Before a client enters your office or an employee settles in at their desk on their first day, your office signage has already made an impression. Whether it’s a polished lobby sign or a printout slapped together and taped to a break room door, signage instantly conveys a message about your brand’s professionalism.
Office signage doesn’t just tell people where things are – it communicates who you are. Signage reflects your standards, values, and vision. It can make people feel confident in your brand or it can raise red flags. It’s time for CEOs to stop thinking of signs as decorations and start treating them as strategic tools.
Brand identity begins at your front door
Although branding is typically thought of as something that applies to your website, marketing campaigns, and promotional materials, it also includes your office signs. You can apply branding to office signage in the following ways:
- Create a backlit lobby sign. A backlit lobby sign, featuring your logo, made of high-end materials will reinforce your brand image before anyone interacts with your staff. It tells visitors you’re serious and successful. According to a FedEx Office survey, 68% of consumers believe a company’s signage reflects the quality of its products and services.
- Use visuals intentionally. Level up your brand’s visual standards by using consistent fonts, great color combinations, and professional signage. DIY signs won’t cut it; they look unprofessional and diminish trust. If you need to change your signs periodically, the simple solution is to use signage that slides into a frame and can be updated quickly and easily.
- Align your signage with your marketing messages. If your signage looks like it was printed in a rush and slapped on the wall, it’s going to conflict with your marketing messaging. You don’t want to be advertising “cutting-edge innovation” while your walls and doors are filled with inkjet signs.
Thoughtful signage that aligns with your brand identity reinforces the perception that your company is professional and knows what they’re doing.
Employees are impacted by signage
If you want your employees to feel like valued members of an effective team, signage can help. The bigger your office is, the more important signage becomes. For instance, employees don’t want to wander around a huge building looking for a specific conference room. As they walk through the hallways, they want to look on the walls and know exactly which direction will lead them to their destination.
In addition to wayfinding signage, custom office signs can reinforce a positive team culture. Adding team names, company values, and even fun quotes to door signs can promote connection and teamwork. Signs with personality make an office feel more human.
Clients silently judge companies by their signage
They’ll probably never mention it, but your signage influences a client’s perception of your company, which impacts their level of trust and buying decisions. Elegant lobby signs tell clients you’re worth doing business with. They convey competence, stability, and authority. On the other hand, peeling vinyl deals and handwritten signs tell clients you cut corners, making it harder to close bigger deals.
Consider your signage part of your pitch deck. Your signs silently reflect your mission, tone, and attention to detail, and reinforce what your team says about your company. In business, perception is everything.
Safety and accessibility are a CEO’s responsibility
Your critical signage related to safety and accessibility can’t be an afterthought. Emergency signage, like fire exits, first-aid stations, and AED units are critical. Employees and visitors need to rely on these signs to navigate emergencies with little to no thought.
While many companies skip over ADA compliance, it’s essential. Accessible, properly placed signs that include tactile lettering and Braille are required for legal compliance and tell people your company cares about inclusion. It shows that accessibility is built into your culture.
Office signage influences company culture
The signage on your walls can
influence company culture. Instead of hiding your mission, vision, and values, display them on the wall in strategic places to inspire your teams. You can even create custom office signs to highlight top-performing teams and spotlight employee accomplishments. When employees see recognition embedded into their workspace, it boosts morale, productivity, and supports a positive company culture.
Signage is strategy
Office signage might seem like a minor detail, but it’s actually a direct reflection of leadership priorities and internal culture. From wayfinding signs to custom office signs that express your values, every detail speaks volumes about your company. CEOs who treat signage as a brand asset rather than a facilities concern are better able to shape perception, improve employee experience, and strengthen first impressions.
Photo by Cherrydeck; Unsplash
