22 Sep Office Signage UK: What Signs Does Your Workplace Actually Need?
A professional office is about more than desks, computers and a smart reception area. The smaller details can make a big difference to how your workplace looks and, importantly, how easy it is for employees, customers and visitors to find their way around.
That is where well-planned office signage UK can make a real difference.
Whether you’re moving into a new premises, refurbishing an existing office or simply replacing tired and outdated signs, good office signage UK should be practical, easy to understand and consistent with your branding.
So, what office signage UK does your workplace actually need?
Start with your reception and entrance signage
Your entrance is often the first physical interaction someone has with your business.
A clear reception sign featuring your company name or logo immediately tells visitors they’ve arrived at the right place while reinforcing your brand.
Depending on your premises, this could include an external business sign, entrance panel, reception sign or branded wall display.
If your business welcomes customers or clients regularly, your reception area is an excellent opportunity to make a strong first impression.
Don’t forget office door signs
Door signs are one of the simplest ways to make an office easier to navigate.
Think about the rooms people regularly need to find:
- Meeting rooms
- Boardrooms
- Individual offices
- Reception
- Toilets
- Kitchens
- Break rooms
- Storage areas
- Staff-only areas
Consistent door signage can make your workplace feel much more organised. It also means visitors don’t have to wander around looking for the right room or interrupt staff to ask for directions.
Add clear directional signage
Larger offices or buildings can quickly become confusing, particularly for someone visiting for the first time.
Directional signs can point people towards reception, meeting rooms, toilets, exits, lifts, stairs and other important areas.
Good office signage UK should be clear enough to understand at a glance. Avoid unnecessarily complicated wording and make sure important information can be easily seen from the distance at which it needs to be read.
The Health and Safety Executive advises that workplace signboards should be sufficiently large and clear to be easily seen and understood, with the size appropriate to the intended viewing distance. It also recommends avoiding too many signs positioned close together, as this can cause confusion. Read the HSE’s guidance on safety signs and signals.
Think about safety signage too
Not all office signage is about branding or navigation.
Depending on your workplace, you may also need signs relating to health and safety, fire exits, emergency equipment, restricted areas or specific workplace hazards.
These office signage UK should not simply be treated as another branding opportunity. Where safety signage is required, it needs to be clear and appropriate for its purpose.
The HSE provides guidance on workplace safety signs, including the use of different colours and symbols for warnings, prohibitions, mandatory actions and emergency information.
Make your office signage accessible
It’s easy to focus on how signage looks without thinking about how easily everyone can understand it.
When planning office signage UK, consider factors such as text size, contrast, positioning and how information is communicated.
The HSE recommends that workplace communications are accessible, clear, concise and easy to understand, including consideration of sufficient contrast between text and background.
This is particularly important in busy environments where signs need to be understood quickly.
Keep your signage consistent
Imagine walking through an office where every sign uses a different font, colour and style.
Even if each individual sign looks fine, the overall result can feel disjointed.
Instead, create a consistent signage style across your workplace. Use your company colours, fonts and branding throughout your reception signs, door signs, directional signage and other branded displays.
This creates a more professional appearance and helps visitors recognise information as they move around your premises.
Choosing the right material for office signage
There isn’t one material that’s right for every sign.
Depending on the application, you might consider materials such as Dibond, Foamex, Perspex or other display boards.
The right choice will depend on whether the sign is being used indoors or outdoors, how it needs to be displayed and the finish you’re looking to achieve.
At Griffin Designs, we supply a range of display boards and office signage UK that can be customised to suit different business and workplace requirements.
Create an office that’s easy to navigate
Good office signage UK should do more than simply fill empty walls.
It should help people find their way around, communicate important information and reinforce your company’s professional image.
Whether you’re starting from scratch in a new office or replacing a collection of mismatched signs, taking the time to plan your signage as a complete system can make your workplace feel more organised and welcoming.
Planning new office signage? Get in touch with Griffin Designs to discuss your requirements and create signage that works for your workplace and your brand.