Remember fax machines and pagers? Your old Blackberry? Or the days when you COULDN’T get work email on holiday?
The way people and businesses work has changed drastically over the past twenty years. During that time, the technology supporting our work has evolved dramatically.
Each evolution has brought us a step closer to blurring the line between work and play.
The Googles, Facebooks and other tech giants have continued to blur the line between work and play by reinventing what offices can be.
Instead of using traditional offices (plain walls, fluorescent lights, corporate coloured carpets and walls), they opted for bold, design-led spaces with multipurpose breakout areas encouraging collaboration.
They believed working in a space that reflected their culture and values would differentiate them from other employers, ultimately helping them attract and retain top talent.
A business decision that also produced an uplift in employee productivity and recognition on ‘best company culture’ lists from the likes of Fortune, Forbes and Glassdoor.
Traditionally business levers have been thought of as strategies that centralise functions, enable technology or optimise organisation structure.
Since the rise of start-up culture numerous organisations, including PHE (Public Health England) have published studies on how work environments affect employee morale, productivity and engagement – both positively and negatively.
According to The Workplace Wellness Study conducted by Future Workplace, 33% of those surveyed lose more than 60 minutes of work per day due to physical and environmental factors.
This insight transforms office space into more than a line in the P&L. It becomes a strategic business lever that can help companies attract top talent, reduce employee turnover and increase productivity.
Research from Gartner found, “employees who are satisfied with their workplace are 16% more productive, 18% more likely to stay, and 30% more attracted to the company over competitors.”
Businesses that decide to invest in their workspaces are investing in their people and the future success of their company.
It might sound financially unrealistic or frivolous to create workspaces that reflect your company values. However, with the rise of Space as a Service operators, the cost of working in an office that’s reminiscent of a luxury hotel has become increasingly accessible.
And if ‘luxe hotel’ isn’t the right environment for your business, there’s a range of different atmospheres and operators from which to choose.
While there is no silver-bullet or ‘one size fits all’ answer when it comes to creating the perfect productivity enhancing work environment, it’s possible to cater to unique requirements within an organisation.
Now companies of all shapes and sizes can create a workspace that’s suited to them.
