Interview with Mr. Mihai Olaru, General Manager of Omifa

Mr. Olaru said: “One cannot say with certainty which is the biggest or the most successful project, because that would mean one client is more important than the other, and that is never the case.”

1.     How can the design of the office affect productivity of people, make them more creative and help the company achieve its goals?

The way an office is designed can impact on the way the respective business is run. Long are the days when people just went to work in the morning and got back at home in the evening, the time they spend in their working environment takes up most of their day. Thus, any detail can make the difference: from the chairs they sit on at their desks to the way the common, relaxation spaces are laid out. A content employee focuses on the task at hand, thus helping the company achieve its goals.

2.     How important is individual approach when creating the design for a company?

We always take into consideration individual approach when discussing the project with our clients. Each company has their own style, their own corporate culture lines to follow, each project is different and the industry in which such companies activate makes no difference, be it IT or production or medical services.

3.     What are the new trends, technologies, customers should know, of interior and exterior design nowadays?

One of the most visible trends nowadays is to transform an office space into an open space. This is where the innovation in acoustics comes into play, but at the same time, not all companies are meant to run their activities in an open space environment. Then, innovative solutions of space division and isolation are the answer, as they allow for both privacy and inclusion to help a company run its activities smoothly.

Another trend is freedom of choice, more precisely, different departments within the same company chose their own design. Each department thus puts a mark on the space they activate in, and so employees do not feel restricted or disturbed and perform in a pleasant working environment.

Another evolution that can be observed is the eco-friendly trend, as more and more Green buildings set up shop in the market, using recyclable materials, green technology (low energy and water consumption), as well as mobile desks. Mobile desks are desks with adjustable height, which allow employees to use their workstations either sitting down or standing up. Spending 8 hours per day sitting down can affect your general wellbeing andthis new technology is one tool that can help increase productivity by increasing efficiency and ergonomics.

Last but not least, we also see increased demand for office furniture and partitions which can be reconfigured, modularity being one feature which can greatly save both time and space when designing an office.

4.     Tell us more about the biggest and most successful projects you accomplished?

Omifa has completed over 250 projects in its 13 years of existence. Generally speaking, one cannot say with certainty which is the biggest or the most successful project, because that would mean one client is more important than the other, and that is never the case. All projects are successful when the client appreciates what it has received, when they can truly say they received value for their money and we, at Omifa, are proud to have received praises for our work over the years, from companies that range from the banking and financial industries to worldwide telecom leaders, FMCG companies and even public companies. All projects are different, all projects are challenging, all projects are, in the end, rewarding. At the end of the day, the satisfaction you see on the face of your clients as well as on your team’s face is what makes the difference!

5.     What kind of projects are you looking at in the upcoming months?

In the coming months we will continue to invest in our own infrastructure, lateral production and innovation in our production line. We are developing a series of solutions which are customized and flexible for our customers and partners.

6.     What would be the “dream” clients you would like to work with?

A “dream” client is open to new trends, is always looking for quality both in products and services, a “dream” client treats you as a partner and not as a hired-help. The industry in which such a client activates or the budget it put aside for the project do not really matter, we have gained enough experience over the years to be able to accommodate any request or need.

7.     One of the news that we heard said Omifa expanded with an office location in Cluj-Napoca. Does your company plan to also expand internationally?

Although we do not have immediate plans to open an office abroad, we are proud to say we have completed office design projects all over Europe and not only.

We have run such projects in Barcelona, Milan, Brussels, Glasgow, Doha and Chisinau, to name a few. We are always open to new collaborations with clients from any country, and we have a solid track record that can prove we do a very good job.