The pandemic and the war have shaken the habit of Ukrainians to work offline, and remote work has become widespread. However, the problem of social isolation and decreased productivity has become more acute, and businesses are thinking about how to bring people back to the office. Vadym Ziuziuk, founder of Znak Design, a design and architecture studio, talked about how to make the workplace comfortable, what to look for, and what positive trends to follow in his Mind column.
Do not interfere and do not isolate yourself
There are still offices that have a “rigid structure” with a corridor and many offices. It works, but in my opinion, it is morally outdated and does not give an important sense of team involvement. Open space as a trend of the last 10 years is designed to improve communication in the workspace. This layout enhances the feeling that you are in a team and part of “something bigger.” But it has a significant drawback: employees can interfere with each other. This disadvantage is offset by competent zoning. And I’m not just talking about standard meeting rooms. Small rooms behind soundproof glass for one or two people – the so-called “phone booths” – are also classics, and they are great for online meetings or work dialog.
Office design for Ibis, Znak Design
But it is not necessary to set up separate rooms. In one of our cases, we separated the meeting room with special sound screens that reflect sound both from the outside and the inside. They are both functional and interesting accents in the interior.
Office design for Novus, Znak Design
Another common trend is to create open offices in a glass cube among other employees’ workplaces. This is a good option for the manager, as it brings him or her closer to his or her subordinates. When privacy is needed, you can use different mechanisms, such as curtains or “smart glass” that changes from transparent to frosted.
Whether separate places to relax in the office are necessary is a controversial issue. Of course, it’s good to have them if you can create them. But firstly, they should not “cover” the discomfort of the workplace. And secondly, parks, squares or food courts near the office can become recreation areas. In other words, the most important thing is to arrange the most comfortable workspace possible, and recreation areas are unlikely to compete with home comfort, which is already difficult to “lure” out of the office.
Plants and natural light are must-haves in the office
We always try to incorporate natural elements into office interiors. Data from various researchers confirm their positive impact on the mental health and cognitive abilities of employees. For example, according to an American study, their productivity increases by 15% compared to those who work in an exclusively artificial space. Among these natural elements, I would single out two key ones: daylight and plants.
Another study suggests that daylight helps prevent Sick Building Syndrome, when employees feel unwell indoors. If there are not enough windows or no windows at all, you should be more careful with artificial lighting, making it as natural as possible.
Office design for Sota, Znak Design
As for plants in the interior, they not only aestheticize the space and create coziness. Plants help reduce noise levels in the room and can also absorb harmful substances that can be released from furniture, carpets, and other materials and cause various health problems.
Forget about linoleum and Armstrong ceilings
Standard office spaces with Armstrong ceilings, linoleum and blinds are beginning to become a thing of the past, and modern materials are increasingly being used.
For example, there is a popular trend to open communications rather than hide them behind the ceiling. This has become part of the design of office space and has reduced financial costs. Such communications are easier to install and maintain, because if it is a sewn ceiling (plasterboard), you need to think about opening hatches or find other solutions. It takes a lot of time and money.
Vinyl floors are increasingly being used instead of linoleum. Their advantage over linoleum is that in case of damage, you do not need to remove the entire room and take everything out of the room. Vinyl tiles can be quickly replaced in pieces.
In conclusion, I would like to add that these are the principles that I used to design the offices of both clients and our studio, and I saw more enthusiasm from the team to visit it. However, it is still important to understand the needs of specific employees, to find out the wishes of everyone – from interns to senior managers. If the basic principles of comfort and these wishes are taken into account, I am sure that the chances of weakening the attachment to work at home become much higher.
