The truly new millennials are yet to actually set foot in the office environment and the crossover generation is still finding its own ideology and behavioural patterns. It’s the one that is often classified incorrectly as new millennials. Hence designing an office for the millennials by the established interior designer itself is full of holes in our understanding and belief.

As designers we do a lot of studies in behavioural science, organizational design, change management, performance metrics, demographics and technological advances – and claim it with an eye towards how they affect the workplace. Sure it also helps us to understand how business is evolving but does it necessarily mean that it helps us understand specifically how those who work in work places ‘actually work’?

Open Offices Today are the New Fad! Why?

Firstly, because open offices are about 15 to 20 percent more efficient on floor plate utilisation. Secondly, they are less dense in the use of materials required for making cabins and partitions and we see that both are driven by economics of cost.

Google’s open office spreading over 1 million sq. ft. has been a major trend setter in this direction and many have styled themselves along these lines. Some have analysed and adapted in a more specific manner than others who have merely copied.

The corporate offices in open space format have a couple of issues like: Noise, Air Quality, Lack of Natural Light, Spaces that Feel Crowded, Stress and Social Pressure leading to reduced work output; but they can also be grounds for great team building and team spirit.

Open office is here to stay but we need to move away from tokenism or mindless application to thoughtful adaptation and make it work for the task, appropriate to the setting of people and place. From a design stand point we see that, not all employees work full time from the office as they are on move.

They do come in, to file reports, take assignments, briefings and what have you; and then they need a place where they can be productive and efficient and not feel like an outsider. Else they might as well be working from the cafe next door! This is the design opportunity, bring the cafe environment in.

The corporate offices in open space format can be grounds for great team building and team spirit

Their spaces need to mingle in the overall layout of the fulltime office worker. These can then serve as relief spaces when not in use. This also doesn’t mean that they ought to be sitting in the lounge sofa and working off their laps or standing at the so called tall table for three hours while pretending a healthy work habit. Employees provided the flexibility and choices for where, when and how work happens is also critical for attracting the best and brightest people.

Corporate interiors through a “sense of place” and “wow” help in stemming this trend, to some extent. If it is adequately supplemented with people policies and appropriate training and grooming for the specific job roles. Sometimes the theme could be so far ahead that it actually succeeds in creating the right mindset, as in the case of Google’s office in US.

While the ability to have planned or spontaneous interactions without disturbing others is important for teamwork; untreated acoustics in office is amongst the most common reason for falling productivity and costly errors. To support complex work, many people seek out quieter places. Sound masking is not the only way to reduce unwanted noise. Office layout, flooring materials, walls, ceilings and behavioural protocols all can make a difference.

Better work place lighting (both natural daylight and artificial light) has also been linked to a 15 percent reduction in absenteeism in office environments. Other studies have reported that productivity increases ranging from 2.8 to 20 percent attributed to optimum lighting levels. The presence of ample daylight and windows, as well as opportunities for active and passive contact with nature, sensory change and variability, all have a positive impact on people’s well-being.

And last but not the least “Change management” works. Benchmarking studies by research company “Prosci” have found that workplace projects with an effective change management component are six times more likely to meet their objectives and succeed.

The same goes for a new workplace. When employees are experiencing new furniture, adjusting to a renovated office or moving into a different building, they need help learning how their new “tool” is supposed to work. The better they understand their space, the technologies that support it and the policies and protocols for how to use and behave in it, the more likely they are to get the most out of their work experience.

So, Design With The People Because People Matter.