Productivity Challenge
Small office environments often lack the privacy of larger ones that are designed to offer different working environments or meeting rooms for work that requires greater focus. However, a lack of privacy in any environment can lead to more frequent distractions and reduced productivity.
A small office in Hong Kong which was designed with an open plan format found this to be a significant problem for their staff. They wanted to enhance privacy in the office by creating a barrier between workstations to minimise visual distractions and dampen noise.
Solution: Creating a Flexible Space
The client ordered an Afford-A-Wall unit from Portable Partitions which was delivered directly to them.
The Afford-A-Wall range was an ideal choice due to the manoeuvrable nature of the product. It works particularly well in a small office layout due to the compact size – an important feature to ensure a small office is not overcome by a large and bulky partition.
Additionally, the Afford-A-Wall range can be set up in different ways depending on the need of the user. The panels are joined by a fully hinged, articulating mechanism which enables the partition to be configured in a straight line, an L-shape, curve or zig-zag.
When not in use, or when the full space is needed, they fold up into a compact unit and can also be wheeled away into storage.
A cloud gray colour fabric finish was chosen to blend into the office surrounds which conveniently doubles as a pin board if needed, as this client is clearly utilising.
THE RESULTS
The client was extremely happy with their choice of partition.
“It is so simple but practical and mobile, I can’t think of anything else that would be more suitable for my current arrangement. I used the end flap as my closing for more focus or to block off the other section. I can honestly concentrate so much better and be more productive now.” – Agnes Chiu
Key takeaways on how to improve your office productivity
When it comes to improving office productivity, small changes in your work environment such as installing mobile room dividers to increase privacy can make the difference between employees struggling to concentrate and a productive workforce. Behavioural changes such as scheduled break times and shorter work hours can also help, but having a flexible work environment that can adapt to employee needs will make a big difference.