Alan Stevens, Project Sales Consultant at CBS Interiors looks at the key things to change in your workplace, to make people feel happier and do remarkable things.
Workspace design has seen huge innovation in recent years, and much of this is because of changing ideas about what it means to go to work. In the past we've talked about productivity and how the right workplace environment can increase performance, allowing employees to work more efficiently. While this is obviously very important for profitability, what about creating workspaces that people want to jump out of bed to go to on a Monday morning?
So what design features help to create happy, fun (and productive) workplaces? Here are a few ideas to get you started.
Welcome your staff every day
Most reception areas are designed with visitors in mind; but what about the people who work in your company, don't they deserve a great welcome when they get to work?
Simple techniques such as using colours that lift the spirits in your reception areas have a noticeable impact on employees' wellbeing. They can also help other visitors feel energised and positive when they visit your company. Personalised greetings are quite cool too. Could a digital display be used to welcome staff as they arrive – perhaps using their ID passes or near field tech?
The coffee break
Breakout areas are a really important feature of happy workplaces. In our experience when breakout areas are integrated into the overall office design, they become a really important place for promoting wellbeing, collaboration and creativity. As well as offering employees somewhere to get their morning coffee, they are also a place to catch up with each other, build relationships among the team, and for informal collaboration where remarkable ideas happen.
Designing paths to happiness
If your employees spend large amounts of time in front of a screen, they can very easily become isolated. Look for opportunities for interaction and human contact. These are commonly walked pathways, such as routes from reception to different departments, or the path an employee takes from their desk to the coffee machine. By mapping the office, we can find ways of taking employees from one place to another that ensures they meet other employees along the way.
Give employees privacy
As well as providing opportunities for contact with other members of staff, we also need to provide spaces where people can talk privately. Alcoves, high-backed seating, and meeting pods are great for providing just enough privacy without having to book a meeting room; affording more impromptu conversations and support.
Let them have fun
There are countless articles about 'fun' equipment, although they are a great way to encourage employees to socialise, let off steam, and collaborate in the office environment.
Fun can also be about providing a communal table where everyone can sit for lunch, or even upbeat wall graphics or design features that make a space fun to be in. What is 'fun' for your company will be depend a lot on your brand and your people.
Download our whitepaper for more information: www.cbs-plc.co.uk
