The physical work environment influences people on many levels it makes a difference to how they feel, think, work, communicate and collaborate together. In a well-designed workplace, every element of the physical space room layouts, furniture, materials, colors, textures, lights, sounds, technology and media is carefully selected to enhance individual, team and business performance, both in the short and the long term.

Googles offices are an interesting example. They are excellent workplaces, but not because of the way they look. The reason they are so successful is because they have been carefully designed to support the needs, wishes, and work styles of the exact people Google aims to attract and retain. You can design your office with the same kind of thinking Googles decision makers employ, and end up with a very different kind of workplace one which is perfectly suited to your organization.

You dont need to start with a blank canvas to create a high-performance workspace. Sometimes making small but well-targeted changes to the interiors can yield significant results. Every workspace imposes constraints, but also offers opportunities. Several highly successful workspaces have been created in buildings with major design constraints, for example, where it was impossible to change any of the walls, floors or ceilings. So even if it looks like you have too many limitations and not much can be done, its worth seeking the opinion of an expert.