4 Different Layout Ideas for Modern Offices

Whether you’re looking to encourage teamwork, boost productivity, or simply create an inspiring environment, the layout of your office furniture is a key factor. This blog will explore four different layout ideas for designing an office from the ground up, examining the benefits of each and exploring their office furniture requirements.

1. Open – Plan Layouts

An open-plan office is a type of layout where all employees work on the same floor. These layouts use large, open spaces and minimise the use of enclosed rooms. This is often associated with contemporary design, offering a clean, uncluttered look that emphasises simplicity and functionality.

Interestingly, the trend towards open-plan spaces have essentially made office cubicles redundant in favour of a more collaborative and creatively engaging environment. This type of office layout design has many benefits such as encouraging teamwork, sparking creativity, and increasing the potential of collaborative projects.

Open-plan offices should be easily reconfigurable to accommodate different team sizes and project needs. The main design elements of open-plan offices include the use of large tables or bench desks that can accommodate large numbers of employees, the use of furniture, rugs or lighting to define different areas, and smart storage solutions to keep the layout uncluttered.

Main Advantages of Open-Plan Offices

  • Enhanced social interaction and collaboration, making it easier for employees to communicate with each other and share ideas
  • Relaxed atmosphere
  • Boosted morale and optimised workflow
  • Employee sense of freedom
  • Feeling of light and airy space

In terms of disadvantages, the most common issues people have with working in an open-plan office are noise levels and distractions. Open spaces can indeed be noisy, so acoustic sound absorbing panels are often necessary. You can learn all about acoustic solutions in our previous blog, ‘The Key to Good Office Acoustics’.

Modern plan office layout with acoustic ceiling panels

2. Cubicles- Based Offices

Cubicle-based offices are designed to provide employees with a dedicated and private workspace within an open setting. This office layout idea can offer several benefits, particularly for privacy and focused work. Office partitions can also help with noise reduction, while cubicles allow companies to maximise office space and accommodate more employees within a given area.

Regarding furniture in a cubicle-based office layout design, it is very important to have compact desks, ergonomic seating, and storage that can maximise limited space within cubicles

Top down view of a cubicle-based office layout design

Compact Desks

Compact desks are a good solution for cubicle-based offices because they are designed to use
minimal space. They have integrated solutions like drawers, shelves, or under desk cabinets. Some
examples of compact desks include:

  • Corner Desks
  • Floating Desks
  • Foldable Desks
  • L-Shaped Desks
  • Standing Desks

These are each efficiently designed to maximise space whilst providing enough room for work essentials like computers, phones, and documents.

Ergonomic Seating

Chairs that support good posture and reduce strain, enhancing comfort and productivity are another sensible inclusion within this office furniture layout.

Open plan office with individual cubicles for working

Storage that can maximise limited space within cubicles

Integrated storage such as drawers, shelves, and overhead bins can keep the workspace organised and clutter-free. These can also incorporate additional storage solutions if the desks themselves have limited built-in storage.

3. Hybrid Layout

A hybrid corporate office layout combines elements of open-plan and traditional segmented spaces and collaborative spaces, creating a flexible environment that can balance the benefits of both designs. This hybrid layout is a very popular layout in modern office environments.

Advantages of Hybrid Office Layouts

  • Versatility – meeting diverse employee needs and preferences
  • Balance -offering both open and private spaces, fostering collaboration and focus.
  • Adaptability – easily adjustable to changing business needs and employee feedback

Design Elements

  • Private Offices and Cubicles, providing enclosed spaces for employees who need a quiet, private environment.
  • Open Workspaces, offering areas with shared desks for collaborative work
  • Meeting Rooms of multiple sizes and types for formal and informal meetings
  • Flex Spaces, with multi-purpose areas that can be quickly reconfigured for different uses, such as team meetings or individual work
  • Social and Wellness Areas, providing dedicated spaces for relaxation, socializing, and employee well-being, such as lounges and fitness rooms
  • Effective use of outdoor spaces where people can go to relax and unwind

By thoughtfully implementing a combination of these office layout ideas and designs, modern offices can create environments that support various work styles, promote productivity, and enhance employee satisfaction.

Hybrid working environment with a collaborative office table and a focus pod

4. Activity- Based Working (ABW)

Activity-based working (ABW) is a workplace design ethos that offers a variety of work settings geared towards different workplace activities and tasks. ABW allows employees to choose the environment that best suits their current activity. These workplace settings are often flexible and reconfigurable with moveable furniture and an emphasis on technology.

Activity-based working recognises that different people need different workplace settings for individual work. For example, some employees may want a closed-door and private room to work, while others may prefer the chatter and buzz of a coffee shop. If properly implemented, ABW can offer spaces that meet the needs of all workers while respecting their individuality.

ABW meeting rooms, for instance, will have a wide variety of setups to accommodate different collaborative needs — and open work areas have a variety of places to sit, with a range of furniture options including dedicated workstations, standing height tables, booths, banquettes, and communal tables. Such a variety of furniture types offer people a choice of where and how they want to sit, as well as the ability to change that setting based on what they are working on and / or who they are working with

Advantages of ABW Office Layouts

  • Employee autonomy – empowering employees to select the most suitable workspace for their tasks
  • Increased productivity – reducing monotony and enhancing focus
  • Optimized use of space – with areas for specific activities

Design Elements

  • Quiet Zones – Areas with soundproofing for focused, individual work.
  • Collaborative Zones – Open spaces with large tables or lounge seating for group work
  • Meeting Rooms – Enclosed spaces equipped with necessary technology for formal meetings
  • Social Spaces – Areas with comfortable furniture for informal interactions and breaksBright acitvity based working environment showing office pods and modular seating

BT Offices and your Office Layout Design

At BT Office Furniture, we provide complete office space planning solutions for your business. We have our own in-house specialists and design department with fully trained 2D space planners and 3D visual artists to help bring you your ideal corporate office layout. We pride ourselves on our open and friendly approach to the office interior refurbishment and design process. From the initial consultation, we use our industry expertise to recommend products to suit your design and budget specifications.

Do you need help with your own office space planning? At BT Office Furniture, we have years of experience with office furniture fitouts, creating customized layouts that fit the unique needs of our clients. To discuss your project, call our office on 0800 298 7033 or e-mail us at [email protected]