While you might think that the digital age is putting a stop to face-to-face time, there is a growing trend for small businesses to either rent meeting rooms, move to a bigger office that accommodates meeting rooms or have them added to their existing space.

Why are meeting rooms so important for taking business forward?

In a world where many are isolated to remote working spaces, a good old-fashioned meeting room allows clearer communication with clients and between colleagues. A collaborative area provides an environment where creative thoughts can be brainstormed and relationships can be built and maintained.

Collaborate to accumulate

According to Futuresource Consulting, a number of small businesses are already adding more meeting rooms and huddle spaces to their offices and in the next few years 25% of companies are expected to follow the trend.

It is thought that small businesses are making this office design investment as a step towards business growth – and it makes perfect sense.

Armed with Wi-Fi equipped laptops and mobile devices, there is no need for office workers to be tied to their desks.

Meeting rooms allow the scope for business tasks to become more efficient; that is, they are dealt with in the moment and thrashed out as a team. Also, the design of a space with the right layout, fixtures and fittings can have a considerable impact on employee innovation and productivity.

New research suggests it is not just employers who are requesting collaborative spaces but that employees are demanding them!

The solution to the open plan problem

While there is much speculation about the effectiveness of open-plan offices, surely the relative privacy of a meeting room solves two commonly cited issues from the off: inhibitions and noise pollution.

At the very least, a meeting room that is separate to the main workspace provides the flexibility that today’s workers favour.

The versatility of everything from seating to lighting is important in the design of the meeting room too because every meeting is as different as each employee.

You should also consider the impression it can make with prospective clients or interviewees and the implications of transparency, trust and professionalism.

Surely, a neat new meeting room that reflects your brand and your values is going to leave them with a sweeter taste of your business than shoving over the papers on your desk and pulling them up a chair.

Room, pod or huddle booth? Let’s get together and add meeting space in your business

The Trevor Blake team has seen an increase in enquiries for adding meeting rooms this year. This goes to show that those predictions about the increase in meeting room needs for small business are already beginning to ring true.

We know how important face-to-face communication is in the workplace and we design offices and meeting rooms that embrace this.

Check out our recent projects to see examples of collaborative spaces that really work. Don’t you think it is time we got together and discussed your meeting room design?

Contact us for a consultation today.