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Office Design

Perceived Privacy in the Office

It’s not exactly breaking news to say that the physical office environment has a direct impact on employee satisfaction. And the trend towards open office plans in general has had a negative effect on satisfaction levels in many cases. Employers may feel that they’ve taken reasonable steps to ensure privacy, but as the old marketing maxim says, “Perception is reality.” In other words, if employees think they lack privacy, that is the reality for the leadership of that particular company.

That in a nutshell explains “perceived privacy:” the level of privacy in a work environment really is determined by the opinions of those who work in it. Given the negative effects of environmental stress on employees, this is a real issue for employers.

The two main concerns in workplace privacy are visual privacy (“Are people watching what I’m doing?”) and acoustic privacy (“Are people eavesdropping on my conversations?”).

A European study of several hundred employees at more than two dozen companies of various sizes revealed that the workers expressing the highest satisfaction with their physical environment were those working in cell-offices. That’s no surprise, since “cell-office” translates to a traditional space with permanent walls and doors.

Among those working in shared office spaces, the employees in flexible spaces were happier overall than those in open floor plans. Again, no surprises there, since the concept of a flex office is all about converting the space to current needs, including those that require privacy.

A flexible office plan really offers the best of both worlds, and the advantages of both the traditional cell-office and the open office. The ability to reconfigure space as needed, quickly and easily, offers privacy when it’s needed and an environment that’s more conducive to teamwork when that’s called for.

Questions about planning flexible space for your office? Contact Douron

Sharing Spaces: The Boom in Coworking Environments

One of the great benefits of the amazing advances in technology over the last couple of decades has been the ability for many of us to work from anywhere. This has led not only to traditional office personnel working from home, but has fueled the rise of the “gig economy” and entrepreneurs able to conduct business anywhere with a Wi-Fi connection (which is why you can’t get a seat at Starbucks, but that’s a different topic).

The downside of that newfound freedom has been the loss of some degree of human interaction and engagement. It’s great that we can connect from anywhere, but on some level we have to connect with other human beings as well.

Enter the shared workspace or, more commonly, the coworking space. Coworking spaces are typically suites, and sometimes entire buildings, that feature individual offices for lease by unrelated businesses. Usually the individual offices are accompanied by open-plan, shared work areas, and often there are conference rooms available for tenants as well. Some arrangements even feature a common receptionist/admin person to greet visitors, schedule appointments for tenants and so on.

There are solid reasons for this blossoming trend: a Harvard Business Review article notes that people who belong to shared work environments thrive at a higher level than those in traditional offices, and find their work more meaningful as well.

While shared workspaces can give the solo entrepreneur an air of credibility in the form of a physical space and a mailing address (besides that Starbucks location), they’re often used by employees of traditional firms who need a remote location, maybe on the other side of town from the home office. And one of the reasons people thrive is because of an environment where they can interact with others who aren’t competing for the same clients or the next promotion. Collaboration and sharing of ideas happen organically, especially if the design is conducive to that.

For that reason, the design of a successful coworking space should put a great deal of emphasis on the common areas to make them inviting and engaging. After all, collaboration is much more likely if tenants can flop down for a few minutes and compare notes. It’s not unusual to see everything from beanbags to sofas to stand-up tables and desks in well-designed coworking environments. The resimercial furniture trend is tailor-made to work well in shared spaces.

Interested in design ideas for a shared or coworking space? Contact the design experts at Douron.

Biophilic Design: What is it and Why is it Popular?

You may or may not have heard the term, “biophilic design,” but you’ve probably seen it without knowing its name. And you’re likely to see more biophilic spaces in the future.

So what is biophilic design? Wikipedia defines it this way:

Biophilic design is a concept used within the building industry to increase occupant connectivity to the natural environment through the use of direct nature, indirect nature, and space and place conditions.

To that we would add, “Not just the building industry but interior design as well.”

The theory behind biophilic design is that as the world becomes more urbanized it’s more and more important that we stay connected to the outdoors, and proponents of the trend point out some very real benefits. The term itself is several decades old and translates to “love of life or living systems,” the idea being that we all subconsciously need to connect with other living things.

In real terms as it applies to commercial design, that means any number of things, but think lots of wood, plants as an architectural feature, indoor waterfalls and so forth. Definitions vary as to exactly what does and does not constitute biophilic design, but consider this: an atrium with full-size trees and waterfalls, simulating an exterior setting, is definitely biophilic. A ficus tree in your cubicle, not so much.

And there’s a huge middle ground, of course, but however you define it, there’s a marked trend towards bringing the outdoors to indoor spaces.

Why? Well, if you’ve ever gone for a hike in the woods to clear your mind, or if you’re a camping enthusiast, you understand the positive effects being in the outdoors can have on your psyche. In a commercial setting, proper use of biophilic elements translates to reduced stress, improved cognitive function, better moods and greater creativity. And any business could use some of that, right?

Does that mean you have to tear up your whole building and plant a forest in the lobby? No (although that would be pretty cool!). There are many ways, large and small, to incorporate biophilic design elements into the workplace.

Want to know more? Contact our design professionals.

Baby Got Backless…Seating

By now you’ve heard the phrase “sitting is the new smoking,” and you’ve probably seen more than a few people using stand-up desks in an effort to improve their posture and overall health. All of that is great, but the reality is that for many of us, standing up for a full workday isn’t practical. Long hours in a standing position can also lead to lower back pain and even leg or foot issues.

So is there a compromise between standing up and sitting like a lump in your office chair? There is, and it’s called backless seating. The name is self-explanatory, and the idea is to stop letting the back of your office chair do the work your core muscles are supposed to be doing. Perhaps you’ve seen one or more adventurous co-workers using an exercise ball as a chair … same idea here, but with a lower risk of falling off (exercise balls have fallen out of favor as seating options in any event as experts have determined that they may actually place additional pressure on the spine).

Probably the most common form factor for backless seating is the saddle stool. Picture the thing your doctor or dentist scoots around on sometimes and you’ll get the idea. Most have wheels, some don’t, and many will adjust from a standard desk height to more of a barstool elevation.

There are a number of benefits: the saddle shape of the seat is designed to encourage a forward tilt in your pelvis, which in turn maintains the natural lumbar curve of the spine. The inability to lean back keeps your core engaged, and the wheels on most stools keep you from slouching forward, because if you lean too far you’ll suddenly find you don’t have a stool beneath you anymore.

Like stand-up desks, you’ll probably find you don’t want to go backless for eight hours at a time, especially right off the bat. Your muscles will need time to adjust, and you may find spending a full day on a backless seat uncomfortable.

In any event, the ideal solution is a combination of positions: sitting, standing and perhaps most importantly, moving around the office on a regular basis, all have a place in your workday and should be used in combination. For the sitting portions of your day, though, consider going backless.

Five Overlooked Areas When Designing Office Space

Office Space Design

When designing a new office space, it can be exciting and frustrating at the same time. There are plans, budgets, and purchases to make, and it seems there’s always one thing that’s forgotten.

Office design is important to the health of any business, as you’re creating a space where employees will spend a majority of their time. Douron can help you with all your office design needs. Contact us for an appointment with a design consultant.

There are things one would normally consider when buying office furniture, such as costs and budget. However, there are other things to consider when making such vital purchases, including:

Functionality and Flexibility

See if the desks you’re buying have drawers for file storage. The more versatile your furniture, the more you’re getting out of your investment. Also, check that your employees will be comfortable at their new desks.

Size

New furniture may look nice, but if it’s too big for the space, it’s useless. Work spaces should allow for fluid traffic and movement.

Aesthetic Value and Your Brand’s Identity

Smart office design can lighten the mood, ease stress, and increase productivity. Color psychology can help produce the right atmosphere, which may depend on your industry and what atmosphere you want to create for your clients. Find inspiration from logo colors or business cards to create continuity in your brand identity.

Wish list

There are some pieces of furniture that would be nice but often don’t make the budget. Regardless, consider the wish list as you create the place where employees will spend the majority of their time. Eating areas, brainstorming centers, research libraries, or recreation rooms for clients may help create a productive office atmosphere.

Cleanliness

Furniture must be thoroughly sanitized before bringing it into the office. Whether it came from a second-hand store or was purchased new, it must be clean before going into the work space. Clean furniture helps maintain a cleaner, healthier working environment, which leads to fewer employee absences from sickness.

The experts at Douron are ready to help you create your ultimate work atmosphere. Contact us to schedule an appointment.

Moving Walls: A Better Choice for Office Flexibility

If you want to maximize space and be more cost-effective, consider movable walls instead of renting a larger space. This solution can provide the space you need without the cost of relocating your business or renovating your current office.

Benefits of Movable Office Walls

There are many benefits to being able to move walls within your work space. Here are a few examples:

  • Simple installation
  • Relocation flexibility
  • Cost-effective
  • Versatile
  • Sustainable

All of these perks are things business owners need to make a company more efficient. Rearranging walls to create a new space is something that was unheard of a few years ago. Now you have to ability to set up a new work space in just a few days.

You can use movable walls to create conference rooms, offices, and work spaces. They’re versatile and easy to install. Movable walls give you privacy but can be moved, changed, or taken away quickly and easily if necessary. If these are things you want for your business, contact us to discuss your options.

Relocating your business can be expensive. Movable walls are a cost-effective alternative, which makes them very appealing to companies looking to grow their enterprises without relocating or renovating. Many companies renovate their office space and have traditional walls put in to create rooms and spaces. But adding traditional walls to an office space can cut into a company’s bottom line since it takes so long to install them. Traditional walls are also labor intensive, which costs more.

Lastly, traditional walls limit your options, since they’re fixed in one position. You can’t move them to create a new space without hiring someone to tear down one wall and install another. You want your office space to work for your business, not against it. Movable walls give your business the flexibility it needs to grow faster without worrying about moving.

Creating a space that can be easily redesigned when needed is invaluable to a growing company. Let Douron help you with your office space needs. Contact us today for more information on movable walls and how they can help your business.

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