The International Interior Design Association (IIDA) and the Business and Institutional Furniture Manufacturers Association (BIFMA) have released Design Leveraged, Volume II, the second in a three-part series, which makes the case that good design makes a meaningful impact on employee satisfaction and has a positive effect on a company's bottom line. The report highlights new survey findings that provide commercial interior designers with the hard data they need to demonstrate the ROI of an office redesign to C-level executives. More than 1,200 U.S.-based office workers participated in the survey, which showcases the stark differences between employees who are satisfied with their workplaces versus those who are not.

Via dexigner.com >

The office watercooler days are long gone, and in its place are platforms like Slack, Toggle, and Facebook Messenger. With the rise of our increasingly mobile and connected relationships comes new ways of working. If we take a moment to look around us in any urban city, we’ll see the future of work all over: at our local coffee shop, brimming with entrepreneurs dialing clients, on the sidewalks, where teams are taking their walking status meeting, across open-office spaces, where employees roam freely. With these new standards for office culture, creating opportunities for professional relationships to develop and collaboration to occur is more integral than ever to an organization’s success.

According to a Google For Work Study released in 2016, 73% of employees think their organization would be more successful if they were able to work in a more flexible and collaborative way. As the needs and expectations of employees continue to evolve, companies are building and protecting spaces—virtually and in the office—to help colleagues connect, offer mentorship, and share expertise.

Via metropolismag.com >

Haworth white papers: the right office design can increase the happiness of employees, whereas ping-pong tables, slides and even pay rises can't, according to new research by Haworth.

The findings are contained in a new white paper launched by the office furniture giant at the Orgatec workplace design fair in Cologne last week.

"Our research shows that there are specific design elements you can use to help workers feel happier," said Michael O'Neill, Haworth's head of research. "That's what the data is saying."

The report is the latest in a series of white papers by US company Haworth exploring office design.

Via dezeen.com >