Even as the modern office continues to gravitate toward an open floor layout, the conference remains a staple. Conference rooms provide your office with a single, centralized location for you and your team to meet, collaborate, and brainstorm in a setting that’s specifically designed to promote productivity. So why, then, do so many conference rooms adopt a stark or even drab design aesthetic?
According to a survey from Capital One, “82% of office professionals believe companies can't encourage innovation unless their workplace environment is innovative, and 63% feel innovation isn't reflected at all in their current workplace's design.” With this in mind, you can see why investing in a unique and compelling conference room design can be beneficial for your company.
Here are a few ideas to help you get the design process started:
The way the furniture is set up in an office can have a profound effect on the attitude and tone of the workplace. This is why open offices are so popular today, as it’s their minimalistic approach to furniture and layout that promotes company culture and cross-departmental collaboration.
When designing a conference room, then, for example, try setting up a relaxed atmosphere that welcomes people in and curates a tone of trust that will encourage teamwork. Coalesse.com offers some recommendations, such as a “conference table at a lower height, a supportive lounge chair offering comfort for long meetings, and a collaborative whiteboard will keep attendees at ease.”
A good conference room is one that’s both distinct from the rest of the office without isolating itself from the rest of the office. Glass-walled conference rooms are popular because of this, but sometimes having entire walls of empty, transparent glass can leave your team feeling exposed during important meetings.
To counteract this, outfit your conference room glass surfaces with colorful window graphics and displays. These can take the form of frosted glass, which will promote a sense of privacy, or even as bombastic visual designs that seem to jump off the surface. The window graphics LINTEC of America can provide, for example, can recreate waterfalls, exotic gardens, and other breathtaking landscapes right on the glass.
While a conference room with a table, a few chairs, and maybe a whiteboard used to be more than enough, today’s digitally-reliant environment has changed that. If you want your conference to be as dynamic and flexible as your team members, then you’ll want to outfit it with the technological upgrades it needs.
Some examples include:
It’s no secret that natural light is one of the best things you can provide for your team, so why not make sure your conference room has ample access to windows? The more natural sunlight you can get, the healthier and more focused your meetings are likely to be.
Ultimately, whatever design flourishes you can imbue your conference room with, the better off you (and your company’s productivity) are likely to be. If you want to get started, then get in touch with LINTEC Digital Window Graphics today and let us help you take full advantage of your conference room!