How do your open spaces fit all types of corporate employees
by Denise Soleil SEOEvery third or even
more of your daily office colleagues are introverts. How is your company's
open-plan office capable of embracing and accommodating all different types of corporate
employees?
The open-plan office arose and evolved to promote employee interaction,
innovation, creativity and efficiency for the company's further development.
Subsequently, the
activity-based office followed up by recognizing that the modern
well-functioning office environments need to design and furnish their
workspaces according to the different kinds of tasks and activities of the
working day.
Today, the time is
ripe for the activity-based concepts to dig deeper and accept that companies achieve
their targets and results through individual and differentiated work processes
of the various types of employees.
While an extroverted
employee associates a collaborative presentation with a large round table in
the open space, the introverted employee combines the same type of corporate
performance with the office pod, a colleague, and their laptops.
Challenging environments
"Open office
environments can feel incredibly challenging for introverts. They can work in
these environments - I have had to - but most often, I isolated myself behind a
set of headphones to tell colleagues that I´m busy.
Vast office landscapes can benefit from calm areas and small strategic hideaways that offer employees mental breathing and workspaces. Another solution may also be to allow your introverted colleague to work often outside the office," suggests Glen Cathey, HR director, blogger, etc. at Randstad Saint Petersburg.
"On the surface, the theme of introversion may not be a top priority for
your company and your diversity and inclusion efforts. But it should have.
A workplace where
everyone feels comfortable and motivated to bring their authentic self into
play sharing their unique thoughts, contributes definitely to the corporate
employee engagement and commitment - and ultimately makes your business
stronger," Glen Cathey adds.
Activity-based solutions
The open-plan
offices´ often high level of small talk, disruptive traffic and visual
distractions can be extremely overwhelming for the introverted, sensitive
office worker who can quickly feel over-stimulated, pressured and stressed to
act socially and extroverted.
The introverted types of employees usually work best, most creatively and productively in spaces where they can find peace, overview and focus on their current job without distractions and interruptions.
Modern activity-based interior designs and concepts can meet the needs of these
employees by furnishing with mobile partitions, calm areas and zones, quiet
rooms, corners, and pods, where introverted co-workers can secure their work
peace.
It should be in the
interest of every employer to make sure that all employees work most productively.
It is the employer's task and responsibility to ensure an office environment
that is capable of accommodating and making all kinds of talents feel good and
thrive to the maximum extent.
Disadvantage
"Just a few
would disagree that incorporating quiet spaces into the workplace is a good
idea. Still, those designs are often viewed as a luxury serving a limited part
of the employees - even though it usually turns out that a significant portion
of the workforce, as a matter of fact, do make use of these quiet spaces.
Take a look around
your office: Basically, how well do they support your various types of
employees? Also those with special needs?” Change Manager at the Planning
Design Research Corporation in Houston, Amy Pipe urges.
"If you can't emphasize more than two ways your office environment supports these different personalities, consider up to half of your colleagues are working at a disadvantage - and consider how this thing might impact your business success ..."
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Created on Mar 4th 2020 03:43. Viewed 351 times.