The workplace has undergone some serious scrutiny over the past couple of years. It’s been re-assessed, reimagined and recalibrated on a global scale as we’ve dealt with the Covid Pandemic, the Great Resignation and here in the UK, Brexit-related issues, political uncertainty, and now the Cost of Living Crisis. Which all makes for a rather depressing reading – but when considering wellness at work, the office or workplace can actively help, by playing a vital role in helping HR teams encourage wellbeing and comfort.
Employees’ needs
Over the last few years, organisations have had to recognise that the employees’ needs are paramount. If they are not healthy, happy and comfortable in their workspace – at home or in an office – they will not perform, and might even leave. Granted, working at home offers convenience, but social isolation is not a natural state for most people, and sharing a kitchen table with your partner or your flatmate – all day, every day – is not ideal for the majority of people. There has to be a compromise. One that we are seeing many organisations adopt is reducing the size of their central national office and using that space more effectively, then finding a suitable alternative to homeworking where and if possible. It’s called Comfortable Co-working.
Comfortable Co-working
Essentially, this trend is seeing businesses use shared local workspaces that on a flexible but long-term basis to supplement the use of a reduced central office – instead of homeworking almost completely replacing the previous larger one. This can inspire your team by using a creative community close to their home, providing a place for them to meet colleagues and customers but also meaning somewhere to socialise with new people. It means a little re-thinking, but it could help some larger businesses move forward. Getting on board with Comfortable Co-working is providing a comfortable space for your teams to work, but also being comfortable with the idea of them being in various spaces all over the UK at any given time.
As office interior designers, we’ve seen Comfortable Co-working in action as we race to reshape buildings into shared or flexible workspaces all over the UK. A large proportion of our projects are now for co-working or shared office spaces – and these are concepts that did not even exist just over two decades ago. We’ve just completed our 8th project for Orega, one of the UK’s leading co-working providers. The company has been delivering flexible workspaces for 20 years and the interiors are more comfortable than many homes or restaurants – their latest launch in central Manchester is kitted out with stunning natural colours and materials. Wood and stone textures reflect the outdoors with large areas of plants dominating open spaces. Wall and furniture coverings are inspired by nature: greens, beiges and oranges set the tone, which is intelligent, relaxing and mindful. It’s a genuine pleasure to be in, with a regular flow of people – which of course is the aim of Orega and the businesses using its spaces.
So what else makes for a comfortable co-working space?
Strength, sustainability and style
Put simply, if these spaces are not nice to be in, the workforces will simply not use them. They need to provide cost-effective flexibility and comfort, while using sustainable materials and processes wherever possible – and at the same time, be sturdy and strong. Shared spaces are busy, high traffic areas. Open plan areas, large shared tables, sociable eating and drinking areas all play a part. Pets are welcome, bikes wheeled around. The interiors need to be able to cope with all of this, but they still need to feel and look stylish while being sustainable. Aside from being an ethical issue, it’s a sensible business decision – to attract the best clients and candidates, organisations and office spaces need to recognise the importance of sustainability and be clearly defined as responsible suppliers and employers. Amnesty International’s 2019 Future of Humanity Survey revealed that 41% of respondents felt that global warming was the most important issue facing the world and 89% of Millennials expect employers and suppliers to be proactive around environmental responsibilities in the workplace, according to LinkedIn.
Comfort
Soft fabrics, lots of fresh air and biophilia all play a large part in office design. Orega demonstrates this in all its 19 UK locations: each one is slightly different to reflect the building heritage and the wider surroundings. Its Bath location for example, is spread over two floors in a Bath stone Art Deco building, and includes fully equipped meeting rooms, breakout spaces and a range of additional amenities. The white backdrop maximises the natural light and provides the perfect base for the colour scheme of rich navy and gold, which is inspired by the art deco design of the building. providing a contemporary yet classic interior. Combining state of the art technology with comfortable furnishings, the interior design deliberately blurs the lines between home and work, and that comfort and blurring of lines is important, as hybrid and comfortable co-working requires regular transitions, and employees need to be able to make the seamless shift from working at home to being in an office or shared space. Warmer tones and rounded furniture, with natural light, plants and fresh air should be prioritised. Clever use of paint effects, floor design, and furniture provide clear zones while maintaining the comfortable, open plan aesthetic. These touchpoints provide an environment that is more like a home, while providing a layout that is still conducive to work.
An estimated five million people will be based in co-working spaces in 2024 worldwide, advises the Global Coworking Growth Study 2020. We think it could be even higher. This is because of two potential trends -existing companies adapting their working models and embracing Comfortable Co-working, and brand-new companies operating in this way from the outset. There are well over 650,000 start-ups in the UK every year and these companies could well mean more demand for shared office spaces as their founders reject working from home full-time in isolation facing rocketing heating and lighting bills.
Comfortable co-working can keep regional teams connected, within a community, and working alongside other people.It’s not ideal for everyone, but many business owners and HR teams might just need to get more comfortable with that approach. And in order to stay competitive, co-working spaces need to make sure their interiors are top-notch.
