The Office Experience: How Great Signage Supports a Successful Workplace

by Valerie Glander

As Interior Designers, we spend much of our time with clients discussing staff adjacencies, furniture requirements, finish selections and color schemes.  A lesser discussed, but important element of designing an intuitive office environment is often left to an afterthought:  wayfinding and signage. 

Wayfinding provides verbal and nonverbal cues to help people navigate a space. We often think of airport or hospital signage as an example, but smaller spaces benefit from good wayfinding as well. Signage is often your client's first interaction with your office – this is a huge opportunity to communicate your values and brand.

A catalog of artwork from Gravity Digital Walls makes creating a vibrant workplace easy.

Signage, graphics and color all play a part in creating clear workplace messaging—and not just in client-facing spaces.  Printing technology has changed this market significantly over the last decade – making custom graphics easier and more affordable than ever.  We’re definitely seeing a trend toward defining team space with creative messaging.  Using color, pattern, and team mottos to define collaborative space, break rooms and quiet focus areas can increase productivity in an office environment.  These types of nonverbal cues can improve communication, smooth onboarding for new employees and create a sense of team pride.   

OEX Designers can provide custom designs to showcase your brand.

If people have trouble navigating your space or understanding the company culture, they’ll feel frustrated and stressed.  On the other hand, well placed signage and graphics can communicate your company’s policies, values or brand, making a lasting impression for both clients and employees.