Looking to squeeze more productivity out of your workspace?
The scenario is all too familiar to many facility managers. An abundance of equipment and materials with limited space. The floor becomes cluttered, employee efficiency is reduced, and operations grind to a halt.
Here’s the kicker:
You don’t have to relocate buildings. You don’t have to demolish walls. There is a much easier solution to this.
Structural steel platforms could be the simplest upgrade to enhance productivity in any workspace.
Let’s jump in!
Inside this guide:
- Why Workspaces Are Losing Productivity
- What Structural Steel Platforms Actually Do
- 5x Simple Upgrades That Boost Productivity
- How To Plan Your Platform Setup
Why Workspaces Are Losing Productivity
The numbers don’t lie. Workspaces are wasting more time than ever.
Recent statistics have found that employees spend 60% of their time on “work about work” — work that is not the actual tasks that matter. That’s a lot of time wasted in a day.
Why is this happening?
A significant portion is attributed to bad workspace design. If your floor space is disorganized, your staff is preoccupied with navigating the chaos rather than concentrating on the task at hand. This problem is exacerbated in warehouses, where 50% of an order picker’s time is spent on travel time rather than actual picking tasks. The integration of warehouse mezzanines can rapidly address this concern by providing additional usable square footage without enlarging the building’s footprint. These elevated structural steel platforms transform previously unutilized overhead space into a functional level. The outcome? Reduced travel time, less clutter, and increased productivity from the existing workforce.
That’s why so many smart business people are going with structural steel platforms. They are installed quickly. They are a fraction of the cost of relocating. And they pay for themselves in months, not years.
What Structural Steel Platforms Actually Do
Think of structural steel platforms as a second floor for your workspace.
They are stand-alone steel buildings that rest on top of your current ground level. Some are constructed to support storage. Others are for offices, equipment, or additional workstations.
Here’s what makes them so powerful:
- They double or even triple your usable space
- They keep your existing layout intact
- They are modular and can be moved later
- They support heavy loads safely
The great thing? Most workspaces have lots of head height space overhead that is mostly unused. By adding structural steel platforms you can start to put that head in the air space to good use.
5x Simple Upgrades That Boost Productivity
Now for the good news. Here are the improvements that smart operations managers believe in. Try two or three and see what happens.
Add A Storage Mezzanine
This is the easiest win you can get.
A storage mezzanine is a structural steel platform designed to support inventory, parts or equipment. Instead of trying to squeeze everything on the ground floor, move slow-moving items upstairs and reclaim prime working space below.
Why does this matter?
Cluttered floors are a loss of productivity. Boxes that people must climb over to access a pick position increases the time to complete an order. Move that product to a higher level and your flow space on the main level instantly improves.
Quick wins from a storage mezzanine:
- More space for picking and packing
- Faster order fulfilment
- Better organised inventory
- Less wasted walking time
Build An Elevated Office Area
Want a quieter spot for your supervisors and admin team?
Office on a structural steel platform: Very good. It allows your management to oversee the floor below. They will quickly identify the bottlenecks, and can solve issues before they affect the general performance. Not only that, you are not losing any valuable ground floor space to office partitions.
This type of improvement is significant in ways that may not be obvious. Latest figures reveal productivity is 2.1% above pre-pandemic levels in offices with well-designed layouts. Unobstructed views from above are a major contributor.
Create A Dedicated Equipment Platform
Heavy machines take up serious floor space.
Elevating your compressors, conveyors or processing equipment on a structural steel platform keeps your floors clear for people and product flow. Your operators can move freely. Maintenance is easier. And you gain valuable usable space in a single quick installation.
It’s especially good for-
- Manufacturing facilities
- Distribution centers
- Production lines with overhead clearance to spare
Install Catwalks And Walkways
Catwalks are basically narrow structural steel platforms that connect different work zones.
Rather than making employees climb ladders or take a detour around an obstruction, you provide a clear route above. This dramatically reduces travel distance. Saving even 30 seconds per trip amounts to multiple hours per worker per week.
Plus, catwalks increase the safety of your workspace. You won’t need to weave around forklifts to get from point A to point B.
Set Up A Pick Module
Pick modules are stacked structural steel platforms designed for fast order fulfilment.
Pick modules allow workers to pick from several levels at a time rather than running up and down one aisle. Operations that employ pick modules can expect significant increases in throughput. In combination with modern technology, automated facilities achieve 99% reduction in operational errors and a 50% increase in storage density.
That’s huge. And you don’t have to go completely automated to reap significant benefits — even one pick module level will revolutionize your operations.
How To Plan Your Platform Setup
Don’t buy a structural steel platform and hope it will work. A little planning can go a long way.
Things to think about before you install:
- Ceiling height: Make sure you have enough vertical space (14 feet is ideal)
- Load needs: Know what weight you’ll be putting up there
- Access points: Plan stairs, lifts, and walkways carefully
- Future flexibility: Pick a modular design so you can move things later
The best ops managers design with growth in mind. They build for what the workspace will need in a few years.
Get a couple of quotes. Consult with a structural engineer. Ensure compliance with local building codes.
Putting It All Together
Steel structure platform ranks top for ROI of your working space.
They’re easy to set up. They double your available square footage. And they pay for themselves through productivity gains alone. Let’s review, in a flash:
- Add a storage mezzanine to free up your floor
- Build elevated offices for better visibility
- Use equipment platforms to clear the ground level
- Install catwalks to cut down walking time
- Set up pick modules for faster fulfilment
The majority of workplaces are full of wasted vertical airspace. By introducing a structural steel platform, you reclaim this wasted airspace as your most productive space.
Begin with something small. Choose the improvement that addresses your most pressing issue first. Then move up from there.
