Active Office Design In The Work Place
Active office design is becoming a real thing throughout the office furniture industry and corporate world here’s what you need to know. Furniture-maker, KI explains “Simply put, active design is the rationale behind why movement is so important in the workplace.”
KI conducted a proprietary study to better understand current workplace initiatives, identify best practices and create actionable insights that help foster Active Design. To read the white paper, click here.
These nine principles were recognized from the results of the KI study and are as follows:
1. Implementing daylight
Using the right light is critical to creating better workflow, output and energy. Lighting is often overlooked in the budget, but can generate an enormous impact if used correctly and a detrimental one if used incorrectly.
2. Creating a variety of workspaces
The open office and collaborative work spaces are all the buzz, but the productivity in an open office is proven to be seriously affected without striking a balance. Office furniture-makers are creating balance by offering nooks and other solutions to a wide open office.
3. Encouraging face-to-face communication
This doesn’t mean throwing your employees into a giant fishbowl or at a large work table. Face-t0-face communications need to happen at opportune moments. That is why space planners and designers look at the overall space and find out what you want to achieve. After all, a chance meeting can start great things.
4. Offering healthy food options
There can be good, healthy choices at work. It just depends on who is ordering the snacks. Be sure to choose wisely as it affects your employees’ mood, energy and work. Providing these snacks in centralized areas that are a walk from the work areas also creates beneficial movement and a break.
5. Encouraging movement at work
Thankfully, the days of being strapped to a desk like Bob Cratchit are nearly over. Most enlightened companies realize that creating a movement-friendly work environment will produce more engagement. Waling meetings are now a thing as is walking paths on company grounds and standing desks.
6. Designing flexible, open multi-use spaces
In my opinion, this principle could easily have been incorporated into number 2 with the caveat that instead of using a designate space for one thing, consider all the possibilities that space will allow with simple alterations such as a boardroom that can become a yoga studio.
7. Subconsciously inspiring people to take the stairs.
This is my favorite because I simply hate exercise, however, have no problem moving in my everyday life such as riding my bike to the grocery or taking the stairs instead of the elevator. It just doesn’t seem like exercise. Encouraging stair use takes great design and placement so be sure to consult an architect when designing your space. They may also recommend a different layout to your existing space that encourages this, as well.
8. Incorporating height-adjustable desks.
Height adjustable work surfaces are necessary to avoid sitting in one position throughout the day. When your employee does this, they risk so many physical ailments that you will ultimately pay for in lost work time and insurance premiums.
Standing height desks or adjustable workstations are affordable and show that you value your employees’ physical health and care that they are comfortable in their work space. In addition, an employee that can sit and stand throughout the day is healthier, sharper and–take it from me, a sit/stander–happier.
9. Allocating outdoor workspace.
Offering outdoor work space does require more than just setting up a table and some chairs. Connectivity, glare and comfortable work areas must be considered. However, the pay off is creating valuable work space from under-utilized real estate and giving employees an opportunity to expand into an environment that can exhilarate the senses.
ROSI highly recommends you take a look at your office space to find ways to incorporate some or all of these Active Design principles. As an full service office furniture and cubicle company with FREE space planning, we are always happy to share any insights or design ideas that will make work better. What do you need?
