FAQ

The reasons are diverse and often profound. An office that is too large and empty can create a feeling of isolation, as employees rarely encounter their colleagues. Office design is often not tailored to current working practices, with a lack of appealing favourite spots or suitable collaboration areas. Added to this are inefficient booking systems, a lack of coordination in meeting and attendance culture, and sometimes a lack of awareness of the added value the office brings. It is also not uncommon for middle management to fail to set an example in terms of presence in the office.


When employees enjoy coming to the office, it is usually due to several positive factors:

Community & exchange: The need for social interaction, strengthening the sense of community and meeting colleagues and superiors in person is a strong motivator. This also promotes visibility and the development of important relationships.



Optimal working conditions: Offices often provide significantly better ergonomics, high-quality peripherals, excellent furniture and advanced technology compared to home offices.

Inspiring environment: Appealing interior architecture and thoughtful design create an inspiring atmosphere that promotes creativity and well-being.

Strong corporate culture: A culture of presence that is positively promoted and exemplified by management conveys an appreciation for the shared workplace.

A strategically designed new office is much more than just a space – it is an investment in the future of your company:

Promoting innovation: It creates spaces specifically designed to encourage exchange, inspiration and collaborative work, which directly translates into increased innovation.

Cost savings: Space optimisation and flexible concepts can significantly reduce operating costs.
Increased efficiency: Better workflows and task-oriented design lead to greater efficiency and productivity.

Employee satisfaction & retention: An attractive and functional working environment increases the satisfaction of your workforce and contributes significantly to employee retention.

Economic success: All these factors ultimately lead to improved economic results for your company.

This is indeed a key question that we will answer together with you. There is no universal solution, as the ideal solution depends largely on your current and future working practices. We analyse the expected office attendance, the specific areas of activity of your employees and the future requirements for collaboration, concentration, confidentiality and transparency. Based on these parameters, we develop a customised recommendation that perfectly suits your company.

A successful office transformation (of the office concept) is a change management process that requires careful planning:

Employee involvement: Get your employees on board right from the start. Open communication, transparency and active participation create acceptance and identification.

Cross-departmental onboarding: Ensure that all relevant areas and management levels are actively involved in the process and receive training.

Anticipating behaviour: Think ahead and anticipate possible changes in work behaviour and the use of the new space in order to manage and optimise these in a targeted manner.

Space requirements are highly individual and are determined by a variety of factors:

Office form and concept: Whether individual offices, open-plan concepts or a business club model, whether territorial or non-territorial – all of these factors influence requirements.

Building efficiency: The efficiency and floor plan of the building play a role, as does the possibility of flexible room layout.

Corporate culture: The culture that is practised, e.g. with regard to hierarchy awareness, also influences the choice and design of the space.

Business model & working methods: The nature of your business activities and the resulting working methods are decisive.

Guideline value: For personally assigned workstations, the average usage per employee is often between 12 and 25 m² of office space. We can help you determine the optimal value for your specific requirements.

The cost of a workplace cannot be quantified in general terms, as it depends on numerous quality and design features:

Quality standards & materials: The choice of surfaces, materials and general quality standards have a significant impact on the price.

Ergonomics & design: Ergonomic requirements and individual design preferences have a direct impact on the investment.

Office concept: The chosen office concept, whether classic or flexible, also plays a role. We focus not only on providing a figure, but also on answering the question: What performance and how much future security do you get per euro invested? Our goal is to enable you to make an investment that pays off in the long term.

Many existing office spaces offer considerable potential for cost savings. To leverage this potential, it is essential to collect meaningful data on current usage and accurately anticipate future needs. A precise analysis of future working methods and the resulting office concept are further key components in optimising space requirements. To establish this data-based foundation, we work closely with our partner Spaciv to provide you with the necessary insights.

Ergonomics means adapting the environment to people – not the other way around. That’s why there is no such thing as one-size-fits-all ergonomics, but rather individual solutions. In order to create an optimally ergonomic working environment, it is crucial to understand the work tasks precisely. Based on this, we can develop a customised design that takes all important aspects into account:

Peripherals: The intelligent use of technology and devices.

Sensory impressions: Optimal lighting conditions (colour, brightness), pleasant acoustics and a suitable indoor climate.

Physical ergonomics: The correct alignment and adjustment of office furniture, especially seating.

Holistic approach: The harmonious interplay of all these elements creates a truly ergonomic and health-promoting environment.

The future viability of your office requires thinking in scenarios that go beyond the present moment. Imagine what your company will look like in five years: what cultural, technological and economic changes could lie ahead? The flexibility of your space is directly linked to anticipating these changes.
Flexibility should be a core aspect from the very beginning of the planning process. The focus here is particularly on variable furnishings and the flexible design of technical building equipment and room partitioning systems. At the same time, permanently installed elements such as fixtures and fittings can serve as anchor points. On the other hand, interior design that is too extreme can limit adaptability. Last but not least, practical aspects such as lease terms and the return on investment must also be taken into account in long-term planning.

Ideally, as soon as you first start thinking about making spatial or structural changes to your company! The earlier we are involved, the better we can support you strategically and set the course for an optimal result. However, we are also happy to join you at any later stage of the project. At GRAEF, we combine comprehensive expertise in pure consulting with the practical knowledge and proven execution quality of an established specialist retailer. We are your partner from vision to realisation.