Savings by Design

Economic uncertainties can spur companies to consider ways of cutting costs and improving productivity. While quick fixes can bring short-term results, more fundamental long-term solutions can be found in a well-designed workspace. In this article we show a few of the many ways workplaces can help to realise the potential for lower overheads, more effective operation, greater productivity, and enhanced efficiency.

Discovering your goals, analysing your needs

There is no such thing as an effective 'one size fits all' design solution. A successful workplace design is a unique combination of solutions optimised for a particular client. To achieve optimum results, close collaboration between clients and individual professionals within project teams is crucial both before and during the design process.

Moving versus staying

It can, for example, make long-term financial sense to relocate to a new building. To explore this option, M Moser will join you and your real estate provider to create a comprehensive analysis of potential locations. As well as examining cost factors like rents and management fees, it provides assessments of capital expenditures such as design, moving and re-instatement fees to provide a truly comprehensive picture. The final evaluation is concisely presented in a single due diligence report.

The assurance of due diligence

The first step toward creating an effective office is finding an optimal location. Mitigating the risks involved is challenging because it involves a great deal more than simply choosing a favourable site: it also means finding the best possible combination of space, technology, quality, mechanical and electrical services and management. As shown in the example below, a professional due diligence report brings clarity to the decision process - and legal security to the eventual lease.

Case study
In this instance, engineers, IT specialists, designers and strategic planners worked in partnership with property providers to analyse two possible office sites. Basic client requirements included specialised IT infrastructure and a power supply upgrade to support an increased loading with greater reliability. A more efficient, higher-output HVAC system was a further requirement, as was the scalability to accommodate future staff growth. The due diligence process revealed 'Building B' as capable of accommodating more staff within a smaller gross floor area, and more adaptable to the technical needs of the client. On the basis of due diligence data, the client was able to negotiate favourable lease terms and an agreed framework for their major technical and engineering upgrades.

Designed-in efficiency

Whether the verdict is to move or stay, there are a number of ways to design higher efficiency, lower costs and greater productivity into a workspace. An open-plan office design coupled with flexible strategies like desk-sharing can make a positive impact on efficiency. Depending on an organisation's culture and requirements for functional space and mobility, floor area can be reduced by 50 percent or more with no sacrifice of effectiveness. The space saved can then be repurposed for other operationally productive uses - such as collaborative areas - or even excluded from the floorplan to reduce the size and cost of the workspace.

Additional cost savings can be gained by making full use of natural light, and intelligently regulating lighting and air conditioning/ventilation systems via modern, sensor-based controls. Water bills can be cut by installing low-flow fixtures in staff lavatories. Designing in a high factor of modularity and flexibility can even reduce the expense of adjusting the workplace's layout and/or seating capacity to suit changing needs.

Enhancing performance

By analysing how a company's operations, processes and culture contribute to profitability, clients and designers can find ways to make them work even more effectively. Staff performance is enhanced in environments that respond to and support their needs and activities - which leads to greater productivity and profitability.

Case study
The following example demonstrates how one client used their workplace design to enhance business performance:

A new office for a major international accountancy was designed with staff retention and talent attraction as high priorities. To provide a strong inducement for new personnel to join, the design was infused with brand identity, which instantly conveyed the essence of the firm's culture and operations. Productivity was encouraged by creating a diverse, stimulating-yet-functional 'activity-based' workspace, whose open-plan layout and break-out areas fostered better direct communication and spontaneous collaboration. Effective use of natural lighting and clean fresh air supply created a pleasant, healthy working environment which contributed greatly to a high staff retention rate while reducing absenteeism and boosting attendance.

This floorplan section of the finished office shows many of the ways space can be designed to maximise effectiveness. Its inherent scalability ensures that future growth has been factored into the plan. A mobile working strategy supported by technologies such as WiFi and videoconferencing allows people to decide where and when to work - and allows the office to accommodate up to 100 staff using just 55 workstations.