How to improve space and efficiency in your business

What is space planning?

Business space planning is the process of optimising the design and layout of your workplace to improve its functionality and reduce your costs. There are multiple factors to consider when creating a productive and well-utilised commercial environment. That includes traffic flow, how furniture, equipment and spaces are used, departmental needs, safety, storage and design efficiency.

The primary goal is to create a space that effectively supports the activities taking place within it. However, you must also consider how design aspects, such as lighting, furniture placement and ventilation, can enhance your team’s overall experience. 

Why is space planning important?

Space planning helps businesses improve efficiency by assessing how employees use a workspace and making changes that enable them to be more productive. In a flexible working world where desks sit empty, conference rooms are unused and expensive technology is underutilised, effective space planning can represent an easy win.  

A successful space planning strategy can lead to:

• An optimised layout that enables employees to navigate the space and work more efficiently
• Lower real estate costs and overheads
• Better space utilisation by identifying and repurposing underused areas
• Enhanced collaboration with strategically placed areas that enhance teamwork and innovation
• More satisfied and engaged employees who benefit from a workplace that caters to their working styles
• A thriving onsite culture and a workplace employees want to commute to

How to improve space planning and make your business more efficient

Here are some practical and cost-effective changes you can make to improve space planning and reduce your costs. 

Vertical storage solutions

Warehouses, factories and manufacturing plants often have high ceilings, creating vertical space that can remain unused. By stretching your storage solutions upwards rather than outwards, you can free up floor space to use for other things. For example, installing tall or high-density storage systems will enable you to add inventory without increasing your square footage.  

Install a mezzanine floor

Installing a mezzanine floor is an effective way to increase your floor space without the costs associated with new premises. Mezzanine floors can create additional office space and bulk storage areas. They can even be designed and constructed to withstand the weight of industrial machinery and equipment. Of course, you will need high ceilings, but if you do, adding a mezzanine floor can be an easy fix.  

Implement an inventory management system

Holding too much stock is one of the leading causes of cash flow problems in many businesses and contributes to space inefficiency. Overstocking consumes valuable warehouse space and makes it more difficult to locate items. It can also lead to the requirement for additional storage facilities, further increasing costs.

Implementing an inventory management system can help you overcome that by tracking stock levels and automating the reordering processes to prevent overstocking, improve order fulfilment and enhance space utilisation. 

Manage non-essential business assets

Regularly clearing out clutter is a vital part of efficient space management. Exactly what constitutes clutter depends on the nature of your business. It could mean throwing away outdated inventory and tools you no longer need or reorganising storage systems.

For many businesses, clutter comes in the form of underutilised and surplus assets that sit idle and occupy valuable space. From unused machinery and equipment to surplus stock and vehicles, without a clear strategy, these assets decrease in value over time and create unnecessary losses. By selling non-essential assets, you can streamline operations, free up space, enhance efficiency and turn liabilities into financial gains.

Sell surplus assets and boost your bottom line

If your business has surplus assets that are impacting business efficiency and affecting your space planning, we can help. At Eddisons Asset Auctions, we value, market and sell business assets across diverse sectors. From commercial vehicles and catering equipment to office equipment and construction plant and machinery, we can help you sell assets quickly and for the best possible price.

Find out more about our asset valuations and sales service and get in touch for a free, no-obligation asset appraisal.