It is a common view among office managers that if you add in a few beanbags then staff will be more creative, they will engage more, and then will enjoy working more. Suffice to say it is not as simple as that.
We might have changed our office configurations to be open-plan (the 1990s “office of the future”), but we aren’t really meeting the needs of our staff any more.
The workplace is changing rapidly and we need to keep up. Increasingly fast and intelligent technology is affecting the way we live and work, and if the property industry doesn’t hop on the front foot and put the needs of occupiers first, then our new workplaces will be outdated before they have been completed.
A study by the World Green Building Council has provided the research our industry needed to prove this point.
The study found that building design features such as air quality and access to daylight can affect the health, satisfaction and job performance of office workers, ultimately leading to financial gains as a result of reduced absenteeism, staff turnover, complaints and medical costs. It also highlights the flaws in existing buildings which cannot cater to the needs of today’s occupiers.
The report found that better indoor air quality (low concentrations of CO2 and pollutants and high ventilation rates) can lead to productivity improvements of 8-11%. Greater productivity was also linked to proximity to windows. This means that employees who have fresh air circulating through their office and natural light with views that connect them to nature will feel more energised and will, as a result, be more productive.
The interior configuration of an office was also found to have an impact on concentration, collaboration and creativity, all of which are being challenged by new technology. Open-plan workstations with rows of desks can often lead to noise distraction. A solution to this is breakout spaces for collaboration, which can help reduce noise while fostering creativity and connectivity. The inclusion of adequate quiet spaces where staff can concentrate is also an increasing trend.
At the International Quarter in Stratford, Lend Lease and partner London and Continental Railways are embracing this approach to create this next generation of workplace.
As well as the 100% fresh air, maximum daylight, atrium breakout areas and other staff health and wellbeing features, the new 4m sq ft commercial district will offer a new working environment for London.
The district will give employees access to transport, parklands, premium shopping and affordable local housing, creating a more healthy and sustainable workplace that will also benefit the tenants’ bottom line.
The findings of the WGBC’s report validate the innovative approach taken by the forward thinkers in the industry who are embracing this new approach to office design. Occupiers have wised up to it too, including PwC at its newly remodelled Charing Cross offices.
Cisco has also taken a leading role in the argument and trialled an office design concept based around the working day of its employees. Noting the actual amount of time people spent at their desks, and therefore not having to allocate one desk per person, saw real estate rent savings of 37% due to a reduction of floorspace.
The evidence is clear. We have known it for years, but now we have the research in front of us. As technology progresses, so too must our offices as they become more in-tune with the needs of employees. It’s the office, but not as we know it.
Kevin Chapman is UK head of offices at Lend Lease
