{"id":2823,"date":"2018-04-24T08:06:59","date_gmt":"2018-04-24T07:06:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/futuramo.com\/blog\/?p=2823"},"modified":"2018-09-25T09:47:50","modified_gmt":"2018-09-25T08:47:50","slug":"office-design-productivity-pitfalls","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/futuramo.com\/blog\/office-design-productivity-pitfalls\/","title":{"rendered":"Office design: the productivity pitfalls and how to fix them"},"content":{"rendered":"

Upon discovering the recent revelation that several of Apple\u2019s employees had been walking into unmarked glass walls and panels in the company\u2019s $5 billion headquarters, many of us found ourselves somewhere between slightly concerned and relatively amused. While the thought of people getting hurt is never funny (and thankfully no one was badly injured<\/a>), the irony of the situation is palpable: even one of the world\u2019s most forward-thinking companies can fall foul of office design that hasn\u2019t been properly thought through.<\/p>\n

Thankfully, this potentially life-threatening scenario isn\u2019t one most employee will ever have to worry about (most of us don\u2019t work in buildings in which every single pane of glass is curved and treated for optimum transparency…). But there are other pitfalls of poor office design that are more far-reaching than many office executives and facilities managers might realize.<\/p>\n

While we might not be on the phone to the emergency services on a weekly basis, our working environments can have a big impact on our performance and our productivity. These two factors are linked in a variety of ways, so we\u2019re taking a look at a few productivity pitfalls of poor office design<\/strong>, and how to fix them:<\/p>\n

A lack of natural light<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"natural<\/p>\n

Natural light is absolutely vital to our overall physical and psychological well-being – but it\u2019s also been found to be a key factor in our productivity. In recent decades, as we\u2019ve learned more about our circadian rhythms and the way our bodies respond to daylight, we\u2019ve also learned a lot about the impact it can have on our performance at work and school.<\/p>\n

Exposure to natural light helps us concentrate and focus more effectively, improves our short-term memory, reduces eye strain, and broadly speaking improves our productivity (by up to 7.1%<\/a>). Human beings are biologically designed to be exposed to natural light, and we work at our best when we get plenty of it.<\/p>\n

One of the biggest problems with many modern offices is the lack of natural light exposure (known as \u2018daylighting\u2019) they offer the employees who use them. If an office doesn\u2019t include a plentiful supply of natural light via windows, roof lights and other installations, occupants are effectively being denied the benefits of daylight – and productivity can suffer as a result.<\/p>\n

How to fix it:<\/strong><\/h2>\n

In the most basic sense, it\u2019s important to ensure a working environment features plenty of windows and other glass installations. If you\u2019re in a position to facilitate the renovation of your workspace, try to prioritize the inclusion of natural light<\/strong> as much as possible, such as by adding windows<\/strong> or getting rid of partitions.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re renting an office space, and aren\u2019t able to instigate alterations on this scale, then choose one with plenty of glass. Specialist architectural glazing firms have found ways of maximizing natural light in interior spaces through the inclusion of things such as frameless glass walls<\/a> or solar lighting tubes, and many modern shared offices now feature these types of installations.<\/p>\n

In a worst-case scenario, in which you have no feasible access to natural light and no way of rectifying this, then opting for something such as a \u2018lightbox<\/strong>\u2019 (an electronic light that simulates daylight) as a source of light in the office is arguably the next best thing.<\/p>\n

\"portal
Portal A\u2019s New Los Angeles Office Design. Source: Officelovin.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"tate
Terrace at Tate Anzur\u2019s New Singapore Office Design. Source: Officelovin.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"sparxoo
Collaborative Space at Sparxoo Digital Agency. Source: Officelovin.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

Visual distractions<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"visual<\/p>\n

It\u2019s widely recognized and accepted that most (if not all) of us don\u2019t spend every second of our working day actually working. To perform at our best, the average person needs short, regular breaks. If we\u2019re given the chance to take a minute – to make a coffee, go for a walk, or even just gaze out of the window for a second – before returning to the task at hand, we tend to actually perform better than if we had simply powered through.<\/p>\n

While this may be true, there\u2019s a stark difference between taking short pauses from an intense period of work and becoming distracted. When we\u2019re typing away hard at work, if there\u2019s something actively distracting in our line of sight – either constantly or intermittently – this can become a problem.<\/p>\n

When it comes to visual distractions, office design can become something of a minefield. It\u2019s hard to define the biggest culprits, and it can be difficult to create a space without elements that draw the eye of employees once too often.<\/p>\n

Despite this, a few glaring errors still feature in many workspaces:<\/p>\n