Does Your Business Have a Wayfinding Signage Strategy?

Many businesses, institutes, and even large-scale corporations ignore the importance of wayfinding signage and the role it can play in their success. 

However, it is critical for a business to have effective wayfinding signage to help people navigate their workplaces and easily find the specific resources they are looking for. 

If you are not familiar with wayfinding signage, don’t worry! In this article, you will get to know about all the important aspects of a wayfinding signage strategy and how it can enhance the quality of your business. 

What is a Wayfinding Signage?

Wayfinding is a mixture of different tools and systems through which people can navigate a particular environment, such as a workplace. As the name suggests, wayfinding signage is a physical sign or market through which people can find ways to a particular spot. 

The importance of wayfinding signage has greatly increased due to the rising complexities of an office. Existing employees of an organization are likely to be familiar with the different parts of an office, but you must include wayfinding signage in your office to ensure new employees, as well as clients, can navigate the work environment. 

4 Types of Wayfinding Signage

The concept of wayfinding signage becomes even easier to understand by getting familiar with its four major types:

Directional Signs

These signs are used to help people find the location where they want to go. 

Identification Signs

Identification signs are used to show you that you have arrived at a specific location, such as signs for washrooms, data servers, etc. 

Informational Signs

Information signs convey some important pieces of information, such as warning signs, Wi-Fi availability status, etc. 

Regulatory Signs

These signs deal with different rules and regulations, such as ADA signage. 

What Exactly Does a “Wayfinding Signage Strategy” Mean?

Wayfinding is much more than just placing a simple directional sign. Instead, a business having a wayfinding signage strategy means it has to create an entire wayfinding system and place different types of signs discussed above to ensure all parts of the business are easily accessible to everyone. 

Benefits of Wayfinding Signage

An organization that has an effective wayfinding signage strategy will empower the employees to be more productive and engaged throughout the organization. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a massive increase in remote working and hybrid work, so people are using offices less frequently. It means they will need help in navigating an office environment.

It is also possible for businesses to integrate wayfinding into their mobile apps so that employees can easily find their workspace. Overall, wayfinding signage is a way of saving time and cutting frustration for everyone involved in an organization. 

It is also important to note that the Americans with Disabilities Act (ACT) also provides guidelines and regulations for installing wayfinding signage. These rules deal with using braille for the signs and using large fonts to ensure the signs are clearly visible to everyone. Moreover, the placement of the signs is also considered to ensure maximum visibility. 

Other than ensuring accessibility, installing wayfinding signs can also be a great way of brand-building for an organization. It can help your company stand out, especially if your employees post the signs and pictures on social media. Hence, well-designed, high-quality signage can help you in many different ways. 

Implementation of Wayfinding Signage

Most companies nowadays must use sophisticated workplace management systems for efficient working procedures. As a result, the traditional wayfinding signage that dealt with only one particular direction is no longer used in modern workplaces.

Instead, a modern wayfinding system is a great representation of the entire workplace. It connects the employees, visitors, and other staff with the right resources and the right people at the perfect time.

For instance, the implementation of a wayfinding signage strategy in a hybrid office is done to help all employees navigate the workplace who might not be used to coming to the office. Similarly, a well-implemented wayfinding signage system is essential in offices that have a diverse workforce to prevent issues caused by the potential language barrier. 

Other than the employees, a good wayfinding signage system also facilitates the processes involved in onboarding and move management. Whenever there is a new hire, you will not have to guide them about different departments and spots in the office. Instead, they will be able to find their way through the signage. 

Conclusion

The bottom line is that a wayfinding signage system helps a business in many different ways. It can significantly improve the quality, accessibility, and efficiency of your business by making sure people are not frustrated in finding the right resources. 

Wayfinding Signage in Alexandria and Arlington