Space can serve as a tool in the new working culture

Building a sense of community is one of the most important roles of an office, and this role has become more and more pronounced lately. The office of today must offer high-quality, diverse, functional, and flexible spaces that are designed to support the needs of contemporary employees and where clear practices create a basis for collaboration and a functional corporate culture.

The workplace has become a place where people come to meet and socialize with their colleagues. In other words, a functional workspace has become an important building block of a good corporate culture. At the same time, the need for spaces optimized for remote and hybrid meetings is increasing and, for example, meeting rooms should be designed to ensure that remote users are on an equal footing with in-room participants.

Some employees come to the office to find a space that supports concentration if they cannot find quiet spaces in remote work. Listening to the employees and involving them in the office transformation are good ways of finding the best solutions that meet different needs.

Working and different work methods have changed radically over the last 1.5 years, and they continue to change. Listen, develop, and understand are key words every company that wants to create attractive, functional, and comfortable premises should remember.

We all have our unique needs at work but, at the end of the day, our fundamental work-related needs are fairly similar. Everyone makes phone calls, does brainwork, and needs to concentrate. To that end, companies need different workstations to support productivity. Most employees also need to hold meetings, both face-to-face and remotely, and meet customers – some often and some seldom.

Humans are inherently social, but we also need random conversations, encounters and interaction with other members of the work community to feel connected. The workday should also include time for recovery and recreation. These are some of the work-related needs we all have, but their importance varies by job type.

Companies must learn to identify these needs in their work community and employees to create a functional work environment that serves everybody’s needs and promotes efficient and productive work.

"At Technopolis, we know how to identify these needs, and we can help your company to create an attractive work environment that improves the wellbeing of personnel and supports employee satisfaction, efficiency and productivity,” Jaana points out.

Collaboration depends not only on the people, but also on the relationships between them. How can companies build and maintain a sense of community among people who do not work together? Learning new practices takes time and adaptation. Creating functional premises is not enough, it is equally important to establish shared rules and practices for each space.

A diverse and flexible activity-based office places great value on interaction and social encounters, teamwork and team spirit, and innovations and networks. Information flows more easily, and the ergonomic solutions support work, concentration and wellbeing. The office should be efficient but cozy and support wellbeing.

No space can be functional if people do not know how to use it. Everyone knows that library reading rooms are intended for quiet work and talking is allowed in places such as shops. The same applies to work environments: different spaces need clear, commonly agreed rules and practices to serve their purpose. Change requires adaptation and commitment, also at the emotional level, and it takes time and patience.