Many factors in daily work life affect creativity and productivity. These factors may be the person's daily emotional ups and downs, environmental factors, relationships with colleagues, the person's health condition, or the interior spatial features where work takes place. Whether it's creative or ordinary office work, Gensler's research shows that a well-designed office has the potential to increase employee productivity and creativity by 20%.
There are many methods that can change the character of spaces to increase employee productivity. However, which of these will be chosen to implement methods that will increase working efficiency and performance in workplaces is another important factor.
In this case, it is necessary to talk about the effects of office designs and the spaces created by design studies on employee productivity and work performance of employees, and the basic ideas and practices that can be integrated into offices so that the company has a more productive and ergonomic ecosystem.
When you decide to rent a new office, you start thinking about the renovation of your office and I'm sure, like everyone else, you draw some sketches and imagine how the new office should be, how many desks you want, how charing the meeting rooms should be, and a stylish reception area is as well. However, whether it is a refurbishment project for your current office or office relocating after a renovation to a new location, it is beneficial for you to learn the following information and definitely work with an interior architecture firm that is an expert on the subject. As Kapeti Interior Design, we can help you carry out both design and renovation works from a single source for your London and all around England workspace projects.
Office Design - Layout
In recent years, a lot of design and design research has been carried out to increase working efficiency in workplaces. Trends are constantly changing due to developing technology and increasing knowledge.
Traditional office habits and office designs; Nowadays, they are increasingly being replaced by open office spaces. It has been observed that the open plan layout in offices increases communication and collaboration in the work environment and positively affects the health and motivation of employees. However, this may not be valid for every office and every way of working. It seems that forcing employees to carry out all their work activities, including individual work, team work, customer meetings and meetings, in a single area may cause losses in employee motivation and work efficiency.
Tasks that require attention and silence in the office, such as text or e-mail writing; It can be affected by the disturbance caused by other sounds created by the natural atmosphere of the open office. Likewise, the constant movement in workplaces and the transitions between images it causes can affect the concentration of employees.
In this regard, when designing an open office, it becomes important to take the needs of workplaces as a basis and develop a workspace design according to the business subject.
The choice of colors and materials used in offices stands out as another important factor in terms of employee productivity and psychology. As it is known, colors and materials; They are of great importance in determining productivity and mood in places where more than one person interacts, such as offices, workplaces, factory areas, clinics, schools, educational institutions and other commercial spaces. Correctly used harmonious color choices encourage mental control and the clear and creative thinking it brings. Bright colors (shades of red, blue, green, etc.) are associated with high concentration and absolute accuracy of the work done. The color blue is calming and cooling.
In order to achieve small increases in employee performance in companies, many departments such as human resources, marketing and administrative affairs spend intense hours, causing the company to allocate intense time and budgets to increase performance. In addition to all these requirements, a well-designed energy-boosting area that includes the necessary equipment can create similar effects with lower budgets. It is also necessary to have well-organized workspaces for optimum productivity and to accomplish tasks effectively.
Zones
Creating different work areas when designing an office will be beneficial for employee productivity. For example, personal work areas, executive rooms, lobbies, secretary rooms, waiting rooms, meeting rooms, conference rooms, small meeting rooms, archive areas, technical rooms, kitchens and in-office snack areas, recreation rooms and dining rooms, etc. The rooms described above are not available for all businesses. Each sector has its own dynamics and operating scenario. Working in new environments with different views helps our brains stay focused; This is a valuable way for employees to stay productive.
When we work on an office renovation project as Kapeti Interior Architecture, we distinguish zones especially after interviews with the employees of that company's previous office. Sometimes the zones determined by HR and the interior spatial solutions required by the real operation of the business may not completely match. That's why field research is always best for a good design.
The Link Between Office Lighting and Productivity
Recent studies have shown a significant connection between office lighting and productivity. Research shows that 68 percent of employees are dissatisfied with office lighting. But a larger population may not even be aware of whether the light affects them. The connection between depression, creativity and overall productivity is very important in the work atmosphere, which is determined by lighting and changes greatly.
According to the Kapeti Interior Architecture design team, the design work that spends the most time and calculations when designing a new interior is; It is the determination of the light ratios that can meet the changing lighting needs of the areas of the space according to the needs of those areas. Most of human life is spent in workplaces. Determining the office lighting and lighting levels used in workplaces is too important to be left to people who are not experts on the subject. In today's corporate life, in newly built or renovated offices, lighting elements inspired by or directly copied from another project implemented in other exemplary offices can, unfortunately, sometimes even have negative effects on the mental health of employees. Even in designs, there are serious differences between the simulation results obtained by rendering (3D visualization) and the application. Architects and interior designers who do not have sufficient technical knowledge and calculation experience about lighting may make light calculation errors that are not visible in three-dimensional visualizations on paper. In practical the light levels used in lighting elements are the ones that require the least budget and time in projects; It seems that it is determined by people generally called electrical engineers during the application or sometimes it is determined by landlords who really has no knowledge about work itself. While the engineers who carry out the work carry out projects to the best of their knowledge, product suppliers aim to sell many products rather than the compatibility of their products with workplaces. It is very important for structural areas to have as much natural light as possible. It is necessary to transform workplaces from white/grey spaces in traditional cubic forms into attractive spaces that increase employee performance and motivation and contain the conditions of a healthy ecosystem. One of the best advantages of working with an architectural firm is that they can do all these fine calculations that are seen as simple details, pay attention to lighting.
Room Temperature/Odors
Room temperatures and room odors are other important issues for office ecosystems. It is estimated that most offices maintain room temperatures at 18-19 °C. Although this is not bad, it cannot be said to be very good in terms of efficiency. The standard temperature set by the World Health Organization for the living room of a house is 21 degrees. The organization considers 18 degrees appropriate for other rooms.
According to research, those who work in environments above 18 °C are more productive. It is necessary to keep room temperatures adequate for employees.
Every person has different scent preferences, which can affect their mood and peace of mind. Unpleasant room odors can disrupt employee productivity. Considering the relationship of receptors in the nose to the brain, it is important to have odor-free air that contains as few chemicals as possible.
Noise Level and Air Quality
Noise and sound pollution are common problems in many workplaces. Sometimes it enables productivity to emerge, and sometimes it has the opposite effect. This varies depending on personal preferences and the nature of the work done. The important thing here is to ensure that people can distance themselves from the noise by giving them access, when necessary, to a room that has a door and where outside noise cannot be heard.
On the other hand, air quality has a direct impact on office productivity. Poor quality air often leads to work inefficiency and sick leave that employees request. Using an air filter would be the right choice for employee health and efficiency. Natural fresh air coming from windows opened at regular intervals will also help increase the productivity of office workers.
It can also be seen as an important aid to keeping plants in offices to help filter the air and provide clean, purified oxygen.
Technology Shapes the Design of Your Office
Simple advancements in technology improve employee mood and engagement with office work, while also making it easier for employees to communicate and interact within the company. For example ; Movable windows or movable shutters can be used to make the most of daylight and air flow and to provide maximum heat control. Likewise, music in the office and online games that increase the interactive interaction of employees can be seen as positive effects that technology can provide.
Refreshment
Who doesn't get hungry at work? Certainly, it will be difficult for employees to focus on work for long periods of time without refreshing themselves. Some companies offer tea or coffee to their employees at certain times of the day to refresh themselves during the day and keep their concentration alive. Adapting spaces to intense interaction and relaxation areas through design works increases employee motivation and energy in workplaces. In order not to go hungry and lose energy during working hours, it is also important for employees to bring their own food, and to include publicly accessible storage and cooling areas in the designs for easy access and storage of these foods.
As Kapeti, while carrying out your renovation or relocation project, we focus on the things that will positively affect the employee psychology and working efficiency mentioned above. Please do not hesitate to contact us regarding your project, let's discuss together what we can do and let us carry out the design and implementation of your project in the most appropriate way, as Turnkey, from a single source. To get an offer, just send an email to design@kapeti.com briefly telling about your project.
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