When it comes to increasing workplace productivity, office branding and signage isn’t always an obvious answer. However, the workplace has undergone huge changes over the last two decades. Cubicles have been swapped for open-plan designs, while ping-pong, beer fridges, football tables and slides have all been trends at one time or another.
But one thing that hasn’t changed is the effect a workplace environment can have on staff wellbeing and retention.
It’s hardly rocket science that you need to feel comfortable and calm in your place of work to perform at your best and most creative. Equally, most of us spend more waking hours at work than anywhere else.
The Fellowes Workplace Wellness Trend Report found that 93% of tech industry workers would stay longer in a workplace where they felt happy and healthy.
So, ultimately, office design indirectly impacts profits. And part of great design includes vibrant office branding that reflects your organisation’s values and culture.
Office Branding Ideas to Increase Productivity and Brand Identity
Here are some ideas for making your office the sort of place where people look forward to coming to work:
Brighten up office walls
You may think your staff don’t give their office walls much thought. But these often underused spaces don’t need to be drab, lifeless affairs in monochrome – there are many things you can do to inject life into them. Consider Tension Fabric Lightboxes, an increasingly popular choice for businesses wanting high-end printed graphics. These can be changed easily, are mains-powered and go particularly well in reception areas and in main working areas.
Alternatively, smart-looking vinyl graphics incorporating your logo or in your company colours could be another ideal choice, as could acrylic office signage.
Or use your walls for wayfinding signage so visitors can find their way around. This could be in acrylic or vinyl and doesn’t have to be merely functional. Vinyl can work very well for wayfinding signage as well as whole wall wraps. It is easy to apply and easy to remove. Acrylic-backed plaques work very well in office and hospitality environments and can even be back-lit.
Don’t forget the floors
Office floors can be another underused space and overlooked when it comes to office branding and signage. You can do much more than just keep them clean. Colourful, versatile floor graphics promote and reinforce a consistent brand identity, or provide directions. These graphics are hardwearing, and, again, can be changed easily. Let your staff put their best foot forward!
Don’t use 50 shades of grey
Colour has a huge impact on the way we perceive the world and is a key part of office branding. Think about integrating company colours or your company colour palette across your site, from canteens to meeting rooms and offices.
Colour also has a strong impact on mood. Green, for example, reduces eye fatigue while yellow evokes feelings of warmth, optimism and creativity. Meanwhile bright or strongly contrasting colour choices will feel harsher than softer shades.
The right choices connect people powerfully to a brand. So it’s not surprising that organisations are increasingly developing sophisticated colour palettes and the right blend of hues to create unique environments and brand identity.
Brilliant, brainstorming meeting rooms
Again, meeting rooms don’t have to be dull, lifeless areas, but can encourage staff to collaborate and come up with their best ideas. So ditch the bog-standard, creativity-killing boardroom, and use every centimetre of space. Incorporate vinyl graphics with motivational quotes, throw in some soft seating like beanbags or comfy sofas and ensure there’s enough soft natural light.
Translucent window graphics could be another smart move, allowing light in while enhancing what can be seen through the window. With a good creative team, window graphics can really create a stunning atmosphere in office and corporate environments.
Go green
Plants raise productivity by reducing stress and noise levels, so a splash of greenery can do wonders for performance whilst looking stylish too. One study as mentioned by the Guardian, for example, found that having a plant per square metre enhanced memory retention and other basic skills.
So they’re increasingly integral to office design. Plants can set off other aspects of your office branding to perfection when used across corporate premises.
From tropical to succulent varieties, there’s an endless choice. You could even cover an entire surface in greenery to create a verdant living wall!
Create an office message board
Banish boring – and put the fun into functional with somewhere staff can leave work-related messages, jot down ideas or indulge in some light-hearted banter. Whether you go for a branded chalk wall, a traditional pinboard-style message board, or go digital, incorporate a message board in your office signage and branding strategy too.
Office branding can be everywhere
Don’t just focus on the obvious meeting rooms and offices. Spaces such as kitchens, breakout rooms, bathrooms, canteens and reception areas can all be freshened up with the right office graphics and signage too.
Liven up windows
Vinyl window graphics create a vibrant look and liven up otherwise utilitarian surfaces. Think company logo and colours, brand values or inspirational quotes. Glass partitions also create private areas, while window graphics warn people of the presence of clear glass.
The right designs can also enhance an otherwise bleak view, using semi-transparent vinyl graphics to ensure there’s enough natural light to banish dinginess.
Let there be light
Backlit graphics dramatically enhance a room’s look, especially at your reception desk, where they’ll create a stunning first impression. This type of office signage covers Tension Fabric System lightboxes, backlit acrylic panels and more. You could even use the ceiling if you were feeling particularly creative! (YouTube’s HQ ceiling features the brand’s logo)
Showcase your portfolio
Remind employees of your products and services so they know they’re part of a bigger vision. The Netflix HQ, for example, displays photos of stars of its shows; Campari features its drinks labels on a wall.
As large-format printing specialists, at Rocket Graphics, we’ve produced office signage and branding for a wide line-up of organisations. At Visa’s eighth-floor European HQ in London’s Paddington, for example, our vibrant installation features a white-to-frosted printed vinyl graphic of the Visa logo plus slimline LED lightboxes.
We could help you, too. Get in touch to learn more about how office graphics could turbo-charge productivity in your workspace.