You’ve just received an email from work and the management team is asking everyone to go back to the office. They’ve even upgraded the free snacks bar to welcome everyone back. You pull out your noise-cancelling headphones from the bottom of the drawers and think to yourself – I need to update my playlist.
As the nation slowly recovers from the pandemic, businesses are getting ready to bring WFH employees back to offices. We love the flexibility of working from home and for many of us, it is the luxury of having a spot to work without interruptions from colleagues that we will miss the most.
Peace can be hard to find in the modern workspace. The sound of keyboards tapping, constant workplace chatter, non-stop phone conversations and friendly (but unwanted) small talks from your office mates – when you just want some quiet time to finish that email!
According to a University of California Irvine study, it takes an average of 23 minutes and 15 seconds to refocus and get back to the task. Constant distraction can affect employees’ productivity and welling at work. This is the hidden cost of an open office.
The concept of an open-plan office started in the 1900s but it wasn’t until the 1960s that the open office really started to become a popular design for workplaces. Open office is the dominant form of workplace design nowadays for a reason: it can foster collaboration, promote learning and nurture a strong culture. As many organisations embrace the idea of a hybrid workforce, more shared workspace will be allocated to meet the needs of all employees.
However, a well-designed work environment should have the right balance between the “we” space and “me” space to allow employees to work in solitude and have the autonomy to take time out in a quiet spot. There are a few ways to provide your employees with some “me” space at work:
Use furniture to define spaces
Using modular lounges with acoustic screens or high back modular lounges to create private space gives you the flexibility to reconfigure the layout and mix with other seating furniture as needed.
Provide unassigned, enclosed spaces
To provide a more shielded private space for a solo user or small groups, consider using semi-enclosed huddle space with acoustic screen, work pods with high wall or even fully enclosed pods.
Create a silent zone
With sufficient floor space, dedicate a separate floor or rooms to create a silent zone. It is not necessary to have too many acoustic dividers in the silent zone but it is important to make everyone understand the rules and respect other co-workers using the same area.
A successful workspace gives employees more power to have control over their work environment – when to draw energy from group time and when to consolidate thoughts at private time. Providing the right balance of public and private spaces gives them the ability to switch easily between group time and individual time, and ultimately find their rhythm to thrive at work.