural light & greenery – Position desks to maximise daylight and consider placing plants for atmosphere
• Technology & infrastructure – Ensure power, WiFi and equipment are placed optimally
• Flexibility – Consider modular furniture or hot-desking to adapt to your team’s work style

4. Bring everything together!

Next, create a timeline and budget plan for bringing all the elements you need together. Beyond furnishings, think about art, colours, acoustic solutions and lighting, but don’t forget about the equipment you already own.

Top tip: work with expert workspace consultants

The best way to plan your office space is in collaboration with the people who understand it best. Not only can workspace consultants help you keep to your budget and timeline, their experience means they know which layouts will deliver the impact you want. At Elm, we provide a free workspace consultation to provide support and guidance on optimising your environment.

Office space planning vs office fit out

A question we’re often asked is: what’s the difference between office space planning and office fit outs?

In a nutshell, office space planning is the strategic process of determining the most efficient way to use your space. Fit out is the physical process of constructing that space, involving building works, infrastructure and interior design.

Office space planning best practices

Incorporate employee feedback

Your employees have the most experience using your office space, and as such you should use them as a sounding board at each stage of the space design. Whether you send an anonymous survey around or run focus groups, there are plenty of ways to capture that feedback.

Once the plan’s in place, this is a great moment to share how their feedback has shaped the new office space to build trust, engagement and buy-in.

Prioritise sustainability

Sustainability plays an increasingly important role in office space planning. Here are a few considerations to keep in mind:

• Use eco-friendly materials, and upcycle furniture where you can
• Incorporate LED lighting, smart thermostats and motion sensor systems to improve energy efficiency
• Provide accessible recycling points 
• Add plants to improve air quality as well as wellbeing
• Choose durable, high quality furniture that won’t need replacing every few years

Consider working styles 

The way your team works will require specific solutions. For hybrid teams, desk booking software may be key. If you deal with clients nationwide and utilise video calls, video conferencing rooms make remote participation seamless. 

Optimise unused spaces

Turn quiet corners into focus pods or casual meeting nooks. Design multi-functional spaces that can shift between training, meetings and social events. Rethink your storage solutions. Repurpose underused spots for relaxation or informal collaboration. You’re paying for every inch of your office space, so make sure the entire area is built to best serve your team.

Key considerations for your office layout

These are some of the biggest and most common challenges our clients face when reworking their office space. Addressing these early on in your office space planning journey can save time, money and frustration down the line.

Accessibility

Ensure the space meets legal requirements (more on that further down the page), with ramps, lifts, accessible toilets and clear pathways. Beyond compliance, inclusivity means designing for people with diverse needs, and may require solutions such as adjustable desks, acoustic zones and assistive tech.

Budget 

Setting a realistic budget early on is key. It’s also important not to let hidden costs trip you up. These include things like permits and furniture delivery costs. For more advice, here are 9 factors that increase commercial fit out costs and how to avoid them.

Growth and scalability

Your office should be designed to grow with you, but this can sometimes be difficult to predict. Flexibility will be key; think about how you can use movable partitions, multipurpose rooms or adjustable desk spaces so you can easily adapt to your team’s changing needs.

Office size 

Despite contrary belief, a small office shouldn’t hinder your space planning. If space is limited and you’re not sure how best to use it, here are 7 effective layouts for small offices to get you going.

Regulations & standards of office space planning in the UK

If you’re planning office space for your UK premises, there are certain guidelines you need to meet:

• Space per employee: The UK Health & Safety Executive (HSE) suggests a minimum of 11 cubic metres per person, which equates to around 4.6 square metres of floor space. This ensures employees have enough space to work comfortably.
• Workstation design: According to the British Standard BS 6396, there are a number of guidelines that set out recommendations for desk size, ergonomics and the placement of monitors and other equipment to help reduce the risk of musculoskeletal disorders.
• Lighting: The Chartered Institute of Building Services Engineers recommend that the level of illuminance for general office work is 300-500 lux, and that it should be evenly distributed. 
• Accessibility: The Equality Act 2010 mandates that workplaces must be accessible to everyone. The BS 8300 standards include requirements such as ramps and lifts, doorways and corridors at least 800mm wide and accessible facilities such as toilets and parking spaces.
• Safety: The HSE provides safety guidance on key topics such as fire safety (clear fire exits and signage), emergency lighting in the event of a power failure, and ergonomic furniture.
• Acoustics & noise control: Excessive noise can negatively impact productivity and focus, and the BS 8233 standard provides guidance on acceptable noise levels. There are ways to keep noise down in the office, including acoustic panels and ceiling tiles, as well as strategic layouts.

For office space planning that meets all the right guidance, here’s how to write an effective office fit out specification.

Designing a workspace that works for you

Effective workspace planning is about more than just arranging your desks and chairs. It’s about giving your team everything they need to succeed and achieve their best work. With this guide, we hope you have all the know-how you need to make every square inch count.

At Elm Workspace, we’ve spent three decades helping organisations of all sizes transform their workspaces with space planning. Whether you’re navigating the challenges of a small office, preparing for hybrid work or planning a full refurb, our design team can guide you through every step.

Ready to rethink your office? Book a free workspace consultation with our experts and start planning a space that works has hard as your team does.

Or, if you’re ready to learn more, get inspired by some office space design ideas for facilities managers and heads of property.