Creating a corporate office that follows feng shui guidelines is said to promote prosperity and good fortune. To develop such a space, I have done the research to ensure your office has the proper feng shui. using this guide can bring success to the office and those in it.
How is feng shui used to design a corporate office? The main points of feng shui include the flow of energy, the natural elements and the bagua. By using the basics of feng shui, it is possible to increase productivity and improve the overall outlook in the day-to-day life of employees. By touching on the main aspects of feng shui, a corporate office can be transformed into a space of good fortune.
Reading: Office feng shui map
If you are in doubt about the results of feng shui, perhaps an explanation of the history and efficacy will convince you. knowing how and why of feng shui is important to achieve good results with the concept.
following the rules of feng shui can help your office in several ways. If you believe in chi, feng shui is sure to improve your energy flow and flow within your corporate office. If you don’t believe in the purported effects of feng shui, following the suggested guidelines will, at the very least, give you an attractive office space.
An office space that enhances functionality and productivity is the goal of most businesses. Even if you are a skeptic, putting feng shui practices into practice will help you achieve that goal. while the reason behind the enhancement may be the result of more than just energy flow, the enhancement is the aspect that matters.
Bringing feng shui into your office space is said to improve productivity levels, increase comfort and increase happiness. All of these feng shui benefits seem like worthwhile reasons to give it a try. By following the three feng shui principles, you may see a noticeable change in your office.
The first principle of feng shui is the flow of energy. this energy is also known as chi. To allow for a good flow, the office needs to be set up to allow it to move effortlessly and smoothly. Effortless movement is encouraged with an organized environment, open design, and soft edges on furniture.
Organization is key to proper feng shui. the surface of a desk must be at least half free. clutter or too much work piled up at a workstation is said to disrupt the flow of energy. it also causes difficulty in finding the necessary items and documents in a timely manner. By hiding electrical cords and making sure paperwork is completed in a timely manner, there’s a better chance that power won’t get bogged down in clutter.
Electrical cables can be better hidden with cable ties or cable hooks. Some people have expressed success with simple tricks like painted or decorated paper towel rolls or binder clips. Organizing paperwork in folders and placing it in drawers will help keep your desk area clutter-free.
The layout of the room is a key element for feng shui. First of all, there needs to be enough room to move around. narrow hallways will congest negative energy and prohibit the easy flow of positive energy, so securing several feet between desks or other furniture will allow for a better flow of chi.
The layout of the office is also important in deciding where to place the desks and how they might be arranged. negative energy can come from a desk that faces a wall or window, in line with the door, or with its back to the door. knowing these truths leaves the best location for your desk facing the door in what is known as the command position and not in line with the door. this should leave a wall behind you, which is also where a focal point should be found.
In a shared office space, it can be pointless for two employees to face each other. If space is limited and front-facing desks are necessary, dividing the desks with an object will allow for good separation. this is often accomplished with a small plant to continue to allow the flow of energy.
furniture used should not have sharp edges, as energy can also easily get stuck in the corners. a desk with rounded corners allows for the best flow of energy in a corporate office. chairs that curve, instead of meeting in a corner, do the same thing. the smooth lines also provide a fun aesthetic, which is a great feng shui benefit.
Incorporating good energy flow is only the first step in feng shui. Adhering to the design tips mentioned above will allow for the proper flow of positive energy and thus achieve the best working environment.
The second important point of feng shui is the incorporation of natural elements. finding balance in the elements: wood, earth, metal, fire and water can be represented in different ways. the literal translation of feng shui is wind and water, which are said to speak of good health and fortune. however, it’s ideal to have an equal representation of each element so as not to overpower one element, not even water.
Too much of an element is said to cause problems that are specific to each, as is too little. a room with too much water representation can cause depression and weight gain, as can too little fire. however, on the other hand, too many components of fire can cause anger and frustration. lack of representation of water in a space can lead to stunted career growth and financial difficulties.
Determining the perfect balance of elements may require some experimentation, but it is possible with practice. If you are having difficulty finding the balance, it may be necessary to hire a feng shui consultant. a consultant might select items that are too heavy or too light for the space they are in.
If you find you can’t concentrate or are disorganized, removing a few metal components can help you focus. health problems may require the addition of wooden elements to your office. if you’re not having fun, you may need to increase the rendering of the fire. to add elements to a space, it is key to define the proper representation of the elements.
When feng shui in a corporate office, wood is a natural element that should be incorporated to inspire creativity and growth. designing an office with wood elements goes beyond the obvious choice of wood furniture and cabinets. natural aspects like flowers, cotton, bamboo, and shades of green help bring the wood element to an office space.
The next natural material to incorporate is earth. the earth is a representation of stability and strength. using the earth element in a corporate office involves objects such as landscape paintings, shades of brown, rectangular shapes, ceramics, and low surfaces.
Metal is the next necessary component for the feng shui of an office. It is synonymous with power and logical thinking. To increase the presence of metal in a space, colors such as white, gray and silver should be incorporated. Round and oval shapes, stones, and real metal, such as aluminum art pieces or steel furniture, should also be included.
Another natural element is fire. including this element in an office space would help generate transformation, leadership and enthusiasm. fire can be represented in a room through natural light, candles, electronics, or animal prints. shades of red or purple also indicate the presence of the fire element.
Water is the final element that should be represented in a feng shui corporate office. this factor is the one that represents emotions, relaxation and spirituality. To bring water into a space, use black or dark colors, mirrors, wavy shapes, and real water in the form of fish tanks or fountains.
Encapsulating all five elements in one room equally encourages balanced employees and therefore quality work. a room with too much or too little of an element can have detrimental effects. Although challenging, it is important to have a balance of all five. It’s also a good idea to use your own creativity to determine the best elements to represent each element. Instead of following a guideline to the letter, put your own spin on things to make the office space more representative of the company.
The bagua is the final and possibly the most important part of feng shui. Although used for more than just the feng shui of an internal space, the bagua is a map designed to determine energy levels and help make improvements. Since the focus of feng shui is on energy and its movement, the bagua is an important tool in the process of organizing a corporate office according to feng shui guidelines.
the bagua map consists of 9 defined squares. Each of these squares represents a category: Wealth and Prosperity, Fame and Reputation, Love and Relationships, Family and Health, Center and Self, Children and Creativity, Knowledge and Wisdom, Career and Life Journey, and Helpful People and Travel. these categories describe aspects of life and are said to have a specific energy within your office space and their position can be seen in the table below.
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wealth and prosperity
fame and reputation
love and relationships
family and health
center and me
children and creativity
knowledge and wisdom
professional and vital trajectory
helpful people and travel
By placing the bagua map over your office space layout, you will see where the energy fields of each of the categories are located. By concentrating on the colors and elements that enhance these particular categories in the specific place they are located, you will enhance the energy in the space. this is also known as “activating” the chi.
Aligning your office with the bagua map begins with a drawing of the entire floor plan, including an entryway and defined windows. Next, draw the bagua map to the same scale as the floor plan drawing. the categories defined on your bagua map must be perfectly equal sections, so using a ruler is recommended to achieve the desired result. If your office space differs from the standard square or rectangular shape, it may be necessary to use a bagua map that is drawn in a circular shape.
After the layout and map are complete, you need to determine how the map will sit on top of the floor plan. There are two methods available to determine where your entry will be located on the bagua map, the compass method and the western method. we’ll go over both options.
The compass method is used by determining the exact location of the input with a compass. each direction has a degree that defines it. If you’re standing just outside the office entrance with your back to the door, a compass will tell you the exact degree you’re facing the door. that degree corresponds to a square on the bagua map, as shown below.
southeast: 112.5° to 157.5°
south: 157.5° to 202.5°
southwest: 202.5° to 247.5°
east: 67.5° to 112.5°
center
west: 247.5° to 292.5°
northeast: 22.5° to 67.5°
north: 337.5° to 22.5°
northwest: 292.5° to 337.5°
If your compass reads 271°, you should place the entrance wall along the right side of the bagua map. each corresponding square on the map would align with other parts of the office layout.
The western method of alignment is much simpler but more effective in a multi-office building. it’s so simple, in fact, that you just have to align the bottom of the map with the main entrance. from here the map would show which areas carry which energies. If your office is in a multi-unit location like a shopping center or large office building, this is the method to follow. this is due to the logic that normally applies to the construction of larger structures in regards to direction and weather.
Learning how to enhance the energy areas on the bagua is the reason for determining where each section is located in your office space. these sections will generally correspond to a natural element and the elements that increase the energy of that specific element. since balance is key for the elements, the bagua map has an even distribution of the elements.
wealth and prosperity, or the southeast corner of the office, is most influenced by the element of water. As mentioned above, deep colors and wavy or curved lines are best for representing water. In an office setting, one can have a dark accent wall, a small fountain, or a piece of line art that can remind one of the ocean.
The southern section of the bagua map is the one that represents fame and reputation. this category is best represented with the elements of fire and wood. You will remember that these elements stand out in red or green tones, lights, wooden furniture and flowers. In this space, visualize a red chair next to a wooden side table that houses a vase of beautiful flowers or a lamp.
See also: FENG SHUI COLORS TO USE ON AN EAST FACING FRONT DOOR
love and relationships enter the scene in the southwest corner. This energy can be enhanced with the earth element. this segment may contain a landscape mural or artwork on the wall or a tan rug spread out on the floor. while improving love and relationships may not be a goal for your company, this can also apply to work relationships between co-workers.
The east square on the bagua map represents family and health. wood and water are best used to intensify energy in this area. a mirror with a wooden frame and a plant in a black vase will allow an equal distribution of energy in both the wood and the water. having family in the office is important because it is often the driving factor behind one’s reason for working. health, on the other hand, is clearly important to providing quality work.
The middle square on the bagua map, the center and the self, is meant to feed off the energy of the surrounding squares. It should be a fairly open space with little influence from the elements. filling this space can create some negative energy and can also decrease the flow of positive energy throughout the space. if there is a bathroom or stairwell in this area, it is not good for chi.
children and creativity is the energy to focus on in the western section of the map. In this section, you’ll want to work on sharpening the metal and ground items. silver or white shelves in the shape of a rectangle will achieve both elements in a single piece of furniture. If these types of pieces are too bulky for your space, something as simple as a white frame around a landscape photograph will also do the trick.
In the northeast position on the bagua map are knowledge and wisdom. ground objects should be the focus in this area to enhance the energy here. to get the right energy, the spotlight should be placed on wooden floors in brown tones and a low rectangular coffee table.
The north square on the map belongs to the energy for the race and journey of life. water and metallic elements are key to activating the right energy in this area. Bringing proper energy to this section of the map may require a metal surface containing a fish tank. If your space doesn’t have the space or capacity to care for fish, this same effect can be achieved with artwork using metallic materials and dark colored components.
helpful people and travel is the last square on the map and is in the northwest location. it is best intensified using earth and metal. brown or tan stones in round metal containers will help the energy to be better in this space. If more space is available, it is possible to use boxy or square furniture in a white or gray tone to achieve the same results in a larger way.
Depending on the nature of your business, you may also want to think about where you will locate your desk and how you can benefit from working in that industry. If you work in a creative industry, such as writing or art, working in the energy section for creativity and children can have favorable results. if you work in finance, you might want to place your desk in the area of wealth and prosperity.
Your desktop can also follow the bagua map for maximum chi. Placing the map on your desk will show you where to put a lamp, a plant, wooden pencils, pictures, and more. this will double the flow of energy so both the office as a whole and your desk surface will ward off any negative energy.
These nine categories allow for proper power distribution if followed correctly. to achieve the expected energy levels, it is key to allow each space to represent the appropriate energy. Even if a section doesn’t seem like a big deal in your office space, there are reasons to include it. the most obvious reason is because of the balance we are trying to achieve. As mentioned above, having an office that boasts one element high above the others will cause imbalances and negative effects.
Having an office that is organized and allows for the proper flow of energy is just the beginning of feng shui. There must also be a balance of the five natural elements and a clear and defined design of the bagua in the space. Adhering to these feng shui principles will allow for the best energy movement and positioning in the office and is said to improve the quality of work and life in general.
Feng shui is believed to have begun as a Chinese tradition to determine the best place for burial after death and to locate safe homes in which families could grow. while it’s unclear exactly when the concept began (some sources say 2,000 years, others 5,000), it was definitely thousands of years ago. Over time, feng shui became the basis for many designs, from the placement of works of art and monuments to the layout of entire cities.
Master Yang Yun Sang is often cited as one of the greatest names in feng shui history. As the author of numerous feng shui texts, Yang Master Yun Sang stated that the exterior of a place and whether it contains dragon energy is of great importance.
another important name in the history of feng shui is wang chih, who developed the ideas behind the use of a compass. This concept is usually the most used today, since it involves the compass explained with the bagua map and the energy of the five natural elements.
Although numerous theories have been developed and tested over the last few thousand years, the expansion of wang chih’s thoughts seems to be the most prevalent. the various methods, however, raises questions about legitimacy among skeptics.
if you were to google, “is feng shui real?” you would receive several opinions just by scanning the first page of results. some articles claim that the concept has some truths and some myths simultaneously. Some bloggers comment on how they are more motivated after applying feng shui in their offices, others say it is a scam so consultants can earn extra money.
Scientifically, there is a lack of evidence to suggest that chi, or energy, is real. Since feng shui relies solely on movement and general energy levels, it doesn’t appear to be an effective method for improving your health or increasing productivity.
However, the concept of feng shui results in very functional and beautiful spaces, which can often help employees focus in an office. For example, a fountain, which we’ve learned is a common aspect of feng shui, tends to make people relax. a relaxed worker often experiences less stress and has the ability to do higher quality work.
Placing a desk in the commanding position can help reduce the distractions that a window can offer. or it can allow an employee to see their co-workers hard at work outside of their own office and inspire them to work hard.
a cluttered space can slow down work by requiring more time to find items an employee may need for a task. Even if clutter has nothing to do with blocking the flow of positive energy, it does lower productivity levels. in this regard, some of the aspects of feng shui make logical sense.
There are numerous reasons why feng shui may be somewhat effective. the concept is considered a belief. If you’re a non-believer, trying a few feng shui tips can take you to the other side. the organization and beauty that results are usually worth the effort it takes to try to achieve a proper flow of energy, or maybe just a flow of work. feng shui in your own office and see what kind of results you get.
Does shared office space reduce productivity?
While a few employees sharing an office space does not necessarily lower productivity levels, sharing a desk appears to be detrimental to the work environment.
What are the important aspects of a work chair?
A quality office chair can mean better health for employees, increased quality of work relationships and appreciation, and a positive aesthetic for the space.
Is a kitchen necessary in a corporate office?
Although a kitchen is not a requirement in a corporate office, it is an advantage that many employees enjoy. Also, if employees don’t have to go out to lunch, the time it takes them to get back to work is less, therefore, better productivity.
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