There are many ways to design office spaces. In the past we’ve seen office design based on aesthetics, or assumptions, or what has worked well in the past. We’ve also seen the same design principles applied to office spaces when following trends, for trends sake, no matter the business or work practices.
However, just because something looks good, is the latest trend or has worked in the past doesn’t mean it’s practical for the here and now or even into the future or that it’s the right decision for your businesses. Instead using an evidence-based model is far more likely to produce an office space which provides an effective and supportive workspace which focuses on employee health, wellbeing and productivity and future proofs the space to give the best ROI for the business.
Given that an office design and refurbishment is likely to be a business’s biggest outlay it makes sense to utilise an evidence based approach and the insights it brings to get your office design right first time.
How Does Evidence Based Office Design Work?
Evidence based office design leverages business objectives, workplace analytics, research, data and feedback to inform office design and layout decisions alongside a detailed client insights brief rather than using assumptions or trends. Data is collected on work processes, work patterns, where staff work, how the current design helps or hinders work processes and staff needs. This data is then used to identify the right office design for a business, including the best layout, the right type of office spaces required, individual and collaborative work areas as well as office flow and where improvements can be made to the current office design. This process is an on-going process which needs to reevaluate data as work processes and objectives change.
The Process
In order to get the most out of evidence-based office design there are a number of steps that should be undertaken.
1. Define The Business Goals
It’s vitally important to clearly define the goals a business has in terms of employee productivity, creativity, teamwork, collaboration, communication, company culture or staff turnover, when it comes to a new office design.
2. Look At The Current Setup
Take a look at how the current office space is performing. This should include factors such as space utilisation, work patterns, workflow and ease of moving around an office space, the balance between the need for privacy and collaboration, the availability of appropriate breakout areas, furniture, lighting, temperature and technology. Factors such as workplace satisfaction can also play a vital role in analysing just how well a current office space is performing.
Space Utilisation
Ensuring office space is used efficiently and minimising the amount of space that’s not being used is important. Given the cost of floorspace, especially in London, it’s vital to make sure that any office design makes the best use of the space available, especially given that space utilisation has been shown by Advanced Workplace Associates (AWA) to range from 27% to 74% with space utilisation higher in London, most likely due to “the pressure in London to increase utilisation because of the higher level of rent.”
AWA also found that hot desk usage was low, on average only 16% and only “39% of meeting rooms were being used for the time they are available. When the degree to which the seats in meeting rooms (i.e. their total capacity) are used the number drops to 19% of meeting room capacity being used.” AWA found that businesses that adopt agile working practices see “an improvement in utilisation (occupied) on average of 7% based on a 12% reduction in workplaces.”
Workflow
Having an efficient workflow is beneficial to both a business and its staff. Office layout can either be a hinderance or a help when it comes to ensuring there is an efficient workflow in an office space. Workflow can help to streamline work processes, improve communication and collaboration, reduce distractions, improve focus and complete tasks faster, leading to increased efficiency, productivity and overall performance.
Privacy vs. Collaboration
When it comes to privacy and collaboration within a workspace it’s essential to get the right balance. Most offices spaces have a need for both types of space and where one or other is missing or where there is an imbalance productivity is likely to suffer.
Where privacy is required but not provided noise can be a major issue. According to the Remark Group in a survey of 2000 workers “up to 60% of office workers are unable to concentrate due to loud workspaces.” The survey also says that 1200 of those who responded claimed that noise in the office not only reduced their ability to focus but also affected the quality of their work. These findings are backed up a workplace study “What’s That Sound?” of 2,000 workers in the UK, US and Australia, carried out by global flooring company Interface which looked at how sound and acoustics impact employees. They found that noise negatively impacts 69% of global employees’ concentration levels, creativity and productivity.
Where teamwork and collaboration are vital having office space dedicated to enable teams to come together to work as required or having designated space for teams must be factored into an any new office design. A lack of collaborative space can lead to problems. If teams can’t come together when they need to, they will find it harder to move a project forward, share ideas or knowledge, brainstorm or troubleshoot. Work may also be duplicated, all of which can lead to decreased productivity and delayed project timelines.
Breakout Availability
Surveys show us that being able to get away from a workstation or desk is an important feature of the modern office space. Providing spaces where staff can relax, rejuvenate and recharge as well as collaborate or simply come together are essential for staff health and wellbeing.
A report by Leesman “The Workplace Reset” – A new minimum viable office found that 50% of those who responded to their survey said that “Relaxing/taking a break” was important to them in the workplace and for their workplace to meet their needs. 74% of respondents said that having tea, coffee and other refreshments facilities were also important to them and 63% indicated that having a restaurant or canteen was essential.
The importance of breakout spaces is also recognised by The World Green Building Council in its “Health, Wellbeing & Productivity in Offices” report. They state that “research clearly demonstrates that the design of an office has a material impact on the health, wellbeing and productivity of its occupants.” In their key findings they say that “there are a whole range of fit-out issues that can have an effect on wellbeing and productivity, including workstation density and configuration of work space, breakout space and social space. These factors influence not just noise but concentration, collaboration, confidentiality, and creativity. Many companies instinctively know this and regularly engage in exercises to optimise layout.”
If your staff value being able to take a break away from their desk to rejuvenate then breakout areas will be a must in your office design. Deciding which type of breakout areas would work best will be specific to your business.
Furniture
According to insight, in a survey by Fellowes, 81% of UK office workers spend between 4 and 9hrs per day sitting at their desk. 64% claimed their office environment had a negative impact on their health. 85% believed better ergonomic equipment in the office would help to improve their health and wellbeing. 25% believed that being uncomfortable at work results in them suffering from aches and pains, whilst 26% said that it reduces their productivity.
In a study published by Springer Nature ergonomic office furniture “Absenteeism decreased by 88% and the production rate was increased in 31.35% after four weeks of the ergonomic design implementation.”
Public Health England’s “The impact of physical environments on employee wellbeing – topic overview” states that as far back as 2010-2011 “7 million working days were lost to sickness absence in total due to work related factors, 10.4 million of which were the result of workplace stress, anxiety and depression, with a further 7.5 million attributed to musculoskeletal disorders.”
Where furniture has been based on aesthetics it can often impact staff health and wellbeing resulting in long term health issues including musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), repetitive strain injury (RSI) and backaches. It’s therefore important to ensure that any office furniture identified in your office design is fully functional, ergonomic and comfortable rather than just looking good. Good office chairs are designed to support posture and reduce strain and discomfort. Adjustable desks that can adapted to different heights or sit-standing desks that allow staff to work standing up or sitting down, as required, are far more likely to support health and wellbeing.
Lighting
The lighting of an office space may seem like a minor issue in comparison to other office design factors; however office lighting can have a major impact on staff health, wellbeing and productivity.
The Health and Safety Executive say “Lighting an environment is often a complex task principally considered during the design stage of the building (by architects and interior designers). However, lighting should be designed for the tasks that individuals are carrying out within that environment.”
In a study conducted by Ipsos a quarter of British office workers surveyed said they hate their office lighting! The study found that poor office lighting “could be seriously affecting the concentration, productivity and engagement levels of workers, with the study showing that a lack of flexibility and control over the physical work environment correlates with a lack of engagement.”
A ResearchGate paper states “Research has shown that the variation of light is by far the most important factor in setting and maintaining our natural daily rhythm, the so-called circadian rhythm. Preliminary evidence suggests that low light-exposure is associated with diminished health and well-being, and it can lead to reduced sleep quality, depressed mood, lack of energy and reduced social relations.” The paper also talks about Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and explains it is “a form of depression that occurs more frequently in the winter months, typically arising in the autumn and disappearing in the spring. Typical SAD symptoms are emotional depression, lack of energy, increased need for sleep, increased irritability, increased appetite and weight gain, reduced immune system activity and often also periodic reduced performance and productivity.”
With the understanding that light can affect us both physically and mentally it’s clear that ensuring good lighting in the workplace should be high on the list of office design priorities.
Temperature
Office temperatures have for a long time been a bone of contention within offices. This is even more the case today where UK heatwaves are more intense and occur more often. It’s therefore important to consider how office layout can impact office temperature. It’s clear that areas that are overcrowded will result in higher temperatures. Desks in direct sunlight will cause issues. Of course, there’s a need for natural light but when office temperatures are high moving desks out of direct sunlight will help staff cope with the heat.
When an office is being designed incorporating a Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning system (HVAC) or updating an HVAC that’s already in place can make all the difference in helping to maintain a comfortable office temperature in the workplace. No matter the debate on what temperature works best for women and men, having air conditioning guarantees that the inside temperature will be more comfortable then the temperature outside especially on hot and humid days.
3. Gather Data
Evidence based office design relies on data. To fully understand the business needs, data needs to be gathered from all stakeholders. Including staff in the office design process is critical. Understanding how staff work within the current office space, how and where they interact, how they use different spaces, identifying which areas are underused or overused and where the pain points are will provide much needed information which will then inform the office design.
Data can be gathered through staff surveys, steering groups, employee representatives, interviews, team and 1:1 meetings, suggestion boxes, observation of how employees use the current office space and workplace analytics which can track movement, space usage, and occupancy to understand how staff use and interact with their workspace.
When it comes to gathering data it’s important to ensure that any information collected is of good quality and can’t be misinterpreted. It’s also important to get encourage feedback so that as many people are represented as possible and the feedback isn’t coming from a small minority of staff, otherwise any data will be skewed and not be representative of the whole of the office staff.
When considering what questions to ask use both open and closed questions to catch as many responses as possible. Also think about whether you need to incentivise survey responses to ensure you get a good return rate. When asking for feedback through surveys or suggestion boxes make any forms anonymous to encourage staff to take the time to fill them out and to be honest in their feedback without the fear of being singled out if they give negative responses.
4. Analyse and Interpret
Once you’ve gathered your data it will need to be analysed. Look for areas where the current office layout is failing to meet staff needs, or where staff feel there are pain points that stop them for doing their job efficiently and effectively, impact their productivity, ability to collaborate and complete projects. Take note of any common and recurring needs across all staff that need to be addressed as well as more individual or team requirements.
Utilise the data to gain insights into the level of employee satisfaction with the current office design especially around layout, workflow, privacy and collaboration, breakout area availability, noise levels, lighting and temperature.
Analyse the data to find out which workspaces are used efficiently, are overused or left unoccupied including workstations, private offices, collaborative works spaces, meeting rooms and breakout areas by tracking occupancy rates and by looking at how long staff spend in any one area and how they move from one workspace to another.
Once all of the relevant data has been analysed think about how that data can be used to design a new office space that addresses the current office issues, tackles those areas that are pain points and implements new ideas that will move the business forward.
5. Prepare An Office Design Brief
After all of your data and employee feedback has been analysed it’s time to utilise the insights from the data to prepare an “office design brief”. The brief should be written outlining business specific requirements and should include the type of layouts that will work well for staff and the business, taking into account your space utilisation data. Consider what mix of private, collaborative and meeting spaces are required and what type of breakout areas are needed. which furniture choices are indicated, as well as ensuring that HVAC and other technology is incorporated fully.
Health and wellbeing should be a priority. Natural light should be fully utilised within the office layout, alongside other lighting options. Noise reduction techniques and materials should be factored into the brief, ergonomic furniture and furnishings that complement the chosen colour scheme as well as the use of office plants including container planting, plant or moss walls and cabinet planting will bring “the outside inside” and incorporate nature indoors will from an important part of the design brief.
It’s vital to not only design for the here and now but also for the future by making any office design flexible and adaptable. Being flexible and easily able to adapt to changing business needs, workstyles and processes can help to ensure any office designed will enable an office to be future proof. Consider modular, adaptable, multifunctional and movable furniture, multipurpose screen dividers e.g. living walls and plant wall dividers, storage walls, flexible partitioning and “write on” walls which is easy to take down and move around as required to provide much needed flexibility.
When it comes to producing the office designs based on the prepared brief collaborating with an office designer and refurbishment expert will help to ensure that the design aligns with business and staff objectives and needs and that best practice is employed.
6. Evaluate and Iterate
Once the office design is implemented, monitoring and evaluating the outcomes including staff satisfaction, productivity levels and utilisation of space can help to determine the effectiveness of the new design. Adjustments can be made, based on feedback and new data generated to identify any parts of the office design that may require tweaking. This then allows for the office design to be further improved as time goes on.
Evidence based office design allows businesses to leverage inhouse data to create a workspace that is specifically designed for them rather than a generic design which may look good but may not provide the benefits a tailor-made design will do. It will also play a major role in ensuring a healthy workspace that supports employee wellbeing and helps to work towards business success.
JBH Refurbishments, Experts In Office Design and Refurbishment
JBH Refurbishments are a cat a and cat b fit out contractor and have over 30+ years experience in Kent and London office design, office refurbishments and fit outs. We can provide the right expertise for your Kent or London office refurbishment. We understand what’s required to carry out an office design and refurbishment.
From your brief, to putting together a project plan, to developing your office design and layout to delivering your office fit out JBH Refurbishments will provide the right expertise for your project providing peace of mind. You can contact us on 0333 207 0339 or via our contact page or by calling us on 0333 207 0339 today for a free on-site consultation.
