Approaching the end of your degree program for your masters in social work is an exciting time. It means you’re one step closer to finishing your studies at a top school such as Rutgers University. This also means you’re one step closer to starting your career and making some big changes in your life. Perhaps you’ve already gone for a few interviews and you may even have a few job offers come your way. Regardless, it won’t be much longer now until you are working in the field as a social worker.
While it’s easy to get caught up in starting your career, you may want to take a couple steps back and think about specifics such as how you plan to design your office so that it allows you to be productive and is welcoming to your clients at the same time. Here we’ll take a look at some practical design advice that will help you put together the ideal social work office space. Even if you’ve not finished your Rutgers University online courses quite yet, there’s nothing wrong with thinking and planning ahead.
Move Away from the Traditional and Stuffy Office
The first tip when designing the space is to move away from that traditional office décor. While that may have been okay years ago, we now understand it doesn’t work in all settings. When it comes to a social worker’s office, the space needs to be inviting, feel comfortable, and safe. That stuffy traditional feel will have a negative impact that doesn’t help anyone.
Open Concept Isn’t Ideal for All Offices and Workplaces
While there has been a real movement to go in the director of open-spaces in offices, this doesn’t work for every type of business. In terms of social work, that open-space design is a big no-no. You need to be able to speak to your clients in a private, calm, and safe space. If you’ve got noise and bustle happening all around you, the client isn’t likely to open up and feel comfortable. What this means is that you need a designated space of your own, complete with walls and a door.
Motivational and Inspiration Wall Hangings
As far as decor goes, you can keep things simple and calming. You may want to opt for motivational and inspirational messages that you can frame and hang on the wall. It’s a good idea to also use soft, calming, and neutral colors on the wall. Don’t forget to hang your Rutgers degree on the wall to showcase to clients that you’re qualified to be helping them.
Comfortable Seating
We know the stuffy and traditional office décor isn’t going to work in a social worker’s office, but neither is the typical seating. Instead of that big bulky office chair, opt for an easy chair for yourself and a couch for your clients.
Creating a Sense of Trust and Comfort through the Design Choices
As a social worker, it will be necessary to gain the trust of your clients, which means making them feel comfortable, welcome, and at ease in your office space. These tips will certainly help you to achieve that goal.
