Many companies are starting to implement activity-based working to utilize space, encourage collaborations, and enhance employee experience. Activity-based environments allow office employees to work in any area of the office they see fit. This open office design gained a lot of mix opinions, but the recorded effects prove that this office innovation earned favorable results.
In Melbourne and other places, office fitout projects for activity-based working are available. If you feel like the time has come for your company to adopt this kind of working environment, call the professionals and let them help you achieve it flawlessly.
Designing the Office
Forget partitions and dedicated workstations. The office’s design has to let employees choose a space suitable for whatever work they are accomplishing. Both extroverts and introverts should thrive in the office by having areas for open communication and ample quiet spaces. You can add a designated area for private phone calls as well.
Take inspiration from other companies that have employed activity-based working. GLG in New York, for example, created a coffee bar (manned by a full-time barista) inside their office where their employees can all work together. They also installed glass-walled meeting cubes.
Microsoft’s Netherlands office also has an activity-based office design. Other than workspaces, they also have indoor and outdoor dining areas, a coffee shop, two auditoriums, relaxation zones, and even sleep pods! Almost every human activity has a designated spot in their office.
Before you implement activity-based working, make sure that your office’s space meets the needs of all your employees. The workspaces should be flexible, allowing for a wide range of tasks. Enthusiastic collabs, quiet work, and everything else should be possible in your new activity-based office environment. Involve your employees in the designing process; ask them for feedback about the spaces they want and apply them to your design.
Essential Amenities in an Activity-Based Office
Aside from open working areas and quiet, more private spaces, don’t forget about flexible conference rooms, multi-media rooms, and open-lounge cafe areas. The goals of an activity-based office are open communication and better engagement, so even if a cafe may seem unusual, it would be essential for the said goals to be attained.
Effects of Activity-Based Working
Several surveys were conducted to research the effects of activity-based working. The result in productivity, employee satisfaction, and cost reduction are quite impressive.
Productivity is shown to increase in activity-based working. Such is seen in the British company National Grid; their overall productivity leaped by 8% upon implementation, and they were also able to reduce operational costs by $11.43-14.9 million.
Nearly 80% of office employees reported that their productivity is influenced by whether or not there are available spaces for quiet work, where they can focus better. Meanwhile, a whopping 98% of highly satisfied employees work in companies where they are free to move around during working hours. Moreover, 88% of highly engaged employees are those that have the option to choose where in the office would they like to work.
Other Benefits
Allowing your employees to move around improves their well-being. Walking around can act as a short break-time, and it could also help them stay fit even at work.
Relationships can be established because people can interact freely. When they work in different areas every day, they can be exposed to different groups rather than be contained in one, unchanging group. Therefore, friendships and camaraderie can be built.
Based on everything stated, we can conclude that an activity-based working environment is greatly beneficial. With open communication, collaboration, and flexibility, your employees and your company will be empowered vastly. Most importantly, fun office design and satisfied employees will make your organization progressive.
