Creative believes in the power of good design to uplift and inspire people to do their best work. Here are three ways that good design can positively impact your workday.
Good design makes people feel good about coming to work.
According to a recent LinkedIn survey, 80 percent of professionals experience Sunday Scaries – the feeling of anxiety or dread about returning to work on Monday. This epidemic of stress and worry robs workers of weekend relaxation and rejuvenation. Good workplace design can’t resolve all the factors that contribute to this problem, but it can help.
A recent article written by Gensler suggests that workplaces that prioritize healthy social interaction, autonomy, and self-care reduce worker stress and anxiety. Steelcase research shows that good design and workplace satisfaction contribute to stronger engagement and a healthier connection to the culture of an organization. By introducing spaces designed to reduce stress and anxiety, we can help people feel better about coming to work.
Good design helps people do their best thinking.
Many people believe that they can be more productive when working from home because they have better control over workplace distractions. While we believe that working from home is an essential part of the modern workplace, we know that there are some potential downsides: isolation, cultural disconnect, and challenges in disconnecting.
There’s good news. Through good, human-centered design, the workplace can be a great place to focus and get things done. By designing the environment to manage and mitigate distractions – both visual and auditory – we can help our brains to be focused, inspired, and rejuvenated throughout the day.
Good design supports healthy workplace relationships.
There’s a lot of research (including this Gallop study) that supports the importance of having a best friend at work. When people have a best friend at work, they tend to look forward to being in the office and feel more connected to their organization’s mission. Relationships at work are inevitable, but not always positive and constructive. How might we design the workplace to support healthy, positive social connections?
Designing spaces that support daily rituals is a good place to start. Many great ideas – and great friendships – start with a cup of coffee and a casual conversation. Create the coffee shop buzz in your own workplace by creating magnetic café spaces that draw people in and together. And don’t forget to provide great coffee and snacks!
We’re here to help.
Creative’s team of workplace design consultants is here to help you succeed. We work with clients of all types and budgets to develop design strategies aimed at creating great places to work. Reach out today to schedule a complementary Workplace Review to learn more about how your current workplace is performing, and how to unlock the potential of your space.