The boundaries separating the workplace, home and socialising are becoming increasingly blurred as more businesses realise that an attractive and welcoming office can improve staff morale and wellbeing, leading to increased productivity and more profitability.
Creative industries and technology start-ups have been leading the way with innovative approaches to how workplaces are set up. Now corporates, including professional and financial services firms, are waking up to the benefits of making the workplace more inviting and informal. Smaller firms in all sectors are also investing what they can in a comfortable working environment as it is seen as key to attracting and retaining sought-after staff.
A Well Workforce report published by commercial property consultants Cushman & Wakefield found that those businesses that invest in offices with a focus on wellbeing will reap the reward commercially.
Mark Jones, a partner at Cushman & Wakefield, says that businesses are making significant investments into workplaces. A very high-quality office fit-out 10 years ago was about £80 per square foot, the average was £45 per sq ft and the cheaper option about £30 a sq ft. These days, he says, a high quality fit-out is somewhere between £120 and £150 per sq ft.
Part of the evolution of workplace environments is being driven by the need to attract graduates and millennials.
Jones says: “There has been lots of chat about staff requirements and appealing to the millennial generation. Fundamentally, millennials are looking for a more informal environment. That informal workplace is driving change in moving away from a traditional one-person, one-desk approach to a much more flexible office environment.”
Lesley McKerral, a workplace consultant with interior design business Amos Beech, agrees that companies want to create a more relaxed workplace.
She says: “There is still the desk-based office, but with areas broken up with soft seating, bean bags and quirky items of furniture. The age range of staff in most of the companies I go to is now a lot younger. People go where they feel most comfortable and are willing to move around, so it’s important for companies to have the right image to attract staff.”
Another trend is that businesses are encouraging staff to socialise in the workplace to break down boundaries and help employees feel more relaxed and valued which, in turn, is believed to improve productivity.