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If your employees don’t want to work from the office. Maybe you need to consider this: A “toxic work environment” isn’t just about your company culture. The office itself needs to be a space that allows your employees to feel: Creative Energised Productive If you expect people to spend 40+ hours a week in there - It should be a space people actually enjoy spending their time. Open floor plans are often considered better for promoting collaboration among teams. But there are other considerations too. Myself and other Forbes Coaches Council Members contributed to an article: “How Leaders Can Decide If An Open-Plan Office Is Right For Their Company” We outlined some things to consider when it comes to designing your office space. To see my answer and all the great answers from other members, You can check out the full article at the link in the comments below. #forbes #collaboration #office #productivity 📌 Link to article: https://lnkd.in/dviNGX9E

Is it so difficult to imagine a modern 'digital' workplace? As we enter round three or four of the return to the office showdown, I can't help but feel this is yet another wasted opportunity to take a big step forward. In this Forbes article, the author argues that office design needs to reflect the way we work today, and I couldn't agree more. Unfortunately the article describes an illusion of how we work today, painting a picture of project teams working together in collaborative office spaces. This might be possible for small companies, but this isn't a reality for large global organisations. The modern workplace (for knowledge workers) is a digital first workplace. While we mostly work in project teams, many of these teams are distributed across the globe. For offices to be relevant, they need to reflect this reality, providing facilities for global project teams to work together more effectively. Herds of office workers, organized into neat rows and distributed across multiple floors, is a description of the office environment that has not changed since its inception more than 100 years ago. Unsuccessful post COVID design tweaks, based on the illusion of how project teams work, only appear to reinforce how irrelevant many offices have become for the modern knowledge worker. In my view, an office environment that serves the needs of modern knowledge workers must reflect the reality of how we work today. For me this means throwing out the current Victorian approach. Instead of herding groups into sections of floors, each office should become an open, digital collaboration hub. Floors should be dedicated to collaboration services, where local and global teams can work together. Organising offices by collaboration type, rather than groups of workers would, in my view, provide facilities that match the complex needs of the modern knowledge worker. If it's important to get the modern knowledge worker back to the office, I recommend creating an office environment that enables 'digital' collaboration.

If you think the physical layout of your office isn't important...think again. Ryan Anderson's recent Forbe's article reviews the two major schools of thought in organizational design, and highlights how dated most of our workplaces are today. If we want our employees to RETURN TO THE OFFICE, then we should have an office that they return to that benefits both them and us. The old office design empowered the manager and put everyone else in dehumanizing rows, or worse yet--dare I say--cubicles (even the creator of cubicles cried about the impact he had on office design). The new design creates a home base for teams; a clubhouse, a place to gather and connect apart from the larger office body. "In a world where people can increasingly work from anywhere," Anderson writes, "the office should support experiences not easily had while working alone from separate locations." https://lnkd.in/eehBV2hf

How does this article resonate with you? The title of the article says it all. "Create a Magnet, Not a Mandate!" The irony here is that many company leaders think the answer is amenities but we know too well that the true answer is "communication" and understand what your employee needs are so they can be purpose driven and resourceful. Its not about "where we work, but more about "how" we work. The physical nature of the office has to be transformed into an elevated workplace experience. Sarah Wicker from Perkins&Will said it best in her analogy: When designing amenities for a company, it is also important to understand which ones a company’s team will actually use, Wicker said. “When you try to build for everyone, you build for no one,” she said. “We really want to understand what our people need and what will create a magnet, not a mandate. We want people to want to come into the office, not feel like they have to come into the office.” In reading this article I felt strongly about the discussions I have heard recently from Dave Cairns and Brian Elliott and even Caleb Parker. I also hear the quotes from Phil Kirschner and Nick Bloom as well as Debbie Lovich and Sophie Wade and many others. Understanding what best supports your teams and employees is what is needed today. But leadership and managers need to communicate better and figure out how best to empower your employees and make them resourceful and productive. Its not about mandates or being in a physical office. Its about flexibility of choices and elevating the workplace experience. But to do that, leaders truly need to bring people together and discuss the "how" and be less concerned with the "where." Let's change the narrative together and truly find our purpose together.

The Office Fishbowl Never underestimate the impact of the physical environment you create in your office on your employees' productivity and their desire to stay long-term. When I was much younger, I worked at a company that provided individual cubicles for employees. While it wasn’t as private as having an office, it gave me a sense of personal space. It was a place where I could tune out distractions and focus on my work. It felt like my little corner of the office, and I appreciated that. Then, management decided to revamp the office layout. They removed the cubicles and replaced them with open desks facing each other. Suddenly, my sense of privacy vanished. I found myself constantly staring at my coworkers, and they were staring back at me. It felt like I was working in a fishbowl with no escape from the ever-present eyes around me. The constant visibility made it impossible to focus or feel comfortable. Within days, I began actively searching for a new job. Three weeks later, I was gone. Ironically, if they had kept the old setup, I probably would have stayed for years. In hindsight, leaving was better for my career, but the decision to change the environment pushed me away. Later in life, I had a job where I was given my own office. It was a game-changer. I decorated it with family photos and created a space that felt uniquely mine. I genuinely enjoyed being there. Sometimes, I stayed late, not because I had to, but because I wanted to finish projects early in an environment I loved. That job wasn’t the best for my career, but the environment was so inviting that I stayed far longer than I should have. The takeaway is that the office environment and the personal space you provide your employees matter more than you might realize. These factors directly influence productivity, job satisfaction, and employee loyalty. Not everyone needs their own office, but forcing employees into an open fishbowl setup can make them feel exposed and uncomfortable, creating conditions that are counterproductive to their best work. The truth is, most employees won’t openly tell you how much the workspace impacts them. However, if you pay attention to their actions and the choices they make, you will see how much it matters. Please feel free to follow me for more insights and posts. Also, if you need help finding your next engineer or advice on managing your engineering teams, don’t hesitate to reach out to me.

Working in a combined space, such as shared offices or collaborative work areas, can be both productive and enjoyable when done right. Here are some tips to help make your experience in such spaces effective and harmonious: 1. Respect Personal Space : Even in shared environments, it's important to maintain a sense of personal space for yourself and others. Use headphones to minimize noise, keep your belongings organized, and respect others’ personal items and workspace. 2. Communicate Clearly : Be open and clear about your needs and expectations with others sharing the space. Whether it concerns noise levels, space utilization, or shared resources, effective communication is key. 3. Maintain Cleanliness : Keep your area tidy and contribute to keeping common areas clean. Regularly cleaning up after yourself and participating in maintaining general cleanliness can prevent conflicts. 4. Be Mindful of Noise : Noise can be a major distraction in combined spaces. Use headphones for meetings or music, and keep your voice down during conversations to avoid disturbing others. 5. Establish Rules : If you’re in a long-term shared space, it’s helpful to agree on some ground rules. This could involve quiet hours, a cleaning schedule, or guidelines for booking and using shared resources. 6. Be Considerate : Understand that everyone has different working styles and tolerance levels. Being considerate of others’ preferences can lead to a more pleasant and productive environment. 7. Share Responsibly : If resources like printers, conference rooms, or kitchen areas are shared, use them responsibly and fairly. Make sure you're not monopolizing equipment or space that others also need access to. 8. Embrace Flexibility : Working in a combined space often requires a bit of flexibility. Be adaptable to changes and considerate of the various needs of those around you. 9. Encourage Interaction : Take the opportunity to interact and collaborate with others. Combined spaces can be great for networking and sharing ideas, enhancing both your personal growth and professional development. 10. Address Issues Promptly : If issues arise, address them directly and constructively. Letting small problems fester can lead to bigger issues down the line. By following these tips, you can make your experience in a combined space both enjoyable and productive.

As we see many return to the office announcements, it’s important to consider whether the space is set up for success. After all, it’s hard to get excited about being back if you’re crammed into a corner or better yet…in a closet.  Workspaces should be functional and comfortable. A well-thought-out office layout can make all the difference in fostering productivity and well-being. Let’s start with the basics: desks. There should be enough for everyone. No one should feel like they’re competing for a workspace - You shouldn’t overhear early morning coffee chats like, “I had to get to work at 6am today to find a desk space”. A functional setup means having room to focus without feeling like you're part of a game of musical chairs. Next, accessibility is key—and not just in terms of convenience. Restrooms shouldn’t feel like they’re located in another time zone, and water stations should be available without a scavenger hunt. Employees should be able to move through the office without unnecessary obstacles, whether that’s making sure there are ramps, elevators, or thoughtfully designed routes that don’t involve detours through crowded or inconvenient areas. A truly accessible office benefits everyone and fosters a more inclusive environment where all employees can thrive. Group workspaces also need some attention. If collaboration is a priority, the office needs to have enough well-equipped spaces for teams to come together and work effectively. This means more than just throwing a couple of chairs around a table. We need areas designed for brainstorming, problem-solving, and real discussions—places with enough seating, technology, and space to spread out ideas. Trying to collaborate while huddled around a single laptop in a cramped room doesn’t exactly inspire creativity. The goal shouldn’t be just to bring people back to the office—it’s to create a space that works for everyone. A few thoughtful adjustments can make all the difference in how we collaborate and thrive in this next phase.

We at The Zadegan Group moved into a new office space last year... here was the evolution... There is an argument to be had around office space being needed or not needed. I am here to say that I believe it's needed. There are companies that have gone virtual, that have gone cloud based and I can appreciate that may work for some but nothing beats the camaraderie and culture that is built inside an office. I believe office space depends on the industry but in real estate, it feeds two purposes: 1. Clients expect a high level of service and care. A meeting ground for a client investing hundreds of thousands with you should not happen in a coffee shop. 2. Internal Culture. When you have a meeting ground for everyone to come in and get motivated by their peers and have conversations that wouldn't happen online, it's called enjoying work while you work. Work can happen virtually, all our systems and tech is cloud based and everyone can work from anywhere in the world, but culture and being able to see people is the Vitamin D everyone needs in their life. Office space is a big investment on a companies balance sheet but the companies that do, I find have a more enjoyable work culture than companies that don't. Being able to chat with your colleagues and learn something new after a meeting is just not possible over zoom. I just personally cannot imagine an environment where I sit in my bed all day and work as we lose touch with the outside world. That is just my opinion, I know there is an argument to be made on the other side but I am curious... what are your thoughts? Office space or virtual? Share your comment below! 👋 I create content for real estate investors & agents. Enjoy this? ♻️ Repost it to your network! Follow & hit the 🔔 on my profile for daily content.

What does my personal space mean to me? Everything And I know what it feels like to have it - and sadly - what it feels like to not have it - or worse - have it taken away (I have some stories you won't believe!) So when I'm asked about the importance of Privacy Office Pods at work, and how they are not just mere additions to the office, I like to say that they're a revolutionary leap towards creating a workspace culture that prioritises the INDIVIDUAL'S need for privacy, focus, and comfort." Yup, the individual. Me, You, Him, Her, They. Not just a crowd, a group or floor or department anymore. And certainly not just an employee number, but a name, a recognizable face, with habits, with personality - an actual PERSON - a something/someone of incredible value. So why do we continue to plan our spaces without dedicated sanctuary - no refuge? Why are we still not giving spaces the one most important thing that WE ALL need? I feel that the right privacy pods themselves are an badge or emblem of innovation and can blend seamlessly into any environment while standing as a testament to the importance of personal space and a concrete commitment to the fostering of well being and resulting increased human productivity. Feel free to share your thoughts and DM me if you would like to talk.

Is your office space inspiring or uninspiring? Outdated environments risk losing top talent and business. It's time to innovate with flexible, engaging workspaces that cater to diverse needs. Leaders, rethink your design strategies to attract and retain the best! Read more: https://bit.ly/3AQMbPt #FutureOfWork #OfficeDesign