People are at the heart of any successful business but if you want to get the best out of them, their working environment must provide the kind of space and openness that leads to greater productivity.
Research suggests buildings can improve overall productivity and performance by up to 12.5 per cent or reduce them by as much as 17 per cent, depending. In other words, one’s working environment has the potential to affect worker productivity by 30 per cent.
Everything from lighting and acoustics, to location flexibility and remote working options all further empower the employee in various ways, which in turn leads to an environment where people want to succeed.
Communication is most likely to happen in spaces where there is openness and ease of movement.
Activity-based work settings have become increasingly common. In the 21st century, single, all-purpose workstations for most workers is not conducive to modern workplace demands where sporadic meetings and group tasks are more common. "A lot of thought goes into the physical environment our staff must work in," says Paul Breslin, head of Riot Games Europe.
“There are no offices, just meeting rooms, and every wall is a whiteboard so that everyone else can see what you’re working on. We want the workspace to be a fluid, collaboration zone. It is an extension of our culture that we provide the kind of openness and transparency in the working environment that we try to promote in our team.”
If possible, bringing staff at all levels into the design fray from the outset can be beneficial in the long term. “Design brings people together to create ideas and better business outcomes,” explains Michael McMullan, client executive for Unispace, the one-stop global design firm.
Unlock potential
“When we’re working with a client, we encourage everyone to try to set egos aside and create environments that engage, empower and inspire the people who inhabit them. Together with our clients, we translate strategy and business aspirations into spaces that unlock the potential of people, allowing them to do their best, most creative work.”
While having everyone in the office each and every working day of the year might seem like the ideal situation for any employer, it’s not the reality.
Sometimes a sick child or some other unforeseen circumstance will forces a person to stay at home or work remotely. So it is essential to equip staff with the technology and business processes that will enable them to continue being productive any time, anywhere.
At any given time, about one-third of all knowledge workers in private and public sectors are working remotely. Only 30 to 40 per cent of employees with assigned spaces are actually using them. Mobility is crucial to today’s workforce. Not only that but flexible work boosts engagement and satisfaction.
Allowing employees to work when, how and where they choose will motivate them to perform better.
Finnish software developer Vincit has put employee wellness at the centre of its corporate strategy.
“Vincit is on the frontier of employee empowerment, taking extensive steps to ensure that it can attract and retain top software developers,” explains Mikko Kuitunen, head of software development at Vincit.
“Therefore, our staff have the freedom to choose which projects they want to work on and with whom.”
Traumatic change
It is also critical to remember that major change, particularly in the work environment, can be traumatic. So a change management component should be incorporated into any planned workplace restructuring – whether it’s new technology systems, furniture, or acclimatising to a freshly renovated office or different building – in order to ensure a smoother transition and happier workforce.
Time and time again it goes back to this one word: empowerment. The more informed and involved a person feels in any project, the more they will invest in its success.
