For years, companies approaching new office designs did so under the standards imposed by corporate values, branding, and budget allotments. While these factors continue to contribute to design decisions, employee retention and happiness have recently found a place at the forefront of design philosophies. What employees want is becoming synonymous with what elicits office productivity.
In fact, as it relates to employee feedback on the subject, Work Design Magazine found the following:
Overall, people want stimulation and inspiration from the office, and they also want the opportunity to connect with each other and be in contact with leaders. When people like working from their office, they report 33% greater engagement, 9% more productivity, 30% increase in connection with the culture and 20% reduction in their likelihood to leave the company.
This post will delve further into employee preferences that give them a greater sense of well-being in work life and production.
Hybrid Office Designs
New and exciting environments can do a lot to improve company morale and, in 2023, employee attitude about the office is as important as it’s ever been. So how can employers and owners give them what they want while maintaining a productive atmosphere?
Work Design reports that nearly two-thirds of surveyed respondents desire spaces that allow hybrid collaboration. Hybrid spaces enable optimal work environments for remote and in-office workers, incorporating digital technologies in conference rooms while adhering to practical needs and general office feng shui.
In short, the modern office design should be a functional yet creative office design with the intent to keep employees coming back for collaborative projects. “If they’re going to be on video conferences at home or in the office,” says Work Design, “the workplace needs to earn the commute by offering better experiences than their home environment.”
Office Designs That Support Employee Well-being
Speaking of an experience that’s better than their home environment, the best way to keep employees coming back to the offices is by bolstering the human experience. You can achieve this by adhering to the following elements of space design:
- Activity & Ergonomics
- Daylight & Nature
- Visual Interest
- Layout
- Acoustics
- Lighting
Each of these elements plays a vital role in supporting the employee’s office experience, as well as that of the executive office. How so? Note the common thread: each element supports the senses in some way or another.
Office Piloting & the Employee Layout Preference
Another design-related trend that companies have implemented is called piloting. Piloting allows employees to experience a trial run of different office designs and provide feedback or suggestions.
This not only helps employers get a more accurate sense of what works best for their employees, but it also gives the employees a sense of agency as the design manifests. How employers collect employee feedback will vary case by case – as will the complexity of the design prototype when piloting.
Why do employees prefer traditional over open-office designs?
Historically speaking, employees prefer traditional over open office designs because of the privacy and independence offered by the traditional approach. A completely open office tends to distract employees more than it does help them.
That’s not to say that open offices don’t have their benefits, however. Open offices are great for collaboration, brainstorming, and bringing a feeling of freedom into the space. In fact, office designers will utilize the strengths of both traditional and open office designs when approaching an office remodel or buildout.
PureAlchemy Design – Transform Your Working Environment
For 10 years, our founder Stephany Eaton and the rest of the team at PureAlchemy have held true to our mission to seek new and proven ways to enhance the human experience at the workplace. From corporate offices to law firms, a wide range of clients put their trust in our design principles.
Looking to get in touch? Connect with us using the online form. Or, see our portfolio for examples of our commercial interior designs.