How to Make the Most out of a Small Office

How to Make the Most out of a Small Office

Most tips and tricks for making the most out of a small office focus on aesthetics.

And, sure, having a space that’s nice will make everyone feel good. It’s true that mess can make a small space feel tighter, so organisation and minimising junk are both important. But two things are genuinely critical to consider in a small office: privacy and focus. And they often go overlooked.

 

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Privacy matters

Smaller spaces make dealing with privacy a challenge. There’s nothing quite as awkward as trying to have a ‘private’ phone call in the only bathroom. Or quite as uncomfortable as watching everyone put on their headphones to ‘not hear’ a one-on-one conversation that’s clearly not meant for them. (Or, worse, seeing someone NOT put on their headphones.)

That’s because, when it comes to privacy, sound is the most significant factor. A common mistake of small-space offices is to believe that if there are walls and a door, there’s privacy. This is rarely the case. Paper-thin walls are notorious in offices. Internal walls are frequently added during fit-out to create the desired layouts but don’t offer good soundproofing.

Make sure that you have truly private, soundproof spaces for your team to use when they need.

 

Focus matters

Creating an environment where the whole team can focus in a small office is vital, but often tricky. Take the seemingly simple question of music.

Many people need a level of background noise, like music, to concentrate. Others find it annoying and would prefer quiet. And then there’s the question of style. Personal tastes aside, some music is disruptive to specific tasks.

Even if music is limited to headphones only, small offices are notorious for distractions. Smaller spaces are often kept more open for good reasons. But open-plan offices can lead to unwanted noise and commotion during the day. Noise pollution can drastically impact on employees’ ability to focus, leading some to feel less valued and more stressed.

Of course, you should encourage employees to be considerate and respectful to those around them. But this ultimately comes down to ensuring they have a distraction-free space where they can concentrate when they need.

In the same vein, make sure you have somewhere for people to make noise without interrupting everyone else. Ideally, you should have a dedicated, insulated place for phone calls or video meetings to occur without disrupting the rest of the team.

 

Bureau booths are a smart way of adding highly functional, soundproof solutions to your workspace, suited to your needs. Flat-packed, portable, and available in four size options, let us help you find the right Bureau booth for your small office.

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