If your workplace could just as easily be the offices of A.N. Other Inc., then you've gone wrong somewhere. Branding your office is just as important as branding your stationery, our experts say.
"Branding should not stop with the business card and website. It should be infused into the space where everything happens. It should be all around the employees and it should speak to the clients. It should be the environment," says Glinka.
"Wallpaper on the wall is not needed, nor is the coordinated Post-It dispenser or the framed images on the wall, but in a way, these details are the whole point of the office. It gives the space an identity -- it tells others and reminds us what we are here to do," she adds.
"Branding is individual to each company and office, but with a little imagination, you can make your space reflect the business identity without spending a fortune. For example, one small office we designed was heavily based on technology. We used their colors and made a binary pattern on a wall using nothing but a little paint."
Another nice touch? A logo, says Glinka. "Putting it on a feature wall is a simple way to create visual interest. Carry any identifying factors through the space, be its color, a shape or idea. If your company is based on the fact that you are a small, but modern business, make sure that the furniture and lighting send the right message. No one is going to believe that you take your company seriously if you say you are modern as you sit on a flowery Victorian couch you inherited from your grandmother. It is all about the message and the image telling the same story."
One great way to combine branding and function is to use your identity as a space identifier, she adds. "A logo for a company we once worked with had bubbles in it. At the same time they needed a way to guide their clients through the space since they did not have a receptionist. We put their branded bubbles on the ground, some in blue, some in green. The different colors lead to different rooms, making it very easy for them to explain to the client where to go: 'Just follow the green bubbles.' Clients notice touches like this in an office, but so do everyday users. It makes the space a little bit less corporate and more personal."
Rudic has further advice on this topic. "Enhance your company's culture by showcasing your 'brand' and 'community.' Your corporate culture is the soul of your firm and impacts the way the public and your own employees experience your organization.
"The physical appearance of your office can lay the foundation for your corporate culture. In designing your office space, inject your firm's slogans, logos, philosophy, attitude, products and color palette into the environment in order to showcase your firm's corporate culture at the most elementary level. The clothing does not make the man, but it does make him more attractive!"
Image courtesy of LUX Design
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