Office Design and Productivity
‘Productivity isn’t everything, but in the long run it is almost everything.’
- Paul Krugman, Nobel Laurete Economist
Productivity is one of the most critical challenges for any business leader. Without effective staff, you cannot produce the sustained, profitable performance essential to your long-term success as a business.
However, staff productivity is a huge issue for UK businesses. Over the last 3 years, UK labour productivity has remained stagnant and lags 20% behind France and Germany.
As a workplace project management, design & build company, we often get asked how to maximise staff productivity through office design. Our answer is always different, because the path to better staff productivity will look different for every company.
While there are many different factors affecting the productivity of your staff, most fall into 4 key pillars. These are Training, Wellbeing, Goals & Incentives, and Work Environment. It comes as no surprise that where your staff work has a huge impact on their performance.
In this article, we'll go through 10 office design factors that you can use within your own office to improve the productivity of your staff. By the end, you'll understand what these factors are, and why they matter. You'll know if they are falling short in your office, and most importantly, how you can improve them.
Collaboration Spaces
In today’s global economy, being able to work effectively with other people is a vital part of staff performance. Individuals who work in collaborative settings at work are over 50% more effective than independent workers. Top-performing workers spend 45% of their time working collaboratively.
To improve collaboration in your office, you first need to allow enough space. Many of the best workspaces feature 30-45% collaboration space. This is far above the 10-20% in most workspaces. It’s also important to include the right type of collaboration spaces. Most collaboration is done informally in small groups, so your design needs to reflect this.
Focus Spaces
Distraction-free focussed working is also a crucial part of productivity. Top-performing workers may spend 45% of their time collaborating, but they also spend 45% of their time on focussed work. Distractions are not an inherent part of the office – they are a result of poor spatial and acoustic design.
Focus spaces are much more than banks of desks. In fact, the open, close-set layout of desking areas can be even very distracting. Other types of foccussed spaces include phone and working pods, as well as bookable individual offices. Whatever form they take in your office, focus spaces need to eliminate any kind of distractions for your people.
Hybrid Meeting Suites
Over the last 5 years, the prevalence of distributed workforces has made hybrid meetings a daily necessity. Around half of all work meetings are hybrid or virtual, up from 20% in 2020. If your people are struggling to find an appropriate space, they will be distracted and stressed.
For your people to be as productive as possible, they will need spaces designed to support virtual and hybrid meetings. Again, it’s important to allow enough space in your office for these suites. Bring-your-own-device (BYOD) systems also enable your people to use high-quality audio-visual technology, combined with the convenience of their own devices.
Breakout Spaces
While it may seem counterintuitive, creating specific breakout spaces improves the productivity of your people. Designated breakout spaces create a clear distinction between “work” spaces and “break” spaces. This improves their concentration when in "work" spaces. Allowing your people to relax better improves their satisfaction and wellbeing. This has a knock-on effect on their productivity.
The best relaxation space design will be different for every company. In many designs, relaxation spaces are part of or nearby teapoints or food areas, helping create a large social area. It should be a reflection of your culture, a space that brings your company personality to life.
Workspace Technology
Technology doesn’t automatically make your people more productive. However, poor technology can limit their performance. Without portable technology and fast, secure wifi, your people will be very limited, as they will be tied to their desks.
Workspace technology is much more than laptops. BYOD-enabled hybrid meeting suites will enable your people to conduct hybrid meetings much more conveniently. Virtual reality suites enable your people to conduct engaging hybrid conferences and exhibitions. By giving your people access to the best workspace technology, you enable them to be as productive as possible.
Noise Management
Most office workers get distracted 6-8 times a day, and the average office worker is productive for just 3 hours each day!! Background noise is the major source of many distractions. Acoustic design in your office is essential if you are looking to optimise the productivity of your people.
The first way to manage noise is through layout – not placing collaboration areas next to focussed areas, for example. Acoustic damping products, such as ceiling baffles and wall panels, can also absorb noise throughout your office. By managing the noise levels in your office, you will reduce distractions for your people, increasing their performance.
Lighting
Without adequate lighting, your people will be at increased risk of eye strain. This can lead to headaches and lowered performance. A dim workspace is also a dull and uninspiring place to be. Effective lighting has been found to decrease depression and improve mood, energy, and alertness.
The first thing to do is maximise the natural light available. This means placing the most used areas of your office on the outer walls with access to natural light. Little-used boardrooms and executive offices are rarely the best use of natural light. You should also optimise your lighting to replicate the temperature and intensity of natural light.
Biophilia
Biophilic design is the incorporation of natural features and materials into your office design. As well as improving the air quality, biophilic design makes your workspace a more enjoyable place to be. Exeter University discovered that employees are 15% more productive when their workplaces contain plants.
The easiest way to incorporate biophilic design into your office is through the use of office plants. These could be floor-standing planters, desk-sized succulents or even full-size living walls. Biophilia also extends beyond plants to natural finishes, such as wooden flooring. It will all improve your staff wellbeing and engagement, leading to improved performance.
Air Quality/ Temperature
A common controversy in the office is the temperature. While easy to dismiss, the temperate of your workspace does impact the performance of your people. Too hot, and they will become lethargic, struggling to focus. Too cold, and their performance will also be affected. The quality of the air is also important.
Fully functioning air conditioning is essential to achieving optimal air quality and temperature. While it may be impossible to please everyone, various studies have shown that the optimal temperature is 21-22 degrees. You should also ensure the filters in your system are changed regularly to optimise air quality.
Ergonomic Furniture
Furniture is the feature of your office that your people interact with the most. As a result, it's crucial your furniture is ergonomic. If your furniture is not designed for commercial use or doesn’t suit the way your staff use it, they will start to suffer from health issues over time.
To ensure your office furniture is ergonomic, you should first ensure that it is designed for commercial use. You should also consider adjustability. Ergonomic furniture is only ergonomic if it suits the way your people use it. With a high-quality ergonomic furniture package, your people will be much more productive.
Improving Your Staff Performance with Office Design
A well-researched, careful office redesign can create a huge uplift in your staff productivity. By providing your staff with spaces that reflect and enhance the way they work, you are giving them the environments they need to be as productive as possible. As a result, productivity in your company will significantly increase, making a huge contribution to your long-term success.
Now you've read about the 10 office design factors that affect office productivity, you can look at your own office to see if they fall short. If so, resolving this through an effective office design will be absolutely crucial.
To take the next step, get your copy of Office Design and Productivity: The Ultimate Guide. You'll get the full breakdown of the why, how, and what of staff productivity and office design. Get your Office Design Guide Here.
To keep learning about office design and staff performance, read Why Office Design Improves Productivity, Poor Office Design Can Damage Staff Productivity - Here’s How To Fix It, and How to Create a High-Performance Workspace.
