Britain’s offices have gone through a lot of change in recent decades. Far from the cubicles and fluorescent lighting of the ‘80s, ‘90s and early ‘00s, there’s now so much more that can be done for the benefit of the employee. Modern workspaces often include features such as breakout zones flexible meeting rooms, and open-plan social areas – as well as essential details like ergonomic seating and great lighting.
Everyone wants an office that looks great – and that’s because the benefits are not just skin deep. A report by Forbes found that a thoughtfully designed office space creates a less stressful working environment, leading to higher employee wellbeing and greater staff retention.[1]
In addition, a study from the Social Market Foundation, reported that happier employees are 20% more productive than those who are not happy at work.[2] So, refreshing your office is a win-win situation!
With the rise of flexible working post-pandemic, great workplace design is even more crucial. Employees want a reason to visit the office, and having a great working environment encourages more in-person working – fostering staff connections and a great team ethic.
So, if you’re planning an office installation or redesign – it’s crucial to get it right. Here’s our tips for what you should include, and how you can ensure the project goes smoothly from start to finish.
Use your space creatively
Office layout has a huge part to play in promoting employee wellbeing. Providing employees with a choice of working environment gives them the ability to manage their own working style, and move around during the day to complete different tasks – instilling a sense of empowerment and trust. According to the International Stress Management Association (ISMA), flexible working conditions can significantly reduce employee stress and make for a healthier and happier workforce. [3]
Open plan and flexible office layouts have become incredibly popular, and with good reason. They boost collaboration, encourage innovation, and use space efficiently – particularly when moveable seating and dividers are utilised.
However, it’s also important to incorporate space for concentration and private discussions, so don’t overlook elements like enclosed meeting rooms and ‘normal’ quiet office rooms.
Design a thoughtful lighting scheme
A study conducted at Cornell University by their Department of Design and Environmental Analysis showed that employees seated within 10 feet of a window reported an 84% decrease in headaches, eyestrain, and symptoms of blurred vision.[4]
So, ensuring plenty of natural light is extremely important if you want to promote wellbeing in your office. This could include installing skylights – which let in 30% more light than natural windows. You also need to take steps to control glare – position desks thoughtfully and consider purchasing matt rather than glossy furniture to minimise light reflection.
When it comes to electrical lighting, you should layer different options, such as ambient and task lighting so that employees can switch the scheme to suit different needs. And always replace flickering lights straight away!
Bring the outside in
Many designers are recognising humans’ innate affiliation with the natural world, and a study by Human Spaces found that office workers who work in spaces that use natural design elements report a 13% higher level of wellbeing.[5] It’s thought that these natural materials and features, such as wood and indoor plants not only look great, but act as a buffer against the negative impacts of workplace stress.
These materials also have the bonus element of being more sustainable than their synthetic alternatives.
Encourage healthy habits
Encouraging healthy habits in the office is a great way to boost employee wellbeing, and help staff achieve more than just their career goals.
This can include installing adjustable standing desks, bicycle storage, shower facilities, yoga/meditation/de-stress rooms or even an on-site gym (read our ‘guide to installing the perfect gym’ for more information on this).
You should also make it easy for employees to bring and prepare their own food by providing a practical and well-functioning kitchen space with adequate facilities for the whole team.
Choose the right contractors
When planning any fit out, it’s vital to choose the right contractors. For an office space, this is hugely important. Any project delays mean your entire team will be late in returning to the office – which could have a big effect on productivity and profits.
It’s also vital that you work with a company who have completed office fit outs before and can ensure your build is compliant with regulations for emergency lighting, fire escape routes, and other health and safety obligations. Offices need to support a huge amount of technology, so you must also ensure your fit-out team are working with the best electrical contractors.
At Oakwhite, we pride ourselves on completing builds to schedule and on budget, time and time again. We can manage a project from start to finish – from undertaking site surveys, to completing the fit and finish to exceptional standards.
Take a look at some of our previous projects.
If you want us to help you with an office redesign project, then we’d love to hear from you. You can call us on 01403 586062 or get in touch using our online contact form.
[1] How Your Office Space Impacts Employee Well-Being (forbes.com)
[2] Microsoft Word – -Publication-Briefing-CAGE-4-Are-happy-workers-more-productive-281015.docx (smf.co.uk)
[3] Press and Media | ISMA Stress Management Association
[4] How Your Office Space Impacts Employee Well-Being (forbes.com)
[5] Wellbeing in The Workplace | Office Design | Active (activeworkplacesolutions.co.uk)