5 Ways to Turn Onsite Storage Space Into Commute-Worthy Real Estate

Corodata TeamOct. 25, 2022 | Records Storage |

Editor’s Note: This post, last published in January 2013, has been updated for accuracy and recency.

According to Envoy’s recent workplace trends report, 96% of U.S. executives admit they’re more likely to notice the contribution of employees coming into the office than remote workers.

Many businesses are using insights like this one from the shift to a hybrid working model as an opportunity to re-evaluate and reinvent currently underused workspaces.

If you are also re-evaluating your business’s square footage allocation, make sure also to include how much space is currently devoted to boxes of back files and paper records.

Once paper documents are appropriately stored offsite and sensitive information is secured, the company can also transform this extra space into a place employees find valuable and dependable.

Companies that create working areas that entice employees to commute into the office will see increased productivity and a more significant ROI on their commercial real estate investments.

1.

Support flexible working

Remote work has amplified the value of a comfortable and flexible work environment. Companies were already fiding ways to move on from open workspaces pre-pandemic, and today flexible workspace means even more. Such as allowing your employees influence over their setup and room to make the office feel more like home. Whether you create a brainstorming room or client meeting space, offer office furniture, to help employees make adjustments based on personal preferences. Think foldable tables, rearrangeable furniture, and movable partitions, which can move to meet various needs.

2.

Promote wellness and the environment

The surge of working from anywhere has heightend environmental awareness and has strengthened appreciation for wellness, mental health and physical health. Employees are increasingly looking for work that places value on their well-being and the external environment.
  • Give employees a breath of fresh air by using any outdoor spaces the company has access to.
  • Turn the room filled with boxes (and shred unnecessary papers) into a meditation room, an exercise room, or even just a relaxing place to rest between meetings.
  • Bonus: Shredded paper is recycled, so it’s good for the environment, too.

3.

Re-organize for collaboration

Days of isolated CEOs in the corner office are gone. According to the Microsoft Work Trend Index, 85% of employees would be motivated to go into the office to rebuild team bonds. Leverage misallocated storage space to build collaborative conference rooms, conversational coffee corners, or creative thinking spaces—and fill them with whiteboards, fidget gadgets, and resources that encourage teamwork.

4.

Make it social

The same Microsoft survey found that 74% of employees would go to the office more frequently if they knew their “work friends” were there. Designate space and a shared calendar to get people back into the office for breakfasts, happy hours, or even casual breaks (remember game rooms and ping pong tables?). These spaces will make in-person celebrations like promotions, awards, and networking more desirable. Leave some square footage for social distancing, too!

5.

Be family-friendly

Promoting family-friendly working environments to attract and retain talent is increasingly important. Policies and benefits are crucial, but offering family-friendly space also makes a difference. Make use of available private rooms to create a calm space for nursing mothers or a place to bring children into work.

Ready to make better use of on-site storage space?

Make 2023 the year you invest in secure records management and make room for workspaces that encourage flexibility, health, collaboration and fun. Yes, we need help »