Why going the extra mile with workplace design pays dividends: Steven Richardson

While there’s a continued argument exploring whether the office is redundant and the productivity of teams working from home, we’ve certainly seen an increase in clients requiring hybrid spaces placing particular focus on wellbeing to ensure employees are looked after.

If anything, the pandemic accelerated interest and understanding around aspects such as work-related stress – and the perhaps surprising ways design can help combat this.

Office layouts will vary dependent on the business, but generally most will require spaces for teams to collaborate as well as allowing individuals to focus on deep work. It’s also about understanding what works best for different employees. While some thrive in an open-plan layout, others are able to produce better work in a more private space - and that doesn’t always mean working from home.

We’ve seen an increase in businesses asking for office layouts to encompass all of this as they strive to be more people-centric and designing with their teams in mind; there are clever ways to create a space which allows for collaborative work, breakout spaces and quieter zones such as using acoustic columns or panelling which offers both sound absorbing abilities while adding to the design aesthetic.

Biophilic design – the notion of connecting to nature indoors - has been on the rise in recent years thanks to its vast benefits to business.

With numerous research studies demonstrating that plants boost productivity, and therefore improve a business’ bottom line, introducing some greenery to a workplace is a simple and cost-effective way of utilising biophilic design.

From a design perspective, think bigger than a lonely indoor plant in the corner of the office.

Introduce small rows of planters along walls, use big potted plants as zone dividers or create clusters of greenery alongside seating for relaxing breakout spaces.

If space and budget allow, go bolder with a living wall to bring a sense of calm to a bigger area, or add a water feature which can double as white noise, providing its own concentration-enhancing benefits.

When it comes to creating spaces which work well for your business, consider how each area is going to be used. Speak to your team to understand what they feel is lacking or what already works for them. There’s no need to strip the room of rows of desks if that’s how your team feel they’re able to work productively, but you might consider introducing a break-out space for collaboration with soft seating and a low table for drinks, or experimenting with the layout so that natural window light can be utilised.

Designing for wellbeing isn’t just about adding plants or cushions, it’s also about creating a comfortable, work-ready space which doesn’t cause feelings of stress or negatively impact either mental or physical health.

Small changes such as ensuring desks and chairs are set up ergonomically, or supporting individual requirements such as footstools or monitor stands

can make a huge difference.

Ensuring you have sufficient storage space can also have a positive impact on wellbeing and productivity at work. While creative minds might say they work better in ‘organised chaos’, some research has suggested that our brains respond well to order.

Touches such as space to hang coats and shelves to keep books, folders or products can make a difference to the clutter we’re surrounded by on a daily basis.

Working with a design specialist may help you find space for these elements in unexpected corners as well as suggestions to help them blend into the workspace seamlessly.

Going the extra mile when it comes to workplace design demonstrates your duty of care to your team and that you understand that wellbeing at work goes beyond providing a pool table or fruit bowl.

Steven Richardson is Managing Director at Richardsons Office Design