Office space designers often focus on the look and quality of the office furniture. What they may neglect to do is ask what employees want from their office, as this will impact on their ability and attitude to work.
One of the main goals of office design should be employee satisfaction. These are the people that will be there daily, so taking their thoughts into account is a way to potentially increase productivity in the workplace.
A key to enabling this is cooperation and interaction. The office space should encourage movement, not isolation, so that workers can easily talk to each other. Most employees do not want cubicles that cut them off from their colleagues, and removing barriers has been shown to increase an employee’s mood, creativity, and engagement.
Some businesses survey employees before making major changes to their offices to scope their requirements. Any changes should be as flexible as possible, so that furniture can easily be moved around if the layout needs to change for any reason.
Equipping an office to promote interaction should form part of a holistic plan to enhance collaboration, foster open-mindedness and reduce stress. Workers who are not chained all day to one spot will feel happier, leading to increased productivity.
Entrepreneur Jason McCann summarised his approach to office space:
“As we continue to learn how inactivity negatively affects our work and life, managers who collaborate with employees, test to learn, and think holistically can design active workspaces that foreground wellness and interaction.”
His view is the opposite of companies that think office space is just about the quality of the office furniture.
