Sustainability And Employee Wellbeing Influence Modern Workplace Design
As real estate models evolve at breakneck speed in a post-pandemic world, Lee Stuart, Director at Pexhurst, a market leader in delivering high quality sophisticated fitouts in the office sector, talks about how the role of a Facilities Manager is also evolving as sustainability and employee wellbeing become both integral and interwoven into workplace design.
Offices are changing, more flexible solutions are being sought to reflect new hybrid ways of working and this is arguably reinvigorating a sector where, in times gone by, only the most ‘hip’ of companies inhabited: a world of cafés; fun break out areas; chill out spaces; pool tables, pinball machines, lounge areas with comfy sofas, and entrances designed to rival the best hotels in a city. This was seen as the ‘Google’ of the office world, but today this is becoming the norm.
During the pandemic, working from home became standard, in a post-pandemic world companies are looking at ways to entice their staff back into their offices. They recognise the benefits of face-to-face collaborative working to help stimulate new ideas and innovations. The office is a place where employees can feel part of a team and a community which encourages positive social engagements and improves accountability. A company’s culture and brand are grown and developed within the office environment and makes employees feel pride and belonging, importantly this is reflected back at visitors to that office space. For many a return to the office is seen as a prerequisite to a company’s growth and success.
One way in which companies are encouraging employees back into the office is to ensure that the design of the office provides a home away from home, a ‘work and play’ model is evolving which provides employees with flexible office space; enhanced break out areas with pool tables and board games; cafés; kitchenette areas that provide a ‘Costa Coffee’ style experience and environment; leisure facilities including gyms and changing facilities; and even facilities that allow employees to bring their dogs into the office. This has led to terms like the ‘hotelification of the office’, to reflect this move to provide employees with facilities that match their home, just like a hotel.
But there is so much more to it than making the office feel like an extension of the home. Facility Managers that make the wellbeing of their staff a priority will have the most success. A well-designed office space will allow for collaborative working whilst giving employees access to private spaces away from the ‘noise’ of an open plan office to allow them to concentrate and have time to be quiet and reflective. Getting the right balance in all areas of workplace design has never been more important to ensure employees wellbeing, from acoustics and lighting to materials and decoration, every area can have an impact on wellbeing.
The current green agenda is having a hugely positive impact on workspace design which in turn is supporting employee wellbeing. A former chocolate factory in London that we refurbished to provide a co-working space that would be let to individual companies had a Facilities Manager based onsite throughout the course of the work. This was key to ensuring the design of the spaces were aesthetically pleasing whilst carefully balancing the need for the offices to be usable. The building was stripped back to reveal bare brick and wooden floors that made it look attractive reflecting the current trend for more earthy natural tones avoiding the plastic, clinical look of the past.
The refurbishment included the formation of office space for short term lettings as well as a flexible working space for those individuals that didn’t require an office, but simply a space to access for short durations to utilise the data facilities when not ‘out on the road’. By supplying flexible meeting facilities that reflect these new ways of working, whilst providing an attractive reception space and access to a café and modern facilities, the client was able to maximise the return on their investment.
Fortunately, this sustainability and wellbeing trend it is not just restricted to office spaces in towns and cities. On an industrial estate providing warehouse space in Southeast London, a few miles from Tower Bridge, a living green wall has been specified by the client. The colour green has been known to be a mood-enhancer and reduce stress, the use of plants reduces environmental impact because they naturally absorb and retain heat and improve air quality by removing toxins from the air. Outdoor living walls can also encourage a variety of insect and bird life in particularly more urban areas. Living walls are also aesthetically pleasing so can create not only a healthier environment for employees, but a happier one too.
On another project the client wants to encourage employees to bike to work where possible. Healthy and happy employees are more productive, so this is a win win situation. But rather than specifying boring metal and plastic bike shelters these bike shelters will be made from sustainable timber and have green roofs, this is to ensure they look attractive to encourage their use and help them to blend into their surroundings, but also provide a sustainable solution by supporting the local ecosystem and using sustainable timber.
But it’s not just employees and the environment that are winning. Landlords that recognise how sustainability and employee wellbeing are intrinsically linked are seeing greater returns on their investments. Facility Managers need to be aware that employee wellbeing is the priority and that this goes beyond providing hotel like facilities, it is about finding the right balance, a homestyle environment that provides privacy and quiet with collaborative spaces that excite and inspire. Making sustainable choices will impact this careful balance, get it right and employees with be engaged and happy. Get it wrong, they may just decide to stay at home.
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