Make more of your space with office partitioning

Whether called office walls, office panels or office partitioning, these interior separators can be used to divide any premises into discrete areas. 

At their best, they become a natural element in the office landscape, creating useful spaces for different activities and enhancing flow around your office. At worst, office partitions can turn your space into a maze that does little for productivity or employee morale. 

So how can your business use office partitions effectively to maximise space?

Putting people first 

Bill Wedd from Cunic Constructions suggests that when planning office partitions, businesses should first consider how many people will be working in the space and what activities they will be undertaking.

"People need both sufficient space to carry out their work and to move around freely," he says. "It's not just a matter of how many employees or workstations you can squash into the area."

Indeed, there are rules and regulations for the division of office space - such as leaving a minimum of 1 to 1.2 metres of free walking space or corridors between workstations.

Fire safety is another key issue that needs to be taken into consideration. "How you divide up your space will dictate the number and positioning of your fire-detection devices," Bill warns.

Your office designer or building advisor should make sure that the layout you choose adheres to all the necessary requirements.

Types of partitions

There are many options when it comes to picking out your office partitions, so your business is sure to find something suitable: 

• Half-height partitions: these are traditional cubicle walls that allow employees to pop their heads up and engage with colleagues, while still providing some degree of separation and privacy.
• Full height partitions: stretching from floor to ceiling, these partitions fully enclose a space. They not only impede visibility through the office, but they also lend an air of permanence.
• Folding/sliding partitions: possibly combining the best of both worlds, folding or sliding partitions offer the full enclosure of floor-to-ceiling partitions, but also allow for openness when you need it. 
• Portable partitions: these office partitions offer the advantage of being easily picked up, rolled on wheels or otherwise moved from one place to another, taking just minutes to rearrange your office space.

Advantages of office partitions

• Enhanced privacy
• Distinct spaces for different activities
• Acoustic shielding
• Visual separation
• Can double as project presentation or display boards
• Storage
• Keep clutter under control

Divide and conquer

Dividing your office space is an easy way to improve productivity, enhance the flow of work and keep your employees happy. So to get some good advice on high-quality, economical office partitioning, talk to a local specialist today.