Office interiors play a fundamental part in creating suitable and productive working, thinking and meeting spaces. Meeting spaces need to be able to impress clients, and yet provide a calm environment isolated from the rest of your office space. Staples Advantage has the experience and know-how required to understand what will not only work within your available space, but also be the most cost-effective and provide the biggest productivity boost. In this article we examine exactly how you can create a highly productive environment within your meeting room using interior design, furniture and office technology.

If you work for a small-to-medium sized enterprise, then the chances are that you only have one meeting room. This means that the space available must be used as efficiently as possible – whether you’re hosting a meeting for two people or 20 people. In order to successfully cater for fluctuations in the number of people attending meetings, the furniture should ideally be moveable. A meeting of two in a space that feels cavernous might be unavoidable at times but if the furniture – such as the tables and chairs – can be moved, then you should still be able to create a cosy and personal environment in which to conduct business. Conversely, for a meeting of a large number of people, the perfect meeting room should allow you to position furniture in such a way that employees can see, hear and interact with one another. Moreover, it should accommodate the requirements of group work. Staples Advantage can offer your business a huge variety of furniture solutions, including ergonomic office chairs and tables.

It is no secret that people work better in a room lit by natural light rather than a room illuminated by artificial light. If possible, your meeting space should have windows that are cleaned regularly, but if this is not the case then consider using cleverer lighting than the standard overhead solutions. Rather than employing direct lighting, which can reflect off of computer screens and cause eyestrain, try more subtle and unobtrusive lighting. This should involve indirect light that is angled so that fills the room in order to create a more relaxed environment.

More isn’t necessarily better in the case of technology, particularly since the advent of smartphones. Office technology should be employed with functionality in mind – not simply with a desire to impress. Digital display devices such as digital whiteboards can offer an effective method through which to engage employees or clients. Such technologies will also open up the possibility of using digital media in meetings. The use of technology within the meeting room will have the added benefit of removing the need for paperwork, which can easily begin to clutter the space that ought to be kept as tidy as possible. However, perhaps the most important technologies to have present in the meeting room are simply power outlets and Wi-Fi. Since it is likely that many people will take notes or present slideshows with the help of a laptop during your meetings, an electricity supply and internet connection are essential.

Decor has the power to inspire, impress and motivate, and is therefore as important for employees as it is for clients. Different colours can create different moods, so the right colour for your meeting room will depend on what you wish to achieve. For a meeting room, however, we would recommend stimulating and creativity-inducing colours, such as light blue or yellow.

As an industry leader in our sector, Staples Advantage is uniquely placed to help your business create the perfect meeting room for the perfect price. Take a look at our business interiors website and you won’t be disappointed. In addition, through our purchasing power we could offer your business equally astonishing deals on everything it needs to run smoothly, from stationery to facility solutions and even print management – all from one trusted source.

July 17th 2014 | Back to Industry Insights