The latest Ricoh Anything in Print series podcast looks at key design trends to transform the office workspace.
With many of us back in the office after more than a year of working from home, now is the perfect opportunity for business owners and brand managers to reflect on the office space they have and consider how to transform it into a more inspiring and welcoming environment.
Prior to the pandemic, many companies were simply focused on driving their businesses forward and looking for ways to make more money. However, there has since been a reset of priorities relating to work/life balance. People are used to working from home and have proven to be effective at doing so.
Now is the time to consider the purpose of the workspace to make it a more attractive - better than home - option. The latest podcast in Ricoh’s Anything in Print series offers tremendous insight into this area, providing advice and tips from expert branding agency Them Design Limited on how to create a healthier and more engaged corporate environment.
Dan Moscrop, the Founder and Chief Executive from Them Design, explains: "The main problem at the moment is that after the last year of working from home, there is a real lack of collaboration, culture and creativity within businesses.
"We need to consider why we have an office space; what is the purpose of this and why should people come back into the office? We want people to take a step back, look at the bigger picture and make the office an inspiring place where people want to come to work."
Simon Isaacs, National Sales Manager for Ricoh UK, agrees with the sentiment. He adds: "We are focused on how we can come out of this pandemic and create a better environment, space and world to be a part of. We realise that by not having something for 18 months, we know how much we miss it.
"Having an inspirational office space makes you feel more engaged with the business; it helps you feel that you have actually created something. You feel differently about the world."
According to Dan Moscrop, print can play a key role in the process, saying that the medium offers an experience that simply cannot be replicated by digital. He gives an example of Them Design's work with TK Maxx, which has used large-format print applications internally to promote the positive way the business operates.
"For me, we need to move away from rows and rows of desks and capture an essence of a business's culture. I think there will be a post-pandemic surge of creativity and we need to take this opportunity to completely change the way we work.
"We need to reflect on the space an organisation needs and dress it suitably. We need to think about how the office is furnished and how the brand is presented."
This, he said, transfers to other parts of the marketing mix and offers brands and businesses an incredible opportunity to differentiate themselves from the competition and connect with people in a much more personal way.
Printed output is part of the branding/rebranding process. Dan has an amazing passion for creating cool artwork on walls, alongside creative installations.
"Print is not dead. You get this object that you can see or hold; there is nothing like it. I am an absolute print head and I love the physical aspect of it," he concludes.