Desks, meeting rooms, the obligatory water cooler for chats with colleagues… the building blocks of office design may sound pretty standard, but within them you’ll find a world of possibilities.
That’s why we’ve researched how (and why) refreshing your workplace design can have a marked effect on productivity. For example, did you know the positive power of ‘zen zones’? Or how the colour orange can change your mood? Stay tuned for the rest of our interesting findings!
What are the latest trends in office spaces?
Over the past two years, office spaces have had to adapt in a big way. Whether for safety precautions or to accommodate hybrid working, it’s likely you’ve already seen a few updates around your workplace. But why stop there?
Harvard Business Review details the latest needs in office design:
- Designing for safety – It’s no surprise that some employees may be hesitant to come back to the office due to safety concerns following the pandemic. Workplace design can be altered to increase personal space, install physical divides, and change the angle of furnishings. Taking this into consideration can help restore employees’ confidence in returning to the workplace.
- Designing for productivity – Employee productivity dropped by 12% in people unsatisfied with remote working during the pandemic. What was missing? Employees cited the need for effective collaboration spaces, easier access to resources and the ability to focus, which can be remedied through access to quiet break-out areas or meeting rooms.
- Designing for community – Working from home made it immeasurably harder to connect with colleagues, solve problems and bounce ideas around. By incorporating both private and open plan rooms, interior design can complement (and even help elevate) office culture!
- Designing for flexibility – With hybrid working now more common, many workplaces are embracing multi-use spaces. These feature easily moveable furnishings that can expand and contract to support the size of the group, ensuring social distancing during different activities.
Why should employers focus on office design?
Considering that a person can spend up to a third of their life in the workplace, why would you not want to make it as comfortable as possible for your employees?
Corporate Wellness Magazine highlights that “office design is one subtle factor that influences the productivity of employees, and it should be factored into wellness initiatives and administrative restructuring to ensure the health and productivity of the workers”.
In her TED Talk, Amanda LeClair discusses ‘The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of Office Design’. Amanda showcases how inspiration and productivity can come from something as simple as having plants in the office, a private desk to aid concentration, treadmill desks to work on or even just enjoying a cold beer with work colleagues on a Friday!
What are the best office design tips for productivity?
In a recent article, HR News shared a selection of simple, clever tips to help you elevate your office space from plain to impressive.
- Colour – Adding a few bright pops of colour to your office can help uplift mood and create a feeling of ‘warmth’. Orange and yellow are popular choices – just remember to not go too overboard!
- Music – Got similar taste in tunes to your co-workers? Why not get together for a good ol’ sing song to boost mood every once in a while? Studies show that listening to music can affect your brain in a positive way. However, if you’re trying to solve a set of complicated problems, sweet silence may be a better option.
- Lighting – Natural lighting is an important component of a healthy working environment, with the capacity to maintain eye health and stimulate creativity.
- Furniture – Of course we all love to work in an aesthetically pleasing environment, but the quality of furniture is also vital to prevent bad backs and discomfort.
- Space – Flexibility is key! Provide open spaces for collaboration, quiet rooms for more focused work and, ideally, relaxing areas where employees can take a break from the working day if needed.
How is Sky Betting & Gaming promoting productivity in their new Wellington Place office?
Office design is very important to Sky Betting & Gaming, who recently undertook a beautiful makeover of their brand new home in 4 Wellington Place. Brand, Creative and Sponsorship Director, Michael Afflick, was heavily involved in the design process and shared with us just how much the staff are enjoying their new home:
“We have transitioned to a hybrid working model and moved away from fixed desks. The new workspace includes workbenches, quiet pods, sit/stand desks, ‘zen zones’ and even digital meeting spaces.
“What’s more, we’ve installed two social spaces which have a fantastic view of Tower Square. We have a fully fitted gym, beer pump, amphitheatre area and an in-house café. All employees are encouraged to take a step away from the hustle and bustle of the day-to-day job and enjoy the office space.”
