Confidential Law Firm Headquarters, San Francisco, California. Photograph courtesy of SmithGroupJJR. © Jasper Sanidad
Change is a constant. In order to be relevant, successful and ahead of the competition, businesses need to be more productive and innovative than ever before. The workplace has changed dramatically over the past decades. The tasks at hand and the way people work have shifted. A company is made up of the sum of its personnel’s talents, skills and abilities to innovate and produce. This is fostered at the workplace level. The experience one has at their place of work – the place they create, produce and deliver – is highly impacted by the physical attributes of the space.
The key elements that cultivate the highest levels of productivity are choice, transparency and disruption. By empowering workers with choice, providing a level of architectural transparency and encouraging inspiration through disruption, the workplace lays the foundation to propel the individual, team and organization to a higher level of production and innovation.
If the goal of a new space if to increase productivity and innovation, one must consider both the individual and the team. Both are equally important to the level of productivity and innovation taking place. Given the organization and the type of work required, the two can be independent or absolutely dependent on the other. At the individual level, engagement, motivation, and quality of space directly impacts productivity and innovation. At the team level, trust and the availability of collaboration spaces to share, learn and inspire are critical in fostering the highest levels of productivity and innovation.
The individual may have a variety of different tasks to accomplish in any given day. He/she may be answering emails, analyzing data, compiling research, or developing a new concept. Historically, the desk was the space where all work needed to take place and the only space individuals had to complete work. Generations past had the mentality that if an employee was not at his/her desk, they were not working. This exacerbates the idea that there is only one type of space needed to work. Thankfully, this notion has shifted dramatically in recent years. Different tasks call for different environments. Some tasks require quiet, focused, heads-down space where disruption is limited or not present at all. Other tasks are better suited for an ergonomic sit-stand desk with a laptop, an open lounge space, or in a project room where a few individuals can work on their own respective tasks for a larger project. By providing a range of space typologies, the individual can choose the environment that fits their needs and comfort level therefore significantly improving productivity. Furthermore, the company conveys a message of trust, confidence and autonomy in their employees. Choice in the workplace has direct correlation to productivity levels and innovation, as well as employee satisfaction, engagement and empowerment.