The purpose of design at workplace is not only to enhance the appearance of a space but also a tangible way to enhance the culture of an organization. For many years, offices have been impersonal and sterile places of obligation as it failed to inspire occupants to be the best version of themselves. With a little more intentionality in workspace design and organization, we can help bring inspiration to our employees, our clients, and ourselves. More than that, we can create a work environment that stimulates not stifles, and becomes a destination for people looking to join a community of the inspired.
Creating human centric experiences through design is essential in the midst of rapid change. A great way to express the essence of your culture and brand is through the physical mood of the space.
There are two important design principles that can help organizations create resilient and cost-effective workplaces that address the issue of employee engagement. First, design for the wellbeing of people with solutions that support the physical, cognitive and emotional wellbeing of people. Secondly, give people choice and control over where and how they work, by creating an ecosystem of spaces that provide a range of privacy, posture and presence solutions.
A collaborative design encourages communication by enabling employees to share ideas and communicate without the boundaries of former offices that prioritised privacy and individual working. Collaboration within the workplace directly translates as ‘working together’. The popularity of the collaborative workspace is reflective of a move in workplace culture towards openness and sharing. The digital age has opened us up to a world of changing working dynamics, where we are encouraged to strategize, plan, communicate and collaborate with our colleagues, clients and employees more than ever before.
According to Steelcase Growth Market Report, by 2030 India’s middle-class growth is expected to reach 475 million. This number consists of mainly India’s Gen Y post 80s and 90s who mix traditional values with a Western outlook. They are the generations who look for a good place to work at with funky colours and designs also, the new-age entrepreneurs’ plunge in the same age-group category. They prefer offices that enable collaboration, provide a sense of personal space and offer a pleasant respite from hectic city life. With the growing start-ups and new age offices, there is an immense need of latest designs in the workplaces, to get the productivity out of the employees and to retain them as well.
According to Steelcase research,
An ecosystem of spaces enables an organization to be more resilient. It uses real estate more efficiently and cost-effectively, making it easier for organizations to experiment with different types of spaces and evolve the workplace over time.
There is a strong positive correlation between employee engagement and workplace designs. Workers who are highly satisfied with various aspects of their workplace and its design also demonstrate higher levels of engagement.
In workplaces designed for wellbeing, every detail counts. Architecture that connects us with nature and natural light, open offices that facilitate communication with colleagues and other overarching strategies provide the framework for our work environment, but it’s in the details where a workplace becomes our work home. The spaces we work in and the products we touch and interact with can lift our mood, make us less stressed, more stimulated. They can inspire, absorb and captivate.
Author- Praveen Rawal, Steelcase Asia Pacific, Managing Director, India and Asia Sales Resources Network
Praveen Rawal is Managing Director, India and Asia Sales Resources Network. Appointed to this role, he is responsible for Steelcase’s sales and dealers activities in India as well as Asia Sales Resource Network. He is also a member of the Asia Pacific Leadership Team.
