How thoughtful office design can fuel productivity and wellbeing

Recent debate about offices has been dominated by how much time workers should spend in them, but how these spaces are designed is equally, if not more, important.

In the post-pandemic world of work, many businesses have embraced hybrid working. This shift in workplace strategies relies on the notion that when employees are given greater choice over how and where they work, they are generally happier and more engaged, which in turn drives productivity.

However, many company leaders are overlooking the vital role that office design can play in getting the most out of their workforce, while also ensuring that staff wellbeing is prioritised.

Working remotely might have its advantages, but office spaces have a far greater potential to enhance employee performance and foster collaboration. In fact, collaboration has become a central driver in recent shifts (or in some cases, U-turns) in workplace strategies, including recent decisions by some organisations to bring employees back into the office full time.

One example is Amazon’s move to end its hybrid work policy. In September, the firm’s CEO Andy Jassy explained that the move had been prompted by a view that employees would be “better set up to invent, collaborate, and be connected” by returning to the workplace for five days a week.

While rethinking workplace design is increasingly rising on the agenda, it shouldn't overcomplicate how people work; instead, it should create accessible and familiar environments that meet employee needs intuitively, ensuring they can be engaged and productive without friction.

Multi-faceted approach

High-performance workplaces are driven by intelligent office design that melds people, technology, and innovation. And, with nine in 10 UK workers feeling disengaged according to a recent Gallup poll, the onus is on employers to create environments that foster purpose and belonging.

From the initial brief to workspace layout, office design needs to integrate core principles that focus on accessibility and adaptability. Spaces that are easy to understand and engage with can boost employee productivity and cultivate a strong sense of belonging.

Encouraging movement

Encouraging movement may sound simple in principle, but many office designs overlook the need to avoid ‘nesting’ — essentially giving employees no reason to leave their desks. This could mean strategically positioning working ‘neighbourhoods’ in different areas of the office to encourage collaboration in different zones, enabling people to move around and reducing the number of distractions that happen at desks.

Photobox’s London headquarters is a great example of how this can be put into practice. Each of the office's four floors serves a distinct purpose, with the basement — visible from every level — acting as the central social space. By intentionally limiting resources on individual floors, the design encourages movement and interaction across the office rather than allowing employees to stay in one spot.

Offering a variety of reliable spaces away from desks is vital. This can take shape as breakout zones equipped with power outlets and whiteboards, focus areas such as private booths, and also extends to the inclusion of tech-free retreat spaces where workers can take a break to recharge during the day.

Form and function

Modern offices are increasingly drawing inspiration from the hospitality sector in their focus on the user experience. The ‘hotelification’ of the office was a huge talking point as workplaces first adapted to the new world of work, but businesses now need to go beyond aesthetics to create spaces that feel personal and intuitive.

The feeling people have in a work environment is influenced by many things, from big features like natural light and technology to smaller details like adjustable lighting, temperature controls, and materials. By blending thoughtful design with user comfort, environments will boost focus, foster collaboration and allow employees to relate to the space.

Collaborative approach

Optimum results are inevitably achieved when staff are included in the design process, ensuring that any office design decisions are made with employees in mind. Co-designing a workspace with your team helps encourage a sense of ownership among users, improving the likelihood of it being used to its maximum potential.

This collaboration means that employees are educated at an early stage about how different areas of the office can be used, and the types of working practices they are aimed at nurturing.

For ongoing success, leaders will need to ensure that all aspects of the office design are regularly communicated so that staff are encouraged to use the available spaces in the most productive ways, which subsequently enhances their in-work experience.

Vast opportunities

There is no cookie-cutter approach to designing a high-performing office space, but that means there’s no limit to the inspiration required to create one.

Business leaders won’t be able to please everybody, but engaging with employees early in the process is likely to lead to greater success by ensuring that workers are advocates of the space as well as users of it.

Engaging and inspiring design is important, but function is vital too; the two do not have to be mutually exclusive and businesses that invest in their spaces in the right way will also be nurturing, supporting, and encouraging their most valuable asset of all — their people.