Imagine buying the office space of your dreams only to find that the design is horrible. Before you redo it, consider how you can focus on office design for parents.
That way, you’ll be able to accommodate working parents and keep some of your best employees. And you won’t have to lose people just because they can’t be a parent and an employee.
Read on to learn about office interior for working parents.
Space for Decorations
One of the best office design tips is to allow space for decorations. Of course, anyone can benefit from being able to hang pictures or other items around their office or desk.
However, parents may want to hang pictures of their kids so that they can look at them whenever. As a kid gets older, they may give drawings that their parents want to hang at work.
Some offices and cubicles are small and don’t allow for much customization. But the more you can let employees customize their workspace, the more they may look forward to spending all day at the office.
Room for Personal Items
It also helps to give workers plenty of room under and around their desks. That way, they can store personal items, such as purses or briefcases, and have them right there.
Sure, you may have a break room for employees to use. However, parents may want quick access to their belongings, especially if they think their kid might get sick and need to go home.
When a mother gets back to work after maternity leave, she may want to have a breast pump. That way, she doesn’t have to keep it somewhere more public in the office.
Instead, she can easily grab it and head to the bathroom whenever she needs to pump milk.
Close Parking
While this involves more than the office, it helps if you can offer close parking in your office parking lot. At the very least, designate a few close spots for maternity parking, especially if you have a lot of women on your team.
Further in pregnancy, it can be hard to walk long distances. It may even be painful, especially if you’re experiencing a rough pregnancy or have other health conditions.
Close parking also allows parents to get out of the office quickly in case of an emergency. They won’t have to walk down multiple hallways and across a massive lot just to get in their car.
Since many sets of parents both work, it’s not uncommon for a parent to take off to pick up a kid that gets sick. Being able to leave work easily will reduce a lot of stress.
Sizable Bathrooms
When deciding on office designs, make sure you have room for a sizable bathroom. And don’t just do this when designing women’s bathrooms; the men’s bathroom should be large as well.
You may even want to add a family restroom. Having larger restrooms is nice if you want to host a “bring your kid to work day” or a similar family event.
Be sure each restroom uses these changing tables in case employees have babies. Then, everyone can stay comfortable throughout the day.
Of course, bringing kids to work isn’t always appropriate, but it may be necessary. It’s good to be ready for that situation if the need ever arises.
Extra Seating
If an employee needs to bring their kid to the office, make sure there’s a place for the kid to sit. Ideally, there’d be room near every cubicle or office so that the parent can keep an eye on their child.
However, if your office is small, you can have some seating by the receptionist or another employee. That way, the child will have a place where they can relax as they wait for their parent.
Having seating is also nice if the kids pop in for a surprise visit. They can wait for their parent to finish work for the day or to go to lunch.
You don’t need to set up a ton of extra chairs, but a few is a good start to prepare for when kids come to the office.
Privacy for Parents
Open office designs can promote collaboration, but it’s not always the best. If a parent does need to bring their kid, it can be distracting for other employees.
On days without kids in the office, it can still offer some privacy to your team. A parent may need to take a phone call from their child’s school or doctor, and they shouldn’t have to do that in front of everyone.
While they can go into the hall, it’s nice to let people take a call at their desks. Ideally, everyone would have their own office with a door that they can shut.
But cubicles are a good compromise for parents that need to make calls. Plus, employees may be able to be more productive when they can’t talk to each other as easily.
Outlets for Devices
Whether you’re looking at traditional or home office designs, make sure everyone has access to plenty of outlets. At the very least, an employee will need to plug in their computer.
However, it helps to have a free plug for their cell phone. Employees may also have personal devices that they use to contact their spouse or a babysitter when they need to.
Of course, employees shouldn’t use the power for personal use too much. But if their work phone runs low on battery, it makes sense to allow them to charge it.
That way, they can easily contact clients and other coworkers as well as their family. If possible, set up the desks near existing outlets or use power strips so that everyone can charge their devices.
Office Design Made Easy
Office design is vital for any team, but it’s more important when you have employees who are parents. Parents have to stay on top of things, and they may need to pick up their child in the middle of the day.
Make sure your office allows employees to be productive without cutting them off from outside communication. Then, they can talk to a babysitter or teacher when necessary.
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