While he was referring to our life choices, the same is true of the spaces that we occupy – if we don’t design them for our own, consciously decided purpose, then we will be forced to exist, quite literally, in a space that someone else decided upon for us.
For modern businesses, designing workspaces that meet the specific culture, needs and aspirations of the organisation and its people are more important than ever. In a world where there’s high competition for attracting top talent, where the markets are challenging and every contract, consumer or product is in competition with another, having an environment that facilitates our progress is imperative.
Creating that environment isn’t a matter of serendipity, but one of intent, strategy and design.
What is workplace strategy and design?
Informed and impactful office design is the result of an integrated workplace strategy. As specialists in office design and build, we know how powerful a carefully considered space can be, driving desired behaviours, creating a culture of proactivity, productivity and positivity at work, supporting team wellbeing and ultimately contributing to the success of the organisation.
Modern offices are no longer typically cellular spaces where employees are metaphorically tied to a single desk. They are dynamic environments that enable and encourage creativity, collaboration and innovation, where people feel supported in their individual and professional needs to achieve the best outcomes.
In a world that enables hybrid working, and therefore moves away from the space consuming concept of a 1:1 desk ratio, it’s not only the style and organisation of the space that falls into the strategy but the functionality of it as well.
In short, workplace strategy is how the office works while the design is the execution of that ideal. They are two, inextricably linked facets that now, more than ever, need to work together.
Why is workplace strategy and design important?
Workplace strategy is essential for maximising the opportunity that your office offers, making the most of the cost of the space and enhancing the health, happiness and productivity of your workforce. It ensures that the use of space is optimised, you have the best chance possible of attracting and retaining top talent, boosting employee engagement and supporting team wellbeing. You also maximise the chance of getting the best return on investment and future proofing your office design for long-term efficacy.
What does workplace strategy and design look like?
For effective workplace strategy and design, you need to consider your business’s strategic goals, culture and work methods, incorporating them into the layout and design of the office. That includes a number of elements, the key ones being as follows:
Your organisational goals
Obvious as it seems, the first step towards a workplace strategy and optimised workplace design is knowing what you want to achieve from your business and your environment. That way you can start to understand the link between the two and what needs to be done to get from where you are now, to where you want to be. For example, are you looking to achieve growth? Will you need more team members? What is your mission, vision and values?
Employee needs and preferences
Your team are your most important asset, so understanding their wants and needs is integral to designing a workplace that works. Through interviews and analysis, surveys and conversations, involving your team in the design process will help you understand and meet the different and evolving needs of different members at different times and according to different tasks.
Understanding the space you’re working with
Whether you have already selected the building you’re going to occupy or you’re still looking, understanding the space itself will determine what’s possible, the cost of development and timescales. Perhaps you’re repurposing a heritage building and it requires more structural or safety features than a purpose-built office. Perhaps you have a CAT A space that needs a complete fit out, or maybe it’s a CAT B space with more aesthetic and organisational requirements. Understanding the space will inform everything from the structural possibilities to the zoning, space efficiency and tech requirements of the design.
Knowing your technology and infrastructure requirements
Technology is an essential part of any modern business and to integrate it effectively it’s important to know what you need now as well as what you think you will need in the next few years. That might mean including sensors to monitor light in the workplace, integrating power sources to make sure all the computers operate properly, or installing more high-tech requirements such as video walls.
Addressing sustainability and wellbeing
Sustainability and staff wellbeing are no longer things that businesses can treat as an afterthought and the office that you occupy is a key contributor to your environmental credentials as well as staff wellbeing. Building sustainability into the workplace from the start will not only maximise your efforts but provide appealing information for prospective team members and support office wellbeing.
For example, the right design and build experts will ensure sustainable building practices, you can also design to maximise the use of natural light, sustainable and reused materials, sensors and energy efficient HVAC systems. In addition, part of the design process can ensure team wellbeing with dedicated wellness areas, considerations for sound and light quality, as well as ergonomic furniture.
Workplace strategy and design in action
At Maris, workplace strategy is an integral part of our design process. Yes, we are concerned with the aesthetics of the space, but before we get anywhere near that, we work with you and your team to understand the wants, needs aspirations, challenges and opportunities that you want to address. We seek to understand company culture as well as the functional requirements of the office, bringing them together with brand identity, wellbeing, cost and time requirements, and the planned trajectory of the organisation. Here are a few examples of design strategy to support client needs:
Optimising space use for a hybrid world
When international tobacco and e-cigarette manufacturer JTI moved to a new, smaller, more central London office, they wanted to shift away from their 1:1 desk to staff ratio to a space that enabled hot desking, collaborative meetings and video calls. We worked closely with them to make sure they had a process in place to match the new desk count, that the team understood how the space worked, and that they had appropriate facilities so the team could store their personal items safely.
A unique take on cellular spaces
When a world-leading consulting firm wanted to create a highly cellular space with extensive private office requirements, but without resulting a clinical feel, we created standalone rooms with lids that sailed underneath the mechanics of the exposed ceiling. Where normally we would have used that exposed detail to drive the design, this unique approach (which made us stand out from competitors) meant that the layout could be more organic instead of simply delivering a series of boxes. We also implemented soft curved features to work with the flow of the space, facilitating the office requirements whilst creating a sense of softness and elegance.
Want to create an office that meets the needs of your business?