New working methods and offices: three avenues for adaptation
From evolving work methods to new employee demands, offices need to adapt to ensure well-being and satisfaction, thereby maximizing productivity. Numerous solutions exist, often simple to implement. Here are three areas for improvement.
Lighting and houseplants: when “little details” make all the difference
It’s no secret that houseplants offer numerous benefits . They promote concentration and boost motivation . By adding greenery to your workspace, you positively impact several factors: reducing neuropsychological symptoms, lowering stress levels, improving air quality, absorbing noise and sound pollution, and stimulating creativity. Furthermore, simply caring for a plant can help create an emotional connection with the office and make it feel like a personal living space.
The second easy aspect to change to improve the quality of life in the office concerns lighting . LEDs have arrived to replace traditional fluorescent tube ceiling lights, which already represents an improvement, as the lighting levels are a little closer to those recommended by the AFE (French Lighting Association).
But that’s not enough. If we want to boost productivity, some light fixtures are also designed to stimulate our bodies and recreate the natural cycle of a day spent outdoors, by providing the best possible light quality. Furthermore, depending on employees’ activities and the time spent in front of screens, the amount of light must be adjusted (too much is no better than too little), favouring low-glare fixtures that don’t cause glare or distort the colours of illuminated surfaces. Ideally, a mix of direct (10-20%) and indirect (80-90%) lighting is generally used to create a lighting environment and intensity conducive to working on screens.
Workspace, living space, collaborative space
More than just a workplace, today’s employees demand a space conducive to collaboration, with greater flexibility and autonomy. Therefore, office design must be a deliberate process, involving key stakeholders. Trends come and go, but the impact of space on employee well-being remains constant.
To foster collaboration, it’s essential to first ensure smooth movement, particularly by avoiding overly crowded spaces. Next, a balance must be struck between open-plan offices and closed offices. This means combining open spaces without partitions with enclosed areas such as small individual booths for phone calls or focused work, meeting rooms, and so on.
Furthermore, it’s essential to include common relaxation areas and/or a cafeteria/canteen space. This is particularly important to clearly distinguish between common areas and workspaces. It remains an excellent way to foster collaboration, often at a low cost and promoting well-being.
Finally, a little tip: if you’re short on space, large communal tables can be a suitable solution. They encourage collaboration, allow for group work, and facilitate exchanges and discussions.
Noise in open-plan offices is not inevitable
Open-plan workspaces also require attention to acoustics. Developing a company-wide noise management policy is therefore essential . This translates into implementing simple rules such as respecting silence, using moderate voice volume, putting phones on vibrate, and taking personal calls outside the office. These can be a good starting point for reducing noise in open-plan offices and promoting concentration for everyone.
But that’s not enough. You also need to adapt your premises to noise management, in particular by implementing acoustic solutions such as partition walls, acoustic privacy panels, wall tiles, etc.
There are many solutions for improving well-being in the office, and they can be implemented gradually. For this reason, it is often wise to consult a professional specializing in office design and acoustics , who can determine the most suitable solution for each specific issue and space.
