Outdoor spaces prove to be a smart move, so what should you consider when making a space that both - your clients and employees appreciate?
Here are some tips that can ensure an effective outdoor space and entice employees to go outside:
1. A balcony garden or a rooftop space:
Consider places that are on the ground to ensure the employees can get diverse outdoor experiences. If there is a balcony or rooftop in the commercial structure, it can be transformed into a garden area. Make the space attractive to pollinators, butterflies, and birds by planting colorful flowers and grasses. Plant vegetables to ensure that the employees get to eat fresh.
2. Patio Area:
A hardscape gathering space encompassing seating and privacy screens will encourage the staff to utilize the outdoors for lunch, which can prove to be beneficial, as it will boost their creativity and productivity once they go back to their workspaces. It is important to carefully decide the position of the patio.
Consider whether you want to locate it nearby an indoor cafeteria as it would be convenient or would prefer more of a private space that is linked with the office through a path, as it would provide the employees with a getaway on premises.
3. Walking Trails:
Promoting physical activity can reduce illnesses drastically and ensure that the employees stay healthy. Walking trails, which run throughout the campus, offer the employees the privilege to exercise on site. A lot of studies have shown how physical activity can release feel-good hormones. Make seating arrangements like benches or natural stones along the track so the employees can take a break. Including activities, stations are also a good idea.
4. Outdoor Grilling Station:
Another great way you can enhance the outdoor space of your corporate office is by incorporating an outdoor grilling station. Here the employees can hold demonstrations. Corporate lunches can also take place in this outdoor kitchen and it offers a lot of opportunities for different kinds of events.
5. Beanbag Toss Boards and Bocce Ball Courts:
A place where an employee can enjoy their break by engaging in playing not only helps to improve their teamwork, interpersonal skills and relations with other colleagues but also improves their morale.
This is one of the reasons why more and more businesses are incorporating leisure spaces on their campuses. Commercial landscaping that is recreation based is a perfect balance of work and play due to their ability to improve fellowship among colleagues.
Putting in recreational enhancements like bocce ball courts or beanbag toss boards can prove to be perfect for de-stressing during breaks.
6. Shade Structures:
Pair outdoor seating with canopies to ensure that they are comfortable and useful. If you want employees to be able to relax outside, install shade structures in areas that do not have any natural canopy so people can avoid the sun. There are a wide variety of options, from pergolas that can support the growth of creepers to climbers, and vines that give a modern touch. Oversized umbrellas can also be utilized to provide shade spaces with table and chairs.
7. Water features and Outdoor Fireplaces:
Landscape enhancements that provide a feeling of home are getting more and more popular in commercial properties.
Places of fire outdoors and fire pits can be pleasing spaces for the employees to have cookouts or brainstorming meetings. They can also be perfect to invite clients from out of town.
Water features not only add to the aesthetic of the landscape but can also create an atmospheric environment.
Functional Considerations:
- Adaptable seating arrangements: Arrange different kinds of seating options from benches to chairs with tables. It is extremely important to consider the flexibility so you can take advantage of the commercial outdoor space, when required, in a lot of ways. For example: if the furniture you have selected is versatile, it can be rearranged for things like group meetings.
- Wi-Fi: Make sure that the employees can easily connect to the Internet outdoors from their mobile devices, tablets or laptops. This will enhance the utility of the outdoor space further.
- Electrical receptacles: The outdoor spaces should be equipped to allow the employees to work in the landscape. It is important that the outdoor space of a corporate property has outlets for electricity so that the employees can make use of them when they decide to take their work outside.
- Privacy: Create privacy in your commercial space by utilizing landscape features like plants, trellises that support the growth of climbers and creepers, evergreens, freestanding wood, metal or stonewalls, or hardscape retaining walls.
Creating good outdoor spaces can ensure that both your employees and clients are pleased.
It can be extremely difficult to find workers who are talented, therefore, retaining these skilled people and top performers is important for any business because the workforce is what contributes to the success of the company. It is, therefore, a good idea to provide the employees with an outdoor space where they can relax and take part in recreational activities, as it can essentially provide the company with a competitive advantage.
