STORAGE STORAGE STARTS WITH STRATEGY
Steve Harvey, Founder of SQUIREL, looks at ways to supercharge productivity with intelligent storage systems.
During my years of working for automotive brands within development, I saw how closely both storage and productivity were linked. Different projects placed very different demands on the same kinds of spaces, reinforcing just how essential it is for workspaces to be organised and flexible if they’re going to support high performance and consistent productivity.
Build a strategy that reflects the work The starting point is understanding how the workspace is used. Reviewing the workspace when it’s in full capacity is the foundation of any effective storage strategy. Take time to formulate a plan of where storage needs to be located before investing in equipment.
Carry out a full assessment of the working environment and consider where items should be located, to support a smooth workflow. Consider things like, a frequently used tool stored too far away only adds a delay every time someone goes to retrieve it. A component that’s difficult to identify or reach creates a different kind of inefficiency, especially in shared spaces.
The best way to assess whether storage is still working is to look at the workspace while it’s busy. Look at where people repeatedly walk, which items are difficult to retrieve, where equipment accumulates and which areas are being used in ways they were never intended for. Those patterns give a much clearer indication of whether the storage still reflects the work taking place.
Plan the space properly at the outset and it will save significant time, frustration, and disruption in the long run.
Find out where the time loss
patterns appear The productivity cost of poor storage often appears in small, everyday interruptions. Searching through several drawers for the right part, shifting boxes just to get to a required item, walking back to a stores area for items used repeatedly, or leaving equipment out because returning it has become inconvenient. Understanding
where time has been lost in the past is crucial, and those insights should directly shape your storage strategy.
Watch how the workspace operates during busy periods. Notice the routes people take, the cupboards that are consistently overcrowded, the tools that are frequently misplaced, and the spots where temporary piles tend to form. These patterns reveal how the space is truly being used, and highlight where the current layout is working against productivity.
Choose storage that evolves with
the work Experience in automotive development highlighted this clearly. A workshop configured for one project could quickly find itself dealing with new tools or equipment, and the storage needed to adapt without making the space harder to work in. The same challenge can appear across many organisations. A new contract can introduce different materials or equipment, while additional machinery, more stock or a larger team can put pressure on a workspace that once felt spacious. Storage that made perfect sense when it was installed can become increasingly awkward as the business changes around it.
The goal isn’t to redesign the workshop every few months, but to avoid being trapped by a layout that only suited the business at the moment it was created.
Key storage takeaway An organised workspace creates the conditions for people to thrive, helping them feel engaged, capable and genuinely productive.
It’s easy for any organisation to let the environment slip into clutter, which is why regularly reviewing the layout is so important. Even small improvements can deliver meaningful gains.
The strongest organisations don't leave productivity to chance— they invest in it.
https://squirel.uk
52 | TOMORROW’S FM
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