Great ideas emerge when people are comfortable and feel free to speak and interact. A workspace that helps your staff think and relax could be the key to that process.

A hot trend at the moment is the ‘home at the office’ design – a craze that's made its way from the US to our shores – and is gaining popularity fast.

Office design and build specialists Morgan Lovell offer ten top tips to create the right working environment for a dynamic business.

1) A fun day at the office
Give people the chance to let off steam. Games consoles, such as the Nintendo Wii, can be a great way for people to get together, have fun and give the brain a workout at break times.

2) Breakout areas
At Morgan Lovell’s London office, a contemporary, glossy décor has been introduced to the kitchen diner, also known as a ‘break out’ area, complete with low level lighting and booth style seating. Now lunch times have the buzz and feel of a busy city centre café. People enjoy spending time in the space – a tick in the box for team spirit.

3) Homely touches
Install some comfy sofas, TV screens and decorative wall coverings to create a sense of lounge living. Other touches could include the display of locally produced art in domestic style shelving and bookcases. Members of staff could also be encouraged to bring pictures of themselves as youngsters for a family-style notice board.

4) Increase communication
Ban bins from under desks and put recycling areas in a central location to get people walking and talking around the office.

5) Inspirational space
Place workers near natural light if possible. Staff provided with an outdoor view exercise their eyes more, due to the adjustment in focal length when looking outside. This can reduce eye strain, a common complaint for workers looking at VDU screens for long periods. Where it is not possible to sit next to windows, new technology can help provide an alternative. Skylights and sun tubes, which use mirrors to reflect light from the outside down a tube, offer a cost-effective method of providing natural light in otherwise dimly-lit areas.

6) Healthy living
Have delicious fresh fruit platters delivered regularly - and all get together to enjoy eating them.

7) Flexible styles
Introduce free-standing furniture design, allowing different styles and configurations for alternative and future use.

8) Decoration
One idea could be to introduce soft blue tones and a large-scale image of a tranquil outdoor scene, which counteracts the general office hustle and bustle.

9) Arrival experience
Use different flowers and rotate seats to keep the reception area feeling fresh and innovative.

10) Meet and greet
Small, stylish tables and chairs located across the office provide great facilities for informal, impromptu meetings.

To find out more about making offices more innovative log on to www.morganlovell.co.uk/our-services/office-interior-design

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