7 workspace updates to maximize productivity

January 31, 2023 5:30 AM

Will employees ever love the office?

Ninety percent of employers plan on requiring employees to return to the office for at least part of the week in 2023, according to a recent survey by HR Dive. But as workers have grown accustomed to their home offices — and as a focus on well-being and work-life balance continues to take center state among today's workforce — it's likely those employers will face some resistance.

To ease that friction, employers may want to reconsider exactly what they're asking employees to return to. A hybrid work arrangement will likely be the most common for those heading back to the office this year, but the days of settling for harsh lighting and bad coffee are over. Still, offices may not need to undergo an HGTV-level renovation to create some added comfort and function.

"There may be functional aspects like amenities that you want, but there could be another aspect around how you want people to feel when they come into an office," says Julia Leahy, principal and design director at IA Interior Architects, a design firm that specializes in workspaces. "What's the first impression as you come in, and how do you want to feel when you're leaving? What are some of the descriptions people are giving around the ambiance and energy of the space? So many of those things are about the culture or the organization."

Leahy outlined seven considerations employers should keep in mind as they're revamping workspaces to suit today's employee. "There is definitely no one-size-fits-all, and understanding the culture and the mission of an organization is at the root of it all," she says. "If you can connect that with what employees are looking for, then you've made a really successful workplace."

Occupancy

"One of the most important things for us as we're talking to clients is the strategy around occupancy," she says. "Are you creating guidelines around when people are coming in? There's almost an optimal density you want to create. You don't want people packed in — those days are gone — but the flip side is true; if you're one person in a space that's intended to be occupied by 20, that's not going to be comfortable either."

Layout

"Understanding what the strategy is around [occupancy], we can help curate whether it is a one-to-one seating model or hoteling," says Leahy, referring to a system in which employees can use any available desk on any given day they're in the office, rather than be assigned a permanent seat. Private offices, she observes, are largely out of fashion in a post-COVID world. "People are thinking, 'If I am making this commute, I want to be with my teammates.' Even with our financial clients, many are embracing the idea of a more open, general individual workspace where a lot of impromptu conversations, learning and mentoring happen."

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Decor

"Everyone is looking for spaces that are a little more reminiscent of home and hospitality," Leahy says, "so look for ways that you can bring in a little softness." Simple additions like area rugs and throw pillows can create some desired coziness, she suggests, and urges employers to consider lighting and wall colors as well. "The interesting thing is that what works well on video often creates a better experience when you're in person. Softer materials, getting away from those bright whites and the harsh lighting — now you've got the evidence behind it, because you can see it being captured on the screen."

Individual space

"In more of a hybrid workforce, people are going to be more transient, and there's a lot of opportunity to switch up the type of individual work settings so that people have choice," Leahy says. "There are some nice enclosed nooks and alcoves, community tables, or library settings. Having dual monitors, height adjustable desks — people's needs aren't always the same. Being able to provide that variety shows you care and you're not trying to fit everyone into the same size box."

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Community space

"Collaboration has been such a hot topic," says Leahy. "Having a more open environment that lets people quickly transition from individual work to learning and impromptu work is really valuable. Coffee points, cafes, little lunch nooks — all of those are the life and energy of the office space. There's a science around these open collaboration spaces, especially for the vast majority of our clients that are embracing hybrid work. Make a decision on whether technology is going to be included within it or not. It all goes back to the people who are connecting with one another, as well as connecting with participants on the other side of the screen."

Natural elements

"Plants can go a long way," Leahy says. "Taking a lot of cues from exterior architecture — smaller plant groupings, indoor/outdoor courtyard-type spaces using warm flooring materials, even hanging plant life overhead. Lighting is another big one. When you are outside in nature, there are a lot of different light levels. You experience shadow, you experience brightness, so creating a space that has those highs and lows of lighting is a subtle way to bring in more of what you experience in the outdoors."

Well-being and break space

"Taking a look at a day in the life [of employees] and taking care in even the smallest little areas of a space — creating a wellness room or a mother's room that is not four drywall walls and a door with paint on it — adding surprise and delight into all of the spaces makes people feel very supported and cared for," says Leahy. "If you're a mother or somebody with a migraine and you go into one of these rooms, it really does feel like a respite. Even in the restrooms, it all matters."