7 Smart Design Moves to Optimize Space in the Workplace at Little or No Cost

BOSTON, June 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Two of the highest costs for any organization
are people and real estate. In the current economy it makes sense to maximize
the return on your facilities by making sure that your space supports your
staff and your long-range goals without incurring substantial costs.

Lois Goodell, IIDA, who heads the largest interior design practice in Boston
at CBT, shares seven easy to implement changes that will improve morale,
productivity, and position your organization for the post-recession future at
little or no cost:

Reconfigure: If cutbacks have emptied workstations and created dead zones in
the office plan, reconfigure the space to increase the density. Fill empty
seats and arrange workstations to improve workflow and visibility, which
improves communication and morale.
Redeploy: Increase the density of workstations to open up other areas on the
floor. Use "found" space to create room for collaboration. Keep the
furnishings, redeployed from across the office, simple to encourage informal
meetings.
Readjust: As individuals take on additional work when staff is reduced, they
may require more filing space or different surfaces to support their new
responsibilities. See what's needed to be effective and adjust the workstation
components accordingly.
Rethink: Senior staff responsibilities are increasing, too. Configure private
office furniture to facilitate communication, mentoring, and accessibility.
With travel budgets slashed, it's time to have IT install a webcam.
Restack: More costly than re-planning a single work area or even an entire
floor, the investment in restacking several floors to achieve more effective
adjacencies delivers surprising paybacks. Improved communication across
business units addresses shifting demands -- speed-to-market, new products and
services, or streamlined operations.
Reinvigorate: Take advantage of the public spaces to raise visibility.
Multi-function rooms, cafes, and conference rooms can be used to bring people
together for training, to host events for clients, colleagues, or community.
Refresh: For a small investment paint provides a big return. Used
strategically, color can bring a professional polish to the office or just
refresh spaces that are showing "wear and tear."

Whatever changes you make now should anticipate further change. Evaluate your
resources holistically -- your facilities, your inventories, your
requirements, and your budget. As Goodell notes, "Smart moves today provide
positive, short-term impact, and the opportunity to position for the
long-term." Focusing on improved efficiencies, flexibility, and cost-effective
solutions for your facilities fosters a workplace culture that is agile,
collaborative, and sustainable.

For more information, please visit www.cbtarchitects.com

Contact:
Nancy Egan
New Voodou
egan@newvoodou.com or 310.943.7194

SOURCE Lois Goodell

Nancy Egan, New Voodou, +1-310-943-7194, egan@newvoodou.com, for Lois Goodell