Member Article

Do not disturb! Creating a workspace that suits all employees

Fostering a collaborative and flexible working culture is an increasingly popular goal for employers, who are beginning to recognise the benefits that open-plan and co-working spaces can offer over more traditional office designs. However, with a growing emphasis on promoting teamwork, there is a real risk of organisations forgetting the specific wants and needs of individual employees.

It is certainly true that the vibrant community feel of shared spaces can have a positive impact on creativity and employee interaction, and some people thrive in this environment. Yet it is important to remember that not all workers are the same, and that for many, quiet and privacy are the conditions needed for them to be truly productive.

Research suggests that once interrupted, the typical office worker can take up to 23 minutes and 15 seconds to re-focus. This illustrates the significant costs which could be incurred from failing to prioritise individual working preferences. By providing staff with a variety of different types of workspaces, making effective use of acoustic technologies and introducing the latest ergonomic equipment, businesses can ensure all working habits and personality types are catered for whilst helping to maintain a diverse workforce.

Creating different ‘zones’ within a co-working space can help to minimise any stress suffered by employees as a result of being distracted and, at the same time, boost productivity levels. While open spaces designed for brainstorming and teamwork are normally a ‘must have’ feature of co-working spaces, it is also important to provide quiet and private spaces for employees to conduct challenging or confidential tasks. By including phone booths where workers are encouraged to take calls rather than conducting conversations in main working spaces, businesses can also minimise any potential disturbance caused to the rest of the workforce.

Providing a range of different spaces for staff to work in can also help to boost creativity levels, offering a refreshing change of scene. However, in order to really reap the benefits that ‘zoning’ can offer, it is important to clearly communicate sound and behaviour policies for each area to staff as well as regularly reminding them of the productivity benefits each one offers.

Particularly in office quiet zones, however also throughout the entire workplace, acoustic solutions can help to reduce the impact of noise-related distractions and reduce the spread of sensitive information. While hard surfaces such as glass, metal and wood are often incorporated into modern office designs, the downside of these is that they reverberate sound. By applying the ABC of acoustic technology (absorb, block, cover) during the design and layout of the office, choosing softer materials such as carpet flooring and acoustic fabric panels on the walls and ceilings, as well as booths and soft seating, businesses can keep sound disruption to a minimum, helping staff focus.

While it may sound strange, as well as being aesthetically-pleasing, plants also contribute towards a quieter workplace by absorbing sound and creating a barrier, in a similar way to trees planted along a motorway. This effect can be utilised by installing ‘living walls’ into key office areas. These will also offer the added benefit of improving air quality, while acting as an attractive feature for any visitors to the building.

In addition to addressing noise in the office, today’s workforce also expects access to ergonomic equipment. As well as the surge in popularity of items such as sit/stand desks, with their associated health benefits, developments in the Internet of Things have also made possible equipment such as ‘smart desks’. Allowing a desk to be automatically adjusted to an individual’s height preferences, these can benefit businesses by simplifying the processes involved in hotdesking.

However, while there are certainly advantages to be gained from offering these items to staff, it is important not to assume that they will be right for everyone. By adopting a strong consultative approach when assessing demand for ergonomic equipment and allowing workers to undertake a trial period before investing, companies can avoid unnecessary purchases whilst avoiding staff feeling ‘forced’ to make use of technologies they had no use for in the first place.

Often adopted with the aim of sparking creativity productivity levels, collaborative office spaces which fail to account for the specific needs of workers may unwittingly have the opposite effect. By incorporating a range of working areas, making use of available acoustic technologies and scoping out employee demand for ergonomic equipment, businesses can reap the benefits of co-working whilst providing for a truly diverse staff cohort.

Paula Marshall is head of furniture category sales at business solutions provider Office Depot.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Office Depot .