The phrase “earning the commute” has been around for the past year or so but continues to influence conversations around return-to-work strategies. Most people have a desk and a chair at home, so what is the organization doing to make their commute worth it? Office location and amenities play an important role, as do incorporating two specific types of amenity spaces that haven’t always existed in the office: Spaces to Connect and Spaces to Restore.
Spaces to Connect are critical to support your employees’ need for face-to-face human interaction.
These spaces come in a variety of forms – work cafes, fitness areas, lounges. It’s all about creating a hospitable vibe that attracts people. Gensler’s most recent U.S. Workplace Study surveyed workplace preferences across generations and found that while Boomers prefer a corporate vibe, Gen X, Gen Y, and Gen Z all select coffee shop as their #1 type of office environment. That’s closely followed by boutique hotel (described as hospitality-infused, amenity-rich spaces) for both Gen Y and Gen Z. That’s data that needs to be considered as you look at the demographics of your office and how you design the space.
Spaces to Restore are designed around wellness and supporting mental health.
People need dedicated areas to recharge during the day and protect them from burnout. These spaces could be meditation rooms, nap rooms or outdoor spaces to reconnect with nature. This Harvard Business Review article cites research that proves the effectiveness of 10-minute micro breaks during the day to reduce stress.
“Detachment leads to better recovery and even improvements in work-related outcomes, such as performance and engagement. This is counterintuitive to the notion that more time spent working leads to better performance. To harness this principle, dedicate a fixed (and if needed, short) time each day when you can fully devote attention to a non-work-related activity. Even starting with a few minutes will reap benefits for recovery.”
When it comes to amenities, you can make simple, intentional efforts to create an elevated experience for your employees – such as replicating that much-coveted coffee shop space with lush plants, good lighting and of course, great coffee. You could also go all out with child/pet care onsite, state-of-the-art fitness centers, covered parking and a concierge – which some companies are starting to do. With businesses implementing hybrid policies, footprints are getting smaller. In some instances, this gives them the opportunity to afford more amenity rich real estate or make an investment in those high-end amenities.
But even if companies have an office that’s decked out with a pickleball court and cider on tap, they need to ask themselves, does it function the way that we need it to?
The answer to that starts with your people and understanding their needs. The modern workplace should provide spaces that are conducive to different workstyle types. For example, a Finance Manager and a Creative Director likely don’t work the same way. One might prefer quiet spaces for focus work, while the other wants to be in an open collaboration area to brainstorm ideas with colleagues. The workplace should incorporate areas that accommodate both workstyles (as well as all workstyle types), making the office a place where the entire team can be their most productive. These workstyle types make up your culture and understanding your organization’s unique culture composition is a critical first step before designing your workspace. <Insert plug for NextLab, a strategic space consultancy. We can help you discover your organization’s unique culture composition.>
All self-promotion aside, I go back to starting with the people. Listen to your employees’ needs and earn their commute by creating a space where they want to be. If you do that, your employees will want to visit the office more often and be more engaged while they’re there.
Need help formulating your workplace strategy? Contact Sarah
Gensler https://www.gensler.com/gri/us-workplace-survey-2022
Harvard Business Review https://hbr.org/2022/07/how-to-recover-from-work-stress-according-to-science