August 2, 2018 by

Design News You Can Use—Workplace Makeover

Looking for a major dose of news you can use? In this edition of Design News You Can Use, Workplace Strategist Joelle Jach explores emotions in the workplace, the decline of the Ping-Pong table and how to support your employees.

Try again: Companies are often likely to try anything from beanbag chairs to nap pods to attract, engage and retain employees. But according to a recent LinkedIn survey, employees really care about benefits like insurance and paid leave – not so much the Ping-Pong table.

Culture club: A truly successful workplace relies only partly on the physical environment. Company culture and office operations also play a big role in employee engagement and satisfaction. Developing organizational culture takes time, and efforts to drive culture must be paired with positive behavior to truly engage employees.

Leave me alone: Social interaction is a huge component of the workplace, and open-plan offices were designed to capitalize on social interactions to promote collegiality and collaboration. But according to a recent paper, being out in the open can encourage withdrawal and decreased social interaction.

People, person: The workplace has an important responsibility to support its workers, and this means more than making people happy. While design can create beautiful aesthetics, a workplace that supports its people has impacts on productivity, financial metrics, and organizational morale.

Get out: Since working outside can have big productivity benefits, outdoor retailer L.L. Bean is providing trendy outdoor workspaces (complete with power and Wi-Fi) for employees in need of some Vitamin D. What are you waiting for? It’s time to use your outside voice!

All the feels: Professionalism is often equated to stoicism, and strong emotions are viewed as detrimental to success. But is emotion really that bad in the workplace? A recent study seems to think so – the study revealed that displays of emotion hurt applicants’ chances of getting hired or promoted.

Home rule: While it’s nice to have the option to work from home occasionally, it comes with its own set of challenges. Believe it or not, it can sometimes be tough to stay productive and avoid distractions when you’re working from the couch!

Think again: In theory, the open office has plenty of benefits – flexibility, mobility, and – most of all – collaboration. But a recent study found that the open office’s collaborative edge may be just a myth – in fact, open offices may be a threat to idea-sharing, due in large part to increased noise levels.

Stay awhile: Environments in every sector are paying attention to experience-based design and amenities a-plenty. As offices boast amenities like childcare, fitness and dining, today’s average workplace is starting to look more like a luxury hotel than your run-of-the-mill office block.

Can you see my screen?: Technology can be a great productivity enabler, but it’s often the sticking point in a truly successful workplace. Is there more to the story than simple frustration? A recent survey found that tech problems can cause significant productivity losses, highlighting the importance of effective technology in the workplace.