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As people begin returning and spending more time in the office, employers have to make sure that the physical workspace keeps everyone engaged and productive. They not only need to create a company culture that is safe and supportive, but one that also aligns with the company’s purpose and values. 

In this blog post, we look at how you can design a workplace that effectively communicates your values to your team, clients and customers, and why this is important.

How your workplace design can communicate company values

Company values are more important than ever—they set the tone for how employees communicate with their clients and each other and more—but if they’re not communicated well, businesses won’t be able to realise the benefits they bring.

The office is not just a physical space to do work. It’s not just an area with walls, desks, rooms and windows. An office is a place where people can collaborate, socialise and share ideas, views and aspirations. And the actual design of your workplace can have a significant impact in creating a supportive, engaging and productive culture. 

Workplace design creates an environment that supports your brand and tells your story. Each design element can communicate to employees, clients and customers the core values that represent who you are as a company. 

Here are some steps to make your workplace design reflect company values.

1. Define your company values

The workplace design process doesn’t start with choosing the right colours, lighting or layout. It begins with defining and establishing your core values. This is an opportunity for your business to refocus on your mission as a company, determine your ‘why’, and review the values and principles that are essential for both management and staff.

This is a critical step in the process – and should not be skipped. It builds the foundation that guides the way forward. So, take the time to re-examine and define your company values before you start thinking about how to translate them into the physical workplace.

2. Design the workplace to reflect your values

When you have defined and established your core company values, it’s important to communicate them across the whole business. Conduct company-wide presentations and team workshops. Email your values to each employee, and have team managers lead the way in practising those values. 

One important aspect in this step of the process is to have a look around the office and review the physical workspace. Does your office interior design reflect your company values? If not, you’ve missed an important opportunity to communicate your values internally and externally.

Let’s take a set of example values and talk about how we could create a workspace to align and promote them. 

Company values: Empowerment, Real People, Innovation and Customer-Centric.

• Create a front of house area that is prominent and purposely designed to host clients and external visitors to ensure being customer-centric is clear to all. Continue on with this theme by choosing a higher level of finish and furnishing and mood lighting, artwork to emphasise the importance of visitors. More specifically, the choice and style of furnishings also need to portray the appropriate tone and language to anyone who visits your office, e.g. timber veneers and the use of a reasonable amount of glazing reinforces trust and transparency, but also may delineate front of house from back of house, assuring your clients that their IP protected when you work for them.
• Using seamless technology connections focuses on the values of customer-centric, innovation and making the design for real people. How does this work in practice? By designing a workplace where employees can drop into unbookable spaces to accommodate a client that has arrived unannounced and needs a quick meeting. The employee can book the space at the door of the room for 30 minutes with no fuss and hassle, making the experience great for the client. Need to connect to the AV and dial in a virtual team member? No problem. It’s all done at the touch of a button and intended to accommodate and facilitate the client’s needs empowering everyone to collaborate efficiently.
• Include ‘experience centres’ to address innovation and customer-centric needs by facilitating a curated experience for people. How? Design for creative sessions, change the lighting, allow writing and sticking onto all walls, use modular furniture and a variety of settings within a room to create a sense of innovation when combined with high tech solutions in lighting and VC/AV equipment.
• Include right-sized, placed and styled collaboration, entertainment and social spaces to empower employees to host client-centric meetings and workshops that treat everyone like real people.
• Design social spaces that accommodate employee activities – keeping it real for them in how they connect their support services, reinforcing that real people connect with their real needs being met. It might be as simple as a functional kitchen layout with enough recycling bins, sufficient microwaves placed correctly and free access to the filtered water tap without having to impede the packing of the dishwasher.
• Provide choice in work settings i.e. flexibility about when you are in the office to choose the most productive work setting in order to empower and enable customer-centric responses by cutting down response time.
• Include sufficient focus and quiet spaces – this again means real people are getting their real needs met and enables high performance.

3. Consider employee habits and work preferences

Building a values-based workplace and culture would not be successful without the input and support of your employees. Engage them in the workplace design process. Ask them what works, what doesn’t, if the workspace communicates the right mood or perception, and how to best implement any changes. It’s also important to consider work habits and how teams collaborate and work together. 

Designing the best physical space where employees feel comfortable and energised, can do wonders in enhancing work performance and productivity in the long run.

4. Partner with workplace design experts

Let’s face it – creating an environment that reflects your values would require a lot of time planning, coordinating and building. Consider working with workplace strategy and design experts to help you do the job properly and efficiently. Companies like Axiom can help you strategise, design and build a physical workspace that reflects your culture, communicates your core values, and improves staff well-being and performance.  

Why company values are important

Now that we’ve seen how to make your workplace design reflect company values, it’s essential to understand why your core values matter in the first place.

Your company values matter especially in these times of uncertainty and change. They build the foundation of your company culture and serve as a guiding force for both management and employees. Here are a few reasons why company values are important:

Values keep your business unique

Core values not only create the culture within the organisation but also stay consistent with the company’s overall identity. They help communicate the brand story and build on the ‘why’ of the business – why you do what you do, why you’re different from the competition, and why the company was established in the first place.

They unite staff with a common purpose

People want to be inspired. They want to know that their work contributes to something bigger than themselves. Company values can help create that bond between individuals and teams to work together to achieve common goals and fulfil a shared mission or purpose.

They drive team performance

When employees are working together for a common purpose, they feel more engaged with their work; more energised and motivated. Team productivity and performance, therefore, significantly improve. 

Want to learn more about creating the best workplace that reflects your company values? Read our Future of Work guide and see what’s in store for employees, employers and workplaces in 2021 and beyond.

It’s 2021, and the office’s role has changed. COVID-19 has accelerated the future of work and quickly evolved the way office spaces need to function. Workspaces are feeling more like safe, homely spaces, enticing employees back into the office environment.

Naturally, this sees some interesting trends emerge in workplace design: greenery and green credentials are increasingly important, designs are incorporating virtual connections more than ever before, the unpredictable environment is driving flexible, agile spaces that are ready for anything.

Let’s explore what these 2021 workspace design trends look like in practice.

Workplace design trend 1: Make it feel like home with resimercial design

Resimercial design mixes residential and commercial characteristics to create a workspace which feels ‘homely’. The trend began as the Millenial and Gen Z generations entered the workforce. They grew up with technology which enabled the notion of working anytime and anywhere and with that came new expectations around the workplace – comfort, convenience and warmth. Of course, the pandemic accelerated the trend as more and more people began working from home for a significant amount of time and now prefer certain creature comforts in the workplace too.

Done right, resimercial design introduces employees to natural daylight, freedom to choose where to sit and flexibility around where work is done. On a more surface level, expect to see more comfortable furnishings and decorative additions usually associated with the home such as soft furnishings, warm lighting, framed wall decor and a more domestic colour palette.

Professional office features are still critical; quiet spaces for deep work, private places for phone conversations, meeting rooms and practical lighting.

Workplace design trend 2: The greener the better

The humble office plant isn’t new, but in 2021 expect to see greenery taken to the next level as the focus on employee wellbeing continues to grow. Biophilic design isn’t just about a pot on a desk – although that’s a good start. It is about introducing nature more profoundly into internal and external design, to reconnect with nature and bring the outdoors in. Think living green walls, plant partitions (a more aesthetically pleasing take on the perspex screens which have almost become ubiquitous), indoor office gardens and even marine ‘gardens’, complete with fish, built into seating or breakout areas.

Nature is well known to boost mood, reduce anxiety and stress, and improve air quality, promoting employee health and wellbeing outcomes.

It’s not just about the plants though, green design goes further, extending to more sustainable office design. Employers and employees are more conscious than ever about their environmental impact. In 2021, expect to see more sustainable materials being used in office design and innovative solutions to encourage greener choices within the workplace.

Workplace design trend 3: Virtual first

Videoconferencing technology has played a vital role in the past year to facilitate connection and collaboration. While most offices have reopened in Australia, there have had to be concessions made with physical distancing and a general shift to more flexible ways of working. The physical workplace has had to adapt.

Expect to see:

• More screens (multiple in meeting rooms to patch in remote workers), cameras and microphones
• Smart interactive whiteboards for onsite and offsite collaboration
• Design that promotes good acoustics for effective conferencing
• Small and private designated video conferencing rooms

Workplace design trend 4: Focus on design as part of your employer brand

We’ve always believed that office space is an extension of your brand’s DNA. And in 2021, more and more companies are using their workplace’s design to strengthen their employer brand, and attract and retain top talent.

No longer are offices only seen by employees or those who make it to the recruitment process’s interview stage. Now workplaces are showcased across social media as Millenials and Gen Z share their offices on TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat. Add to this the screen time your office gets via webinars or how it is reviewed on sites like Glassdoor, and it’s clear that your workplace needs to put your brand’s best foot forward.

Every day we help businesses to leverage and showcase their employer brand through their office design – take a look at some examples.

Workplace design trend 5: Movable and modular furniture

In 2021, office design can’t afford to be stagnant or fixed. For it to be practical and responsive to evolving requirements, it needs to be flexible. Physical distancing, split shifts, and hybrid work arrangements have all magnified the growing need for more flexibility in the workplace.

Expect to see modular furniture that can be moved and adjusted to suit distancing requirements or new working patterns. Movable desks, chairs, partitions and walls, and even whole cubicles will make up the new flexible office design.

Want to look beyond 2021 in workspace design? Find out more wit the Future of Work: A Progressive Leaders Guide To Staying Ahead.

Considering that a person spends over 13 years of their life at work, it’s unsurprising that workplace design plays a key role in people’s happiness, satisfaction, health and wellbeing.

The routines, habits, and daily ebb and flow that your workspace enables are significant and perhaps more life-altering than you might think. This is why your office space needs to be about more than just ‘the work’, and also about creating a space where you are able to express your fullest self.

With all this at stake, it seems like engaging staff in the design of the workplace would be both obvious and simple to do. We know that when people have options and choices about how, where and when they work, they feel empowered and engaged. Which lends even further weight to the theory that engaging your whole business in your workplace design is singularly powerful.

Yet in many projects, a lack of buy-in from employees will result in project failure and a workspace which hampers satisfaction, efficiency and productivity instead of supporting it. On the other hand, a Steelcase survey linked employee-driven workplace design with increased productivity and high levels of employee engagement and satisfaction.

The survey found that it was not just involvement in the design of the physical workspace that kept employees content, it was also providing input on their working style—work schedules, privacy, processes and business decision-making.

So, how can you ensure your entire business, every employee, is engaged with your workplace design?

1. Start by educating them on the benefits of engagement with workplace design (hint: we’ve just talked about them above!)
2. Share the design process and actively seek feedback throughout—let your employees know exactly what they will get a say on.

Here are just some of the areas your employees can be asked for their opinion and feedback on:

Designing for a Strong Company Culture

Company culture is a set of beliefs, norms and values that represent the way a company does business. Disengaged employees, high staff turnover, poor customer relationships and smaller profits are all symptoms of poor company culture, whereas a strong and healthy company culture will improve a business’s overall performance.

Engage your employees in defining your company culture by working with them on:

• Vision and values
• How your business is managed—the systems, structure, procedures and goals
• Policies—code of conduct, dress code, etc
• Workplace processes—training and development, onboarding, benefits, etc
• People—the qualities of people you hire
• Physical work environment
• Communication and collaboration—how, when and how frequently

Boost Productivity Through Design

Check-in with your team to find out how, where and when they are most productive and, most importantly, how your workplace design can facilitate this.

Some examples:

• Quiet distraction-free zones—while some employees love the hum of the open-plan office, others need quiet space to concentrate or at least the option available to them for certain kinds of work.
• Indoor greenery and nature—workplaces incorporating plants are likely to be happier, more productive workplaces.
• Co-working—a third-party managed and fully serviced co-working space is an option that is gaining popularity.
• Breakout areas—kitchens or other casual breakout areas are great options for employees looking for a collaborative and creative space to work in.

Employee wellbeing Through Better Design

Start a conversation with employees at your company about how their wellbeing can be supported by the business. While perks like bean bags and an on-site massage therapist sound great, it might be that what your workers really need is the flexibility to pick the kids up from school twice a week, or their manager supporting them to take their lunch break away from their desk.

Consider:

• Activity-based working—there are many wellbeing benefits of a workplace created with activity-based working principles.
• Active design—as the name suggests, active design encourages more activity, eg. including strategically placed staircases, sit-stand desks, etc.

Engaging your employees and discovering their motivations and unique working styles as a part of your overall workplace strategy and workplace design will not only ensure buy-in, but also a more satisfied and productive workforce into the future.

Wondering how your workplace strategy fits in with digital transformation? Download our Digital Transformation – the role of workplace strategy whitepaper to explore how workplace design influences digital transformation across the key areas of talent, diversity, innovation and technology.

Axiom Workplaces combine your commercial fitout goals with our experience and expertise in evidence-based office design to create a thriving workplace for you and your workforce.

Did you know mental illness is the leading cause of sickness absence and long-term work incapacity in Australia? Given that our work plays such a significant role in our lives—we do spend most of our working weekday hours there—it’s crucial we acknowledge its impact on our mental health and wellbeing just as much as we do on the physical side. Aside from reducing absenteeism, focusing on workplace wellness helps employees to feel healthy and valued at work, enabling them to perform their best. Additionally, a healthier workspace attracts new talent and leads to greater retention.

In recent years, there has been significant talk about the benefits of workplace design, which includes activity-based working (ABW) or agile working. But in this post, we will specifically be exploring how ABW can affect employee wellbeing—both mentally and physically. Let’s start with a definition.

What is activity-based working?

Activity-based working understands that employees undertake a variety of activities in their everyday work and therefore require different work settings, supported by the appropriate technology, to perform these tasks efficiently and productively. ABW is about creating spaces to meet the needs of individuals and teams, with an emphasis on empowering employees to make decisions which allow them to work at their full potential.

The wellness benefits of activity-based working

There are many wellbeing advantages of a workplace designed with activity-based working principles:

Sense of agency = happiness

The flexibility of an ABW workspace allows individual working styles to be taken into consideration. Employees are able to choose the space best suited to both their task, their style of working and their mood. Naturally, this licence to choose is linked to a feeling of agency or control for the employee, which is essential to a workplace focused on employee wellbeing.

Work/life balance

A key pillar of ABW is flexibility for employees. They are enabled to choose where and when they work according to their individual working style, preferences, patterns and productivity cadences. As more and more employees prioritise a healthy work/life balance, this flexibility is both attractive and significant to their overall wellbeing.

Healthy eating behaviours

A feature of many ABW workplaces is a communal break out area or eating hub for employees to dine and socialise with colleagues. Paired with a policy of discouraging eating at one’s desk, studies have found ABW encourages healthier eating and increased movement.

Collaboration and networking

Businesses and individuals increasingly understand the significance of interaction and collaboration between employees, and are looking for ways to facilitate strong connections between coworkers. ABW supports employees to work collaboratively through enhanced opportunities for formal and informal knowledge transfer and networking. And while collaboration is good for business, it’s also important for employee wellbeing. Research shows teamwork makes people smarter, more creative, and more successful—and who doesn’t want that?

Aside from the business and productivity benefits of working in a team, having friends at work boosts mood and morale, providing emotional and psychological support to ensure employees are resilient and ready for the challenges of the workplace.

Work the way that works

As we’ve already mentioned, a trademark of activity-based working is the flexibility for employees to choose when and where they get their work done. Unlike traditional one-size-fits-all workplaces, an ABW approach takes into account different personalities, habits, associations, styles and patterns of working. This is especially essential for supporting mental health in what can often be a challenging and stressful space.

An attractive workplace

While salary and benefits aren’t off the radar for younger generations, it does appear that millennials prioritise things like work/life balance and a sense of purpose or meaning in their work. With this focus on workplace wellness, it’s clear that a workspace with variations and choice in the work environment is an attractive option for the next generation of workers.

The wellness downfalls of activity-based working

Installing hot desks or knocking down cubicle walls is not enough to reap the workplace wellness benefits of ABW. This approach requires careful consideration and customisation to ensure that a company’s culture and style of working is reflected. It requires the support and buy-in of all levels of the business—from the C-Suite to the student doing work experience.

Important elements to consider when creating a fluid workplace design include:

• quiet spaces where employees can work distraction-free when required;
• making employees feel connected and ‘at home’ even without a permanent desk, such as encouraging opportunities for social interactions.

The bottom line

No matter the workplace strategy, there will be impacts on workforce wellness. However, designing a workplace that meets your business’ future vision and requirements, instead of focusing on what’s cool and trendy, will always result in better outcomes. ABW is a flexible and dynamic style of working which will support your employees to do their best work and encourage a culture of workplace wellness.

Key takeaways about activity-based working:

• One size does not fit all and operating as if it does will be detrimental to your employees’ wellbeing.
• One in, all in. Employees need to feel supported in their working practices, otherwise they can easily sink back into old habits.
• ABW offers flexibility and support which encourages a healthier workforce, both mentally and physically.
• ABW can offer a highly productive and healthy office environment when aligned with the overall business culture.
• ABW as a workplace strategy will only succeed if it meets your business needs.

Want more? In this deep-dive white paper, Axiom explores how workplace design influences digital transformation across the key areas of talent, diversity, innovation and technology. We look at the steps to achieving your own digital transformation and we emphasise the importance of having an ongoing workplace strategy as you move forward.