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    Wish you were here!

    Wish you were here!

    Author

    Jerry Kennard

    Read Time

    3 min

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    Blog
    Workplace

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    Wouldn’t it be wonderful if employees said this about the office instead of holidays?! It probably doesn’t happen too often given that research shows 64 per cent of employees feel their work environments don’t empower them to perform at their best.1 How can we change this? 

    Workplace design and fit-out company Evoke Projects shares tips about creating a workplace where everybody wants to be.  

     

    Attracting people to the workplace

     

    So whom do you want to love your office? Perhaps it’s those employees who prefer to work at home and show reluctance for office days. You will also want your best workers to love the office rather than be tempted to look for a new one! In addition, it would be great if word spreads about your wonderful new office design to tempt new talent.  

    The last couple of years have seen employers struggle to get people back to the office. Workers feel they are just as productive at home, and they save money on commuting and workwear. Many of the same workers acknowledge that they miss the social and creative interaction from the office. If you create a place where people want to be, everybody is a winner. 

    Workplace design and fit-out has a major influence on how people feel in their work environment. It affects their physical and mental health, motivation and productivity. A positive workplace experience benefits employees and employers.  

    For employees who may be considering a new job, a change is as good as a rest, as they say. A new workplace fit-out will make them feel as if they’ve joined a new company. And the word soon spreads. “Have you heard about Company X? They have this amazing lounge for workers and an e-games room. Check out their Instagram!” Soon, you will have the pick of the talent. 

     

    Create a workplace with character

     

    WORKTECH Academy writes about a “flight to character”. They cite Amanda Stanaway, global head of user strategy at consulting firm ERA-co, who describes this as a “yearning to find meaning, purpose and authenticity” at work. While quality of the workplace design and fit-out is undoubtedly important, organisations are linking “storytelling, history and purpose to create ‘difference’ rather than perfection for the users of their work environments”.2 

     

    What do workers miss when WFH?

     

    Working from home has its benefits, but as mentioned earlier, people miss the buzz, collaboration, creativity and social interaction of the office. At home, the furniture and technology may not be as good as the workplace, and family noise may be distracting. Focus on what people miss about the office when brainstorming your workplace design and fit-out ideas. Give them a reason to want to come into the office with social events and perks they would miss at home.  

     

    Seven tips for a “wish you were here” workplace

     

    1. The commercial interior design team at Evoke Projects has listed (in no particular order) their top seven tips for creating a “wish you were here” workplace. 

    2. Biophilic design elements – help people feel close to nature with artwork, plants, natural light and calming spaces. 

    3. Instagrammable features – be talked about for all the right reasons. 

    4. Positive workplace culture – remember that the most prestigious office fit-out won’t fix a negative culture or values problem. 

    5. Create a well-place™ – cultivate an environment designed to enable people to ‘do well’, supporting physical and mental health while engaging and motivating staff to be their best and most productive selves. 

    6. Collaborative environment – design spaces for easy collaboration in small or large groups. Teamwork makes people feel a sense of belonging, which is important to the human psyche. 

    7. Home-style furniture – make the office feel like a home by including lounge furniture in the breakout spaces, soft furnishings and natural wood desks and cabinets. 

    8. Smart office – integrate technology into the workplace to improve the employee experience. Examples include hoteling systems for efficient desk-sharing, collaboration and file-sharing tools, subscriptions to health/wellness apps and online skills development and training. 

     

    For “wish you were here” workplace design and fit-out solutions, please call Evoke Projects on 1300 720 692.

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