The role of signage and graphics in office fitout

Office signage and graphics really do have the power to change your business for the better. But what makes a good sign and which signage is really worth the investment? In this post, we discuss the essential signage, graphics and artwork that every office needs.

Why you need office signage and graphics

Before we jump into the specifics, we wanted to take a little time to talk about why signage is so important:

• First impressions – good quality signage creates the impression of a good quality company to customers, suppliers and other visitors to your office.
• Brand consistency – your signage and graphics can really help to build your company’s brand image and reinforce your office culture.
• Staff morale – graphics and artwork can be used to set a positive mood and sense of belonging, which in turn boosts productivity.
• Welfare – safety signage can help to prevent office accidents and promote workplace wellbeing.

Office signage really is a powerful tool. Done well, it helps anyone who visits your office to understand what your business stands for. Done poorly, it can damage your reputation and leave people confused about your company.

The fundamentals of good office signage

The good news is that with a bit of careful thought, your office signage can do wonders for your business. Here are a few basics to think about when planning your signage:

• Keep it simple – good signage is simple signage. That doesn’t mean it has to be boring, quite the opposite! But it should have one clear message or purpose and a design that’s eye-catching but clutter-free.
• Be unique – your signage and graphics should be an extension of your brand, which means it should be as unique as your business! Think about how you could incorporate your brand symbols and colours to make your signs distinctive.
• Location, location, location – where you put your signs can be just as important as what’s on them. Ideally, your signage should be easy to see and located in an area that connects it to its intended purpose.
• Think about materials – there’s nothing worse than a beautiful sign made from poor-quality materials. Really take some time to consider the finish of your sign to make sure it fits with your brand and the type of signage you’re creating.

Essential office signage and graphics to invest in

There are lots of different types of office graphics and signage that you could invest in. Here, we talk you through our list of essentials:

External signage

If you’re not a customer-facing business, you might think that external signage isn’t necessary -but don’t overlook its importance. How many times have you driven past a business and remembered the name because of the sign above the door? If you’re anything like us, it’s a lot!

External signage is great marketing for your business too. The obvious choice is to create a sign with your company logo on, which is nice but might not give passers-by enough information about what you do. Get creative and think about other visual cues you could use. Bear in mind that you don’t necessary just need one sign. If your office is big enough you might be able to include more than one external sign, each with a different message or purpose. 

Wayfinding/ directional signage

Directional signage does what it says on the tin – it helps people to find their way around your office building. You might not think your office is big enough for that, but you’d be surprised how daunting an unfamiliar space can feel to visitors and new starters, no matter the size.

If you have one, reception signage can be great for creating first impressions. It can help visitors to feel reassured that they are in the right place and set out straight away what they can expect from their visit.

Next, you’ll want to think about signs that help to navigate you to different rooms or spaces in your office. This is where the ‘keep it simple’ rule really comes into its own. These signs are providing instruction, so they need to be easy to understand. If you want to create something a little bit different you could always play with signage location or scale. We love these large wayfinding signs we created for our client, Smart Search.

Culture boosting graphics or artwork

This is where things get really exciting! Culture boosting signs, graphics or artwork really help to set out what makes your business different. Think about what’s important to your company and what you want staff and visitors to think, feel and do when they’re in the office. And then create signage that encourages these thoughts and behaviours. Just as every office culture is unique, culture boosting signage should differ from company to company.

You might choose to fill your wall with your company values or hang photos of your office building throughout its history. Whatever you choose, be big, be bold and most importantly, be true to your business.

Health and safety signage

Perhaps the most well-known – and important – of all office signage, safety signs play a large part in keeping offices compliant and employees knowledgeable. We won’t go into too much detail about these signs other than to say that they perform a critical office function. If you’re not sure what safety signage you need in place, you should speak to a health and safety professional for advice. The Health and Safety Executive has some useful information about your responsibilities as an employer.

Office signage and graphics really can help to transform your place of work for the better. If a full office refurbishment or office fitout is not quite what you need then the introduction of some fresh signage and graphics can be a cost-effective way to revamp your office.