5 Smart Solutions to Get the Most Out of Your Space Plan

Project Planning

You never have enough space. With long shifts on dispatch, multiple people using the same workstation, or the many tasks you take on in public safety, you quickly learn that you need to use every inch of your console or office to its best ability. Whether it’s training rooms, communication hubs, or shared workstations, efficiently using space can transform your center and boost productivity and your team’s effectiveness.

There are many ways to make better use of your floor plan. From your console to your meeting rooms and everywhere in-between, there are many small ways to maximize the effectiveness of your space, creating a better work environment.

Ready to optimize your space? Here are five smart ways to make the most of it:

1. Integrate Storage into Desks and Consoles

Here’s a reality we too frequently forget: storage doesn’t have to take up floor space. By integrating storage into desks and consoles, you maximize existing workstations and add value to your space plan. Aisle-side storage builds vertically from hubs, incorporating open and closed units for supplies and files. Personal gear lockers can be customized with mail slots or centralized in locker groups to maximize space, while private office solutions like credenzas and shelving further enhance functionality.

2. Utilize Mobile Storage Solutions

There are more ways to stow personal items than just in traditional locker rooms. Employees increasingly prefer to keep personal belongings at their workstations. Mobile storage units can be easily moved and stowed under desks, offering secure, personalized spaces. Centralized work areas with storage, like our work islands, provide multi-functional space, such as locker storage, meeting spaces, and break areas, all in a single compact location.

3. Make Rooms Multipurpose

Reconfigurable rooms can make all the difference. Utilizing mobile flip tables that can be nested and reconfigured when not in use for training areas allows rooms to serve multiple purposes, like press conference spaces or areas that adapt to crisis management. Consider including power and data outlets, as well as cable management, to make it easy to adapt to evolving needs.

4. Add Functional Accessories to Workstations

Workstation accessories can significantly improve organization and comfort. Accessories like tack boards, cup holders, and wireless chargers help keep things tidy. A monitor array shroud can aid in concealing cables for a cleaner look, while status lights improve communication across the center. Office spaces can add tack-able privacy screens to desks, adding the functionality of a pin board to each space.

5. Maximize Communication with Marker Board Surfaces

Improving communication is essential in any control center. Markerboards can be mobile or integrated onto walls, tables, and lockers. These flexible surfaces allow teams to collaborate easily and stay organized, improving workflow and enhancing communication across the room. Unique surfaces can also be used as markerboards, such as locker doors or table surfaces, which can increase the utilization of furniture.

By choosing the right furniture and storage solutions, you can maximize space and streamline workflows. At Watson Consoles, we specialize in creating custom solutions that balance form and function, helping you get the most out of your work environment.

Watson Consoles has successfully partnered with centers like Cowlitz 911 – which provides dispatching services for the 110,000-plus residents in Cowlitz County, WA – to install consoles that not only provide additional workspace but also include integrated storage and workspace accessories to maximize the utilization of their floor plan.

Download our brochure and explore how Watson's award-winning furniture can optimize your space.

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