Can you tell us more about your role as a workplace consultant?
As a workplace consultant, I strive to ensure that processes, technology and space in companies complement each other so that clients can achieve their strategic goals. My role is to design offices that support people’s work routines and reflect the company culture. I strive to make the working environment sustainable, functional and people feel comfortable in it.
So the environment we move in affects us more than we think?
Of course, what we see, hear, or how we feel in a given place impacts our moods and stress levels every day. In the long run, this also affects our mental health and overall well-being. The working environment thus has an overlap with our personal lives and health. That’s why I care about making sure it’s meaningful and well designed.
What does a well-designed office mean?
A well-designed office means something different for every company. The suitability of the designed solution depends on the size of the company, the industry in which the company operates and the company culture. For smaller offices (up to 500 m²) the emphasis is on flexibility, for medium-sized offices (1000-4000 m²) zoning is key and large offices (over 5000 m²) allow for the creation of specialised spaces such as training centres, brainstorming rooms and breakout areas.
The key is to analyze the needs of the company and employees for optimal productivity and satisfaction. Offices should be places where people meet every day and form communities. A well-designed office provides a space for natural socialization. A quality design must meet the requirements of the office’s lifespan while keeping sustainability in mind.
What should a well-designed office look like?
The office should be designed as a small town. Each part has its clear function and satisfies different human needs. Community zones and large kitchens encourage social interaction and a sense of belonging. Quiet work zones offer space for quiet and focused work. Green areas provide space for relaxation.
What is the biggest pitfall of today’s offices?
More and more companies are thinking strategically about space design. However, many offices still do little to support people’s work routines with their layouts and furnishings. Facilities for everyday work activities such as phone booths, small meeting rooms or places for team meetings are often lacking. This is why people often prefer to work at a home-office.
How do you perceive the state of today’s offices?
Offices have undergone a major transformation in recent years, but I still visit companies where everyone still has a room, or where there is a huge open space with separate desks and meeting rooms without windows. These spaces reflect the outdated approaches of the 1980s, when administrative work was more based on control and individual work. Today, work is built on teamwork, communication and personal responsibility. Some companies have not yet realized the long-term benefits of good design, which include productivity, employee engagement and satisfaction, leading to higher profits.
How do you proceed within Perspectives to ensure that the proposal meets these objectives?
The workplace consultancy service should be the springboard for the redesign project. It is important to start with mapping the company’s vision, strategy and identity. Then the optimization and capacity of the site is addressed, followed by the design that will materialize the entire project.
I usually divide consulting into analytical and strategic phases. First, I meet with the company’s management and during the workshops I find out where the company is heading. Then I usually meet with the members of each team and discuss their work habits and routines. Based on these analyses, I define what types of spaces should be present in the office and how they should be used.
What is your role after the completion of the consultancy?
I hand over the developed workplace strategy to the architects at Perspektiv, who propose a specific spatial solution and design concept based on it. I participate in and moderate follow-up discussions with the client. Workplace consulting speeds up the entire process of architectural office design, saving clients time and money.
What advice would you give to clients once the decision to move is made?
Start with a clear vision and goals, define what you expect from the new space and how it should serve you. Involve your employees in the process, get their feedback on the existing space and map out what they need to be productive and innovative at work. Offices are meant for them and if they are dysfunctional, people don’t work well, which reflects on the bottom line. Don’t forget long-term care and regular assessment of the work environment to keep it relevant.
Where do you see the future of offices?
I see two key areas for the future of the working environment. The first is sustainability, which includes not only the materials used but also the efficient use of space. Up to 40% of offices are unused due to working from home, yet their energy performance remains at 100%. Flexible use of available space and sustainable building construction are key.
The second area is the focus on individuals for whom we design offices. According to a Gallup study ( State of the Global Workplace 2024), 20% of employees feel lonely as a result of working from home. This problem is more pronounced for people under 35. It is important to motivate employees to come to the office more often.
So how to motivate people to work in the office?
The office must offer better working conditions and better equipment than people have at home. Most important are zones for different types of work: quiet rooms for individual focused work, booths for phone calls and plenty of meeting rooms. Equally important are places for socialising and meeting colleagues informally, such as squares.
I’m glad that together with Perspektiv we are focusing on implementing these trends in our projects, thus helping companies and their employees work more efficiently. This also motivates them to enjoy coming to work.
WORKPLACE CONSULTING SERVICES
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