Office design: The impact of culture on commercial design

gaming-zones.jpg

The best workplaces align with the organisational culture of a company. They reflect the firm’s story, values and aspirations, and say a lot about the people who work there. Achieving this desirable workplace is no mean feat, but the benefits it promises makes the effort all the more worthwhile. Here, Stewart Simon, managing director of Coulter Office Interiors, discusses how commercial designers can create these culturally-aligned work environments. 

Culture is key

Countless studies have demonstrated the significance of a positive workplace culture. It is known to drive employee wellbeing, satisfaction and productivity, as well as being a key tool for attracting and retaining talent. Culture varies from company to company and is shaped by a multitude of factors, including leadership, policies, degree of hierarchy and team values. A workplace should be designed with this individual culture in mind; the goal is that it quite literally becomes part of the furniture. 

Culturally-aligned design 

There are various tools available to commercial designers to create the perfectly aligned workplace for their clients’ cultural needs. Examples include:  

Building structure 

Organisations are increasingly fostering a collaborative culture, due its role in promoting teamwork, engagement and innovation; three factors known to lead to business success. This has represented a move away from traditional cellular office design towards open plan spaces, which facilitate social interaction between teams. 

Even the most collaborative workplaces require a degree of privacy and there are a number of inventive ways to divide up areas without falling into the isolation-trap. Glass walls and doors provide transparency, while cupboards and storage planters are attractive separators that make great use of space.  Acoustics are also key in open place offices and research has found too much noise has a negative impact on employee wellbeing and productivity. Acoustic desk dividers and meeting pods provide both privacy and comfort for teams working together. 

Furniture 

The style, size and colour of office furniture can say a lot about a company’s culture. For the environmentally focused business, reclaimed, upcycled pieces may be the best choice, whilst collaborative companies may favour rolling chairs and standing height tables. Bright colour choices and unusual styles tend to be found in the creative industries, reflecting the culture of a fun business that thinks outside the box. 

As greater importance is placed on the needs of employees, organisations with people-centric cultures often opt for comfortable and ergonomically friendly options to ensure their teams work with minimal physical constraints. A trend rising in popularity in this space is resimercial design, which introduces residential elements to office spaces to create a home-away-from-home. 

Technology 

Living in a society characterised by the constant advancement of technology and the consumer demand that drives it, there has been a rise in tech and digitally-driven companies. In these cases, the seamless integration of technology within the workplace is crucial to both convey the firm’s tech credentials and enable teams to work more efficiently in what are often fast-paced environments. Tech-enabled spaces are becoming the norm, featuring video conferencing capabilities, data sharing solutions and a plethora of screens and power sockets to enable staff to work privately and collaboratively from almost anywhere.  

Breakout rooms 

Breakout rooms are a must-have in the 21st century workplace and the extent and style of these spaces often say a lot about the company that introduces them. For businesses with a sociable culture, recreation rooms instil a great sense of fun into the office, whilst boosting morale and interpersonal relationships within the team. These activity-based areas can be kitted out with a range of games, including table tennis, pool tables and arcade machines.  

Mental health is high on the agenda for a lot of modern organisations and for those aiming for a calm and easy-going culture, recharge rooms are particularly effective. Relaxation is key and these spaces must be designed with mental and physical rejuvenation in mind. Activities in recharge zones include yoga, meditation, power naps and electronic-free breaks. 

Wall decoration 

Some companies opt for a softer approach to convey organisational culture. Feature walls are a popular option in these cases, ranging from the incorporation of framed testimonials and award plaques to wall graphics and story walls. For example, many eco-friendly companies are now featuring living walls, made up of plants and shrubbery, in a bid to bring nature indoors and showcase their ‘green’ principles. Wall decorations are a simple, attractive and inexpensive way to reflect both brand identity and culture, plus they provide a great opportunity to impress visiting clients. 

Valuable pursuit

Every company has its own culture and deserves a unique workplace that reflects that culture. Commercial designers can help create this by working in collaboration with an organisation and its employees to understand what they stand for and the image they want to project. The value in a culturally-aligned office environment is huge, leading to a happier, more purpose-driven business.

If you would like to find out how your workplace can reflect your organisational culture, contact Coulter Office Interiors for a free assessment today on 01772 702555.

Enjoyed this? Read more from Coulter Office Interiors

Latest news

1

University of Central Lancashire celebrates hat-trick of wins at Educate North Awards University of Central Lancashire winners at Educate North Award Winners 2025

University of Central Lancashire celebrates hat-trick of wins at Educate North Awards

04 Apr 2025

2

The Villa’s sister venue shuts its doors The Villa Levens and The VillaWrea Green (Image credit: The Villa Levens and The Villa Wrea Green)

The Villa’s sister venue shuts its doors

04 Apr 2025

3

PM urged not to retaliate over tariffs Manufacturing

PM urged not to retaliate over tariffs

03 Apr 2025

4

CMAC Group appoints Matthew Ratcliffe as chief operating officer Matthew Ratcliffe CMAC

CMAC Group appoints Matthew Ratcliffe as chief operating officer

03 Apr 2025

5

For sale signs at The Villa Villa Wrea Green has been brought to market (Image credit: The Villa Wrea Green)

For sale signs at The Villa

02 Apr 2025

Pc Prestonmacan Gif980x120 March
Background image for hub sign up block

LBV Hub

Leverage Lancashire Business View platforms

Post your news
Post your events
Post your offers
Build your network
Improve your SEO
Gain coverage in the magazine
Sign-up
Events
Lancashire Net Zero Carbon Conference
Net Zero Carbon Social 1200px
Networking
18 Jun 2025

Lancashire Net Zero Carbon Conference

Crow Wood Hotel & Spa Resort, Burnley, BB12 0RT

08:30 - 13:00

CMI Level 5 Management and Leadership Course
UCLanAerialCampus.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
21 Feb 2025 - 21 Feb 2026

CMI Level 5 Management and Leadership Course

Preston Campus, Preston , PR1 2HE

09:00 - 17:00

CMI Level 5 Project Management Course
UCLanAerialCampus.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
21 Feb 2025 - 21 Feb 2026

CMI Level 5 Project Management Course

Preston Campus, Preston, PR1 2HE

08:00 - 17:00

RISE - The Academy for Female Leaders and Managers
WENDY BOWERS RISE Illustrstion copy.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
02 Apr 2025 - 08 Oct 2025

RISE - The Academy for Female Leaders and Managers

East Lancashire Chamber of Commerce, Clayton le Moors, BB5 5JR

09:00 - 15:30

The Business Network Central & East Lancashire
LBV Hub Networking
24 Apr 2025 - 24 Apr 2025

The Business Network Central & East Lancashire

Stanley House, Blackburn, BB2 7NP

11:30 - 14:15

People Power: Exclusive Event Series
Stay ahead in 2025.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
29 Apr 2025 - 29 Apr 2025

People Power: Exclusive Event Series

People's History Museum, Manchester, M3 3ER

17:00 - 21:00

Planning for the future + navigating Inheritance Tax changes
Planning for the future + navigating Inheritance Tax changes for website.png.png
LBV Hub Seminars
01 May 2025 - 01 May 2025

Planning for the future + navigating Inheritance Tax changes

Stanley House Hotel, Mellor, Blackburn, BB2 7NP, Blackburn, BB2 7NP

08:00 - 10:30

A night at the races
1.png.png
LBV Hub Dinners / Balls
02 May 2025 - 02 May 2025

A night at the races

Morecambe FC, Morecambe, LA4 4TB

19:00 - 23:59

Innovating business solutions through PhD Partnerships
30478 Skills Bootcamp open day setting.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Networking
07 May 2025 - 07 May 2025

Innovating business solutions through PhD Partnerships

University of Central Lancashire, Preston , PR1 2HE

14:30 - 15:30

Celebrating 50 years of KTP
UCLanAerialCampus.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Networking
07 May 2025 - 07 May 2025

Celebrating 50 years of KTP

University of Central Lancashire , Preston, PR1 2HE

16:00 - 18:00

Research and Knowledge Exchange Showcase
13421_research_knowledge_exchange_2025_600x300.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Awards
07 May 2025 - 08 May 2025

Research and Knowledge Exchange Showcase

University of Central Lancashire , Preston, PR1 2HE

09:00 - 17:00

Making changes to everyday activities to reduce your carbon footprint
uclan drone_0085.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Networking
08 May 2025 - 08 May 2025

Making changes to everyday activities to reduce your carbon footprint

University of Central Lancashire, Preston , PR1 2HE

14:00 - 15:30

Advertise with us

Reaching 50,000 members, our print, digital and event platforms offer a fantastic way to raise your business profile and help you grow.

Find out more Lbv121 Online Graphic
Subscribe now

Weekly news bulletin