The pandemic was a world-altering event, the effects of which continue to be seen in the workplace, specifically when it comes to the use of space.
While work-from-home setups became common for years, most employees have now returned to the office, but their expectations have changed. Driven by demand, companies are realizing that office spaces need to look and function differently than they did before to attract and retain talent.
The key elements of the new workplace are flexibility, choice and control, and wellness.
Flexibility
In today’s office environment, flexibility is the name of the game. Spaces must be agile and able to serve different purposes. They must be able to transform efficiently and effectively to suit a company’s unique needs on any given day. Flexibility keeps spaces relevant, and relevance is necessary to stand the test of time.
Choice and Control
Employees in today’s workplace are no longer content with being given a desk and told where to work. They want choice and control, which includes the ability to choose both where they work and how they work. This doesn’t mean that companies have to offer unlimited options, rather they can curate a limited number of suitable options from which employees can choose. Even if it’s small, any amount of choice and the feeling of control can go a long way in creating a positive work environment.
Providing choices allows workers a variety of places to get their work done. That could be an enclosed room, an open office workstation, a lounge area, a work café or an outdoor patio.
But it’s not just about where employees work, but how they work. Being able to choose whether they work standing up, sitting down, walking, or lounging can provide many benefits that enhance employee satisfaction. This can be achieved by providing a variety of furniture, such as adjustable-height desks, intermittent lounge seating, and high-top tables.
Wellness
Research has shown that when people work in buildings that promote wellness, those people are happier and more productive. According to a 2017 study by Gallup called “State of the American Workplace,” 87% of workers want healthier workplace options, and 93% of tech workers would stay longer at a job if given healthy options.
What does this look like? According to The WELL Building Standard — a performance-based system for measuring, certifying, and monitoring features of the built environment that impact human health and well-being (standard.wellcertified.com/well) — workspaces should consider these seven concepts: air, water, nourishment, light, fitness, comfort and mind. Designing spaces that address these human needs can offer improved employee health, satisfaction and retention.
One of the easiest of these concepts to implement is light. Providing access to natural light can have profound positive effects on people. That can be accomplished in a variety of ways, the simplest is the use of interior glass instead of solid materials to allow the light to flow through the space. A more progressive approach is pulling the enclosed offices off the exterior wall and allowing the open office areas to face the windows. This gives access to natural light and exterior views to a greater number of people and, in turn, improves employee morale.
Times and expectations have changed, and today’s workspace must adapt to meet them.
Mary Mowad Guiteau is an associate principal and director of interior design at Holly & Smith Architects. She is a member of the International Interior Design Association and International Facility Management Association and has been involved in the design of commercial facilities for more than 28 years. She may be reached via email at mary@hollyandsmith.com.
