Tag : workplace design

Last week, we reviewed 70-80 years of history about workplace seating arrangements. We ended up with a quick look at the cubicle—now one of the most disparaged pieces of office furniture ever. However, when it was first introduced the cubicle enjoyed a positive reception. There’s a perception today that cubicles replaced private offices and companies need to go back to having private offices for everyone. The fact is that cubes were the closest thing a traditional low-level “bullpen” employee would ever get to an office. According to designer Douglas Ball (one of the men who was involved in early cubicle design), this type of workstation was originally intended to be a step up the corporate ladder, not a step down.

Open Office Designs Replace Cube Farms

Unfortunately, what started out as a generously sized, enclosed workspace soon began to shrink. From 1994 to 2010, workers lost 15 square feet of personal space in the average cubicle. The backlash against cubes getting smaller and smaller led to the introduction of the “open office” layout. In an attempt to counterbalance the claustrophobic cube farm trend, dividing panels were shortened and made of partly or completely transparent materials.

Next, benching systems came into vogue. Employees began sitting directly across from each other with no visual or noise privacy at all. This workplace seating arrangement turned out little better than the original bullpen setup of the first half of the twentieth century.

Finding Balance between Seclusion and Chaos

Fortunately, the pendulum appears to be swinging to the center now. Today, more and more office seating arrangements are ‘multiple choice’. Workers may have the option to sit at an assigned desk or take their laptop to a collaborative area or a secluded spot. Coworkers may even band together and rearrange a highly flexible suite of furniture on a regular basis to meet their needs.

Collaborative areas are being more carefully designed to foster voluntary teamwork rather than forced comradery. For example, a social area such as a lounge might supplement or replace a standard benching system. Cubicle walls are going up again at the request of workers who prefer less distraction and a return to privacy.

OBEX panel extenders play a role in creating a flexible office where employees have more control over their level of privacy. Our customers have confirmed that this is the wave of the future—and we’re here to help them create their ideal work environment.

How do office seating arrangements impact the day-to-day experience of office workers? Let’s have a look at how office layouts and workstations have changed over the past 100 years—and what this has meant for individual employee privacy.

At the dawn of the 20^th century, white collar clerical work and “knowledge work” was becoming a more and more important part of commerce. Businesses had moved to a centralized administrative structure that allowed them to house white collar staff together for easier management and oversight. This led to some interesting experimentation with office layouts. Putting a large number of people in the same room to work on different tasks was definitely not the same as designing a factory assembly line where everyone worked toward the same goal. Here are some of the ideas that have been tried over the years to make the office space efficient and productive.

The School of Work

In a 2009 Wired Magazine article, Cliff Kuang takes us through an interesting pictorial representation of office seating arrangements from the early 1900s through today. The first highly regimented layout with row upon row of desks was reminiscent of a school—only with no teacher at the front. Everyone worked with someone (literally) peering over their shoulder from a desk immediately behind them. There was little real privacy for anyone except the bosses who had private offices from which they could oversee work on the “production” floor.

Breaking up the Workforce

The early 1960s saw an uptick in more innovative seating arrangements, with different tasks being supported with varying layouts. Workers who needed to focus might sit in rows so they could more easily ignore one another. Those who were expected to collaborate might gather in clusters. Panel systems had not yet been developed, so there was nothing to dampen noise or create visual privacy. This was the time of the bull-pen office, with its hustle and bustle. While some people still look back on this era with fondness, it wasn’t a layout that was well-suited to very many industries.

Cubicles Create the First Mini-Office

Individual workstations with dividers (Action Offices) were introduced in the late sixties and have been arranged in a huge variety of ways ever since. They’ve gone from pods to rows and back again, changing shape from squares to honeycombs and other novel office seating arrangements. Dividers started out fairly low, but got higher over time to simulate office walls. The improvement in visual privacy was immediate, while the ability to dampen distracting noise improved with the development of acoustic materials.

Stay tuned: Next week, we’ll look at what happened after the cubicle began to fall from favor.

Last week, we explored the topic of hoteling or desk sharing in government workspace design. This week, let’s take a look at how mobility is changing the work environment for federal agencies. According to the GSA paper on workspace utilization, the public sector is tracking the private sector pretty closely in terms of lower usage of physical office workspace. They credit changes in technology, workforce demographics, and sustainability initiatives as the guiding forces behind this shift.

Avoiding the Office Is the New Rule

Government mandates to increase telework and reduce office real estate costs are driving a significant change in the footprint of many agencies. In fact, government organizations outstrip the private sector in telework according to the GSA survey. A full 77% of government organizations reported using telework, while that was true for only 68% of private industry organizations surveyed.

While security concerns still hamper efforts to go wireless and paperless, these hurdles are being overcome one by one. In particular, the advent of programs like FedRamp that help agencies securely transition to cloud storage and computing are creating the necessary environment to untether workers from their desks.

Where Are Employees Going to Work?

Heads down work is still occurring, but it isn’t necessarily taking place at a regularly assigned desk. Instead, employees are completing their duties wherever they find themselves. While private industry workers might have to make do with home offices and coffee shops while away from the office, government employees are often deployed to field offices or partner agencies. It might be considered a form of desk sharing that spans multiple facilities. Either way, this leaves a huge volume of workstations empty on a regular basis. In fact, between 8 AM and 5 PM on weekdays, only 35 to 50% of desks are occupied. That’s a level of waste that is difficult to ignore.

The GSA Leads the Way

The GSA took its own advice during a recent remodel of its headquarters. The agency now affords employees only half the amount of space they enjoyed before—but they have more freedom to work elsewhere if they wish.

The savings of $24 million dollars on the six leases that were eliminated in the consolidation effort is certainly a testament to thrift. Even the head of the GSA gave up his 1600 square foot office to sit at an open desk amidst his employees. Of course, his home office is probably a lot nicer. One more reason to telecommute!

If you are a government agency looking for ways to improve space utilization, The Office Planning Group can help. We can even procure GSA approved office furniture for your remodeled space. Contact us today for a consultation.

No matter how noisy the rest of the workplace gets, introverts can feel comfortable when they have a place to retreat and focus. In this final blog post on Steelcase’s Quiet Spaces, we’ll tour a few more of the options and ideas for putting together an oasis of calm. As always, these examples are shown with clear glass so you can see the interior. The real deal features more opacity to provide visual privacy.

Studio

Being quiet doesn’t always mean sitting in silence. Sometimes, it’s best to stretch or even pace around during bouts of creative thinking or problem solving. That’s why the furnishings in this mini-studio space are sparse. Most of the room is left open so employees can spread out. Yoga mats for exercise are optional (and should be sterilized regularly). The Hosu convertible lounge chair can be used as a recliner or a futon for a quick power nap.

Green Room

The green room in a theater is a place for actors to relax when they aren’t performing. In a similar way, this quiet space serves introverts by getting them “off the stage” for a while so they can just be themselves. This informal destination is designed for socialization that doesn’t feel too overwhelming.

The 90 degree sofa allows coworkers to sit near one another without feeling crowded or being pressured to maintain constant eye contact. The space is designed to facilitate work as well as sharing of digital content. It’s the right spot for alone time or occasional small group activities.

Mind Share

According to the research collected by Steelcase, most collaboration happens in pairs rather than teams. It’s not really necessary to have an entire conference room set aside for these synergistic meetings. The Mind Share space provides room for one-on-one discussions that can be as deep and focused as necessary. It’s bouncing ideas off a trusted partner that can lead to some of the best results. This is also a good place for introverts to brainstorm so they don’t disturb everyone else when they get excited.

The technology integrated into this quiet space includes media:scape to promote active creation and editing of digital content. A whiteboard provides a great surface for visualization—just make sure the ventilation is good enough to deal with the dry erase marker fumes!

That’s it for our coverage of Quiet Spaces. If you do end up incorporating one of these solutions into your office design, let us know how it works out. We’re all ears…

The long-awaited day has arrived, and Steelcase Quiet Spaces have been unveiled. This collection of office architectural components was conceived in collaboration with Susan Cain, noted introvert, TED talker, and bestselling author of “Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking”. She stands as a calm, firm voice representing employees everywhere who would rather be left alone to do their work. That’s not a small minority. More than 1/3 of workers fall into the introvert category—and their needs aren’t being met in the overly open, hyper-social workspaces of today.

When Susan was talking, Steelcase was listening.

Now, the office furniture giant has made great strides toward creating a more inclusive yet less overwhelming work environment for their shy employees. Quiet Spaces are designed to fill this need even in today’s high-density offices. These spaces meet four basic needs of introverted personalities at work.

Pursuing Excellence

Introverts are consistently the source of some of the best ideas in business—but only when their need to be alone is respected. Employers who provide quiet spaces show that they value what introverted employees bring to the table.

Dialing It Down

Overstimulation is one of the curses of a modern office. Introverts need to have more control over sound levels and lighting to promote comfort and improve their ability to focus.

Enjoying the Setting

Some stimulation is actually desirable for introverts. Organic materials and wood veneers with warm tones and attractive textures help create a safe haven.

Avoiding Prying Eyes

For an introvert, a normal day at the office can trigger stage fright. They feel like everyone is looking at them. Having visual privacy, even for short periods of time, provides a chance to relax. (The glass walls in the photo are used to show the interior of the space, the real walls are more opaque.)

The Concept Starts with Architecture and Technology

These small work rooms are built with V.I.A. (Vertical Intelligent Architecture) for real sound privacy. All frames, skins, and junctions are manufactured with full acoustical seals to keep outside noise out—and inside noise in. The intelligent walls can be equipped with built-in monitors to amplify digital content. Lighting is also part of the package, giving users control over the brightness of their refuge.

What about scheduling? The RoomWizard II gives introverts the option to reserve a Steelcase Quiet Space at a moment’s notice or well in advance. That’s handy for workers who know they need to recharge at a specific time each day, such as after a busy, noisy meeting.

Stay tuned next week for more details about Quiet Spaces…

Is 2014 the year to update your work environment with some high tech office toys? Here are a few that range from simple to extravagant. They could change the way you work, the way you interact with technology, and even how you feel.

What a Novel Koncept!

Even as technology becomes more and more portable, we still need to set it down from time to time—especially to charge it. That could mean setting aside a dedicated area on your desk for this to happen. To save space, you could use a KONCEPT LED task light with aircharge wireless functionality integrated into the base. It tops up your phone, lights your work area, and looks cool all at the same time. With the LED bulb, this accessory actually is cooler than an incandescent lamp. Plus it uses a lot less electricity, even when you’re charging smartphones on it all day long.

Hide a Cubii in Your Cubicle

While your mobile device is recharging on top of your desk, you can energize your own batteries with this tiny under-desk workout station. It’s a compact elliptical trainer that’s designed to let you exercise your lower half while your top half is still typing, clicking, reading, or talking. Since the Cubii hides out of sight and doesn’t make much noise, it’s not obtrusive. Your coworkers will probably think you just fidget in a very rhythmic pattern. The equipment interfaces with popular fitness tracking apps via Bluetooth and a mobile app to let you see how far you’ve gone without even leaving your desk.

Nexus 21 TV Lift

While computer monitors have slimmed down considerably over the past 20 years, they can still hog desk space. When desks double as touch-down spaces for mobile workers (with laptops) or collaboration areas for teams, you need to make a clean sweep. A telescoping TV lift lets you hide a flat screen under or behind the desk until it’s needed. This handy device can also be used to conceal larger monitors in conference rooms or lobby areas. Choose a lift that swivels to bring even more flexibility to how you can use spaces for collaboration.

What high tech office toys caught your eye this year? Let us know in the comments.

Susan Cain, a self-professed introvert, is not exactly the person you’d expect to see giving a TED talk. But her book “QUIET: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking” brought Cain into the public eye in unexpected ways. She gave a voice to everyone who has ever wished for more peace and quiet at work. While collaboration and socialization at the office can be wonderful, at least 30% of the population wishes for a workplace where these activities weren’t given so much importance.

Introverts Are Stymied in Their Efforts to Be Effective

Many of the greatest ideas arise and most workplace productivity occurs when people are given space and time to really concentrate. For introverts, being required to perform “on demand” in a group setting can lead to anxiety over excessive scrutiny or criticism. But given a few hours alone, they can come up with amazing solutions or work at lightning speed to get critical tasks done on time. It’s not that they hate their coworkers. Introverts simply want to be able to choose their interactions with care to avoid depleting themselves. When they are part of a culture that overemphasizes what Susan calls “The New Groupthink”, their work suffers.

What Type of Workspace Do Introverts Crave?

A private office at work would probably be a dream come true—and working remotely from a quiet location like a home office is another favorite option. The worst possible workspace is an open office plan with no walls and no privacy. That’s not surprising since even extroverts can feel overwhelmed and stressed when there is constant noise. Introverts would usually prefer to have a cubicle rather than the type of open desk with low or no dividers that is prevalent in today’s office environments.

Introverts Need Oases

Cain recognizes that the economics of the open office design make it too tempting for most companies to forego. But she believes there is a way to find some middle ground. Jim Hackett, recent Steelcase CEO and fellow introvert, agrees that it’s time to make a change. Cain is now collaborating with this leading office furniture company on solutions. “We’ve formed a partnership with Steelcase to create quiet oases of focus and respite for open plan offices, so that workers can move freely between social and private spaces.” Design ideas are due to be released sometime in 2014.

This Office Furniture USA “Insights” newsletter has some good tips for improving office aesthetics. First, they reveal some telling numbers that show why this is important. A study titled ‘Recruiting Qualified Employees‘, commissioned by the American society of interior design, found that:

• Employees were 30% more likely to be satisfied with their jobs if they liked the appearance of their workplace.
• More than 40% of workers and job candidates said the physical workspace impacts their decision to take a job.
• Half of employees say the quality of their workplace might influence them to quit a job.
• After pay, comfort and office aesthetics ranked as the most important workplace benefits.

Obviously, looks matter more than most employers think. It’s not enough to put fancy furniture and pretty pictures in the reception area. Job candidates and employees need to feel at home throughout the facility. Fortunately, it’s not necessary to tear everything out and start from scratch to improve the appearance of a typical office. OFUSA offers a few ideas for simple changes that can make a big difference:

• Adjustable workstations that allow for mobility and increased privacy symbolize an environment that is open for change.
• Flexibility in allowing workers to provide input into wall hangings and color schemes gives workers a feeling of inclusion and is a simple way to create psychological comfort for employees.

Cubicle panel extenders and desktop panels could actually fill the bill quite nicely. They are easy to install and remove, making workstations adjustable to meet different working conditions for each employee. Plus, workers could even get together and vote on a favorite color from our catalogue of polycarbonate panels including red, blue, green, and yellow options. If you wanted to really let them feel special, let each worker pick their favorite color and embrace the look of a more vibrant office aesthetic with an array of bright hues. It would be hard not to feel cheerful in the face of so much diversity!

This week’s study about beautiful workspaces is even more interesting than last week’s. It was carried out by Elizabeth Siler as part of a dissertation to earn her Doctorate in Philosophy at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. It’s a small study, but Ms. Siler delved very deeply into the insights of about 20 people working in a variety of older and newer buildings. Some of the facilities were lovely and some of them were ugly. Here are some key insights from her 100 page paper entitled “How Does Beauty Matter? An Exploration of Employee Perceptions of Office Aesthetics”.

Siler found that people’s responses tended to fit into one of four basic categories: “One group of participants loved their work and saw their offices as an avenue of self-expression, an extension of themselves. Another group experienced considerable emotional distress because their offices did not reflect the quality of their organizations’ work. For a third group, functionality was primary. For the last group, the office stood in for the organization as a whole– their feelings about their workspaces mirrored their feelings about their organization.”

Youth and Beauty Don’t Always Go Hand in Hand

Interestingly, while functionality was important and generally ranked higher for the newer buildings than the older ones, aesthetics could be just as bad in a new facility as in an old one. For example, a fully renovated office space that enforced total conformity with bland and utilitarian furnishings was often considered unaesthetic. Employees who had the desire and ability to decorate their own workspace expressed more satisfaction with the appearance of their work environment than those who did not.

That being said, ancient facilities did take some hard knocks for their appearance. Employees tended to feel bad about signs of neglect that made old buildings less attractive. They felt it showed their employers didn’t care about their hard work. Even worse, they said that a poorly maintained facility reflected badly on the quality of the work they did.

In fact, many respondents had difficulty separating their feelings about their work from the ambience of the workspace itself. That could be positive or negative, depending on the aesthetics of the building and furniture. For example, some respondents said they found their workplace depressing. Others found a beautiful workspace made them feel more organized, productive, and creative. The study had a small sample size, but you’d probably get similar responses if you interviewed employees at your own company.

Here at OBEX, we’ve talked a lot about how privacy and noise control affect employees at work. However, there’s another aspect of panel extenders that we haven’t talked about very much—the aesthetics. In April, we’re spending all month on the topic of how workplace aesthetics impact employees and how cubicle extenders and desktop privacy panels can enhance the workspace. First, let’s explore some of the research that’s been done on the topic.

It’s Not All about Ergonomics

A 2011 Swedish study published on PubMed has revealed something interesting regarding how employees feel about their workplace. Almost 2000 employees were surveyed at a broadcasting company and asked to provide feedback about both ergonomic and aesthetic concerns in their work environment. According to the results, workers notice more issues with how a workplace affects their senses than with how it supports their physical bodies. Aesthetic needs were mentioned more frequently than ergonomic needs—with no difference in reporting rates between men and women.

When Do Workers Care Most about Beauty?

What was interesting was the information the study gathered about the type of employees who ranked aesthetic improvements as very important. This list included workers who were:

• Tasked with psychologically demanding work
• Experiencing negative work stress
• Having sleep disturbances
• Undergoing problems at work
• Suffering from musculoskeletal pain

Apparently, employees experiencing challenges at work or at home may be more susceptible to noticing how unattractive their work environment is—and have a strong desire to work in a more soothing or uplifting space. In conclusion, “The study results show a relation between work place aesthetics and health and well-being. Future work health promotion and prevention may benefit from the inclusion of an assessment of workplace aesthetics.”

Using Panel Extenders for Aesthetics: Tip #1

Employers who want to improve productivity may wish to explore easy ways to create a more vibrant and appealing workspace. With the well-known impact of color on emotional well-being, installing blue or green panel extenders might be one way to help create a relaxing atmosphere for stressed employees. It’s an inexpensive way to give workstations a facelift.