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breakroom design Office Design office redesign Office Renovation work environment

5 Benefits of Employee Lockers

employee lockers

Today’s business world is a lot different than it was just a few short years ago. Hot-desking, hoteling and other options resulting from a Covid-related demand for more flexible work hours means more and more employees are having to share space when they do come into a physical office. But even if they still have their own desk, employees (and the companies for which they work) greatly benefit when everyone has a dedicated place to store personal belongings. Take a look at five benefits of adding employee lockers to your modern office design:

Added Security

First and foremost, employee lockers help keep the personal belongings of an organization’s staff safe. Especially when they don’t have access to a permanent desk, having a secure, lockable space to store phones, purses, backpacks, and other valuables gives employees peace of mind and allows them to focus more fully on their jobs. It also helps prevent thefts and accidental losses of important possessions, thus reducing workplace conflicts.

Enhanced Organization

Employee lockers also improve an office’s level of organization. In addition to storing the personal belongings of workers, they can be used to house office supplies and equipment so that individual stashes of stationery, electronics, etc. don’t have to be parsed out and stored separately at each employee’s desk. Indeed, employee lockers keep offices a lot tidier and a lot more efficient, providing room for the supplies employees would otherwise have cluttering their desks.

Flexibility

As mentioned, employee lockers are vital for organizations offering flex schedules. With options for employees to telecommute, job share, and broker other types of hybrid work arrangements, hoteling and hot-desking are quickly becoming the norm for many companies. Employee lockers allow employees the ability to come and go from the office as they wish and still have access to their own personalized space to store valuables.

Morale Booster

Being able to safeguard one’s personal effects is a basic human need. It’s also a basic human right. When companies offer employee lockers they are essentially acknowledging and, therefore, validating the needs of their employees and subsequently reminding them that they are valued. It’s a great morale booster.

Increased Productivity

Finally, an uncluttered work environment makes it easier for employees to get to the tasks at hand. Storing their belongings away from their desks not only creates cleaner surfaces for employees to work, but also prevents distractions and allows employees to concentrate and be more productive. In essence, adding employee lockers can improve a company’s bottom line since more work often translates into more profit!

Want to Learn More?

If your organization is considering a new office build-out or a renovation, you might want to consider adding employee lockers to your project’s scope. Employee lockers improve an office’s efficiency, promote enhanced productivity by eliminating unnecessary clutter and distractions, and accommodate a wide variety of schedules so employees are able to work more effectively while onsite. To learn more about incorporating employee lockers into your office, please contact our professional design-build team here at Key Interiors.

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Office Design office redesign Office Renovation

How to Design an Efficient Laboratory Floor Plan

laboratory floor plan

Designing the perfect laboratory floor plan is part preference and part science. While the layout of any individual lab should necessarily accommodate the personal proclivities of the scientist(s) who will be using it, the process of creating a truly efficient laboratory really centers on a few key design elements, which together help to enhance safety, speed up processes and minimize errors. Here’s what you need to know to design the perfect laboratory floor plan:

Ask Questions

Before putting pen to paper, you need to talk to the people who will be working in the lab space. Ask questions that explore their needs, as well as their wants, for the space. The specific priorities of the people using the space, coupled with the type of research being conducted, available budget, and proposed timeline for the project will inevitably provide the parameters that affect the laboratory’s design.

Start with a Walk-Through

Onsite evaluation of the proposed laboratory space is the next step to creating an ideal laboratory floor plan. You can’t possibly understand all the factors likely to impact a lab’s design without actually seeing and experiencing the configuration of the rooms and building in which the lab will be located. During this walk-through, consider the accessibility of utilities; maintenance issues; lighting; ventilation; temperature and humidity controls; air pressure and filtration; equipment needs; and workflow. Also, think about how people will enter and exit the space and whether or not it makes sense in conjunction with the type and number of deliveries and visitors to the proposed lab itself. All of these things should influence the laboratory design.

Prioritize Adaptability and Flexibility

Even though strategizing with current scientists to create a laboratory floor plan that is relevant to present circumstances is critical, you shouldn’t overlook the importance of flexibility and adaptability as you create your final laboratory design. Research methods and foci evolve over time. Designing a laboratory that has plenty of storage and is easily modified when priorities change ensures that your lab is functional for as long as possible and, thus, cost-effective with the highest ROI. Some suggestions include incorporating adjustable height bench tops and modular casework, benches, and tables that can be reconfigured to suit any number of varying needs.

Maintain Safety

Of course, safety should always be top of mind when designing any type of laboratory floor plan! Proper ventilation, biological waste containers, emergency decontamination stations, and smoke/fire/gas protection systems need to all be assessed so that the people entering the lab are best protected and able to work safely and effectively.

Want to Learn More About Designing a Laboratory Floor Plan?

Designing an efficient laboratory floor plan involves good communication and a lot of expertise. To create a lab that maximizes resources, protects the people performing the work inside and ultimately yields the best results, please contact our team of skilled laboratory designers at Key Interiors. We have decades of experience that allows us insight into designing the perfect laboratory spaces for our clients’ own specific needs.

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