The office isn’t the problem – Poor workspace design is
There is a debate going on in Finland about two closely related questions: Should we shorten working hours? And how much time should employees spend in the office versus working remotely? In both debates, opinions tend to fall into familiar camps, those highlighting employee well-being and those worried about productivity.
Yet both conversations overlook a more fundamental question.
People are not more productive simply because they work in an office. Nor do offices inherently exhaust people. Poorly designed work environments do.
The nature of work has changed permanently. During a single workday, employees are expected to switch seamlessly between deep concentration, video meetings, rapid decision-making, and collaboration. For many, the workday has become a minute-by-minute marathon, moving from one topic and meeting to the next without time to recover.
The greatest source of mental strain is constant interruptions. A conversation nearby. A phone ringing. Someone walking past. Another notification. Each interruption disrupts concentration and forces the brain to restart. When this happens dozens of times a day, the consequences become visible in both productivity and employee well-being.
This is not simply a workplace well-being issue – it is a business issue.
If the workday is fragmented and mentally demanding, shortening working hours alone will not address the root cause of the problem. What matters is how the workday is designed. To enable people to perform at their best, both the work itself and the work environment must be carefully planned.
A well-designed work environment can significantly reduce cognitive load. It provides clearly defined areas for focused work, collaboration, and privacy. Acoustics, visual shielding, and thoughtful spatial design all have a direct impact on the number of interruptions employees experience throughout the day.
However, the physical environment alone is not enough. Organizations also need shared ways of working: clear guidelines on where video meetings should be held, where quiet work is expected, and how different spaces are intended to be used.
The workplace is one of an organization's most powerful management tools. It directly influences how smoothly work gets done, how employees experience their work, and how well they are able to sustain their performance over time. When people have the space to concentrate and work without constant disruption, both productivity and well-being improve.
Jaana von Bell
Jaana von Bell is a Concept Manager for Workspaces and Customer Solutions at Technopolis. Her work focuses on workplace environments that support both employee wellbeing and organizational goals. Jaana specializes in workplace development and believes that, at its best, a well-designed office can enhance employee satisfaction, collaboration, and productivity.