What's the office culture like at Knox Bhavan?
We aim to foster a working, teaching and learning environment that is inclusive, respectful, inventive and responsible – and above all else it is important to us that people are happy working at Knox Bhavan. We act collaboratively and collectively: everyone is expected to contribute and engage, and in return we work hard to make sure that the voice of each individual member of staff is heard and respected.
When did you move to your current studio? And what inspired the move?
We moved into our new studio in November 2016. For the previous 20 years we were based in a beautiful but small, purpose-built studio attached to the side of the partners’ house: a deliberate arrangement that enabled the partners to spend time with their three children as they grew up while building their practice.
How a healthy workplace can help staff avoid burnout
Back then, after 6pm the children moved into the studio with their homework. When they grew up, the partners wanted some separation between work and home life, in a more neutral space where members of the team could take greater ownership of the practice and their workspace.
The old studio was beautiful, with access to a well-used and good-sized garden, used from spring through to autumn for outdoor meetings and lunches. A koi fishpond and stone paved entrance courtyard completed idyllic surroundings. We were spoilt and not prepared to move anywhere that was not at least as enjoyable to work in. This meant that moving into a purpose-built generic office space was not an option. The answer was to make our own new space.
I know you recently conducted a staff survey, which focused on team wellbeing, happiness and productivity. What did that involve?
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In 2018 our new office won a RIBA National Award. We were very proud of this recognition for our efforts to create a new office environment with wellbeing at its heart. However, the real test was always going to be how our team responded to their office and workplace culture. We therefore carried out a simple and anonymous survey to establish the impact of our new studio upon staff wellbeing, and to help us consider further wellbeing initiatives.
