A few months back, I was asked to give a talk at the Microsoft offices in London about the future of work. During the presentation, I discussed how businesses across the globe are moving to a remote working model and how this is impacting the way we work, how we engage with customers, and how we engage with each other.
One of the most interesting trends to emerge is the rise of the “ghost worker”. Essentially, a ghost worker is a worker who does not have a physical presence at the workplace – they may work remotely, perhaps part-time or even contractually. This might sound like something out of a science-fiction movie, but it’s the new normal for many organisations.
Many firms have either partially or completely implemented remote working, and as a result, they have seen a decrease in office-related accidents, absenteeism, and turnover. According to one study, up to 60% of all office workers could potentially be classified as a remote worker.
Businesses are now taking a close look at their existing office environments and how they can make the most of their office space. This includes assessing whether their office is fit for purpose and whether it caters to the specific needs of their employees.
Why Office Productivity Is On The Rise
The move to a remote workforce has many benefits, but one of the most significant is increased office productivity. This is because many remote workers are drowsy, stress-free, and enjoy more flexibility in terms of their working hours. In addition, some research suggests that remote workers are up to three times as likely as in-house employees to reach a productivity peak while working. This suggests that remote working could result in increased operational efficiency and productivity.
Many businesses are now discovering the advantages of a remote working model and are seeking to capitalise on them. For example, earlier this year, Workplace by Facebook reported that they had 450 enterprise clients and over 900,000 active daily employees working remotely. Across these businesses, the company reports that they have saved an average of $26,000 a year, which is equivalent to 50% of their average employee’s salary. This is because of the benefits that come with being a remote worker.
Key Takeaways
So what can organisations do to make the most of the increased productivity that comes with a remote workforce? One important factor is to ensure that their existing offices are suitable for the purposes of remote working. This means taking into account the layout, floor space, and design of the room. It also means considering how workers will operate within it and how they can effectively get work done.
For example, if a business has a specific area of the office that is used for extremely serious, face-to-face meetings, then it might not be the best fit for remote working. In this case, they could look at alternative venues, such as a board room or private conference room, for such meetings.
Similarly, if space is a concern, then they could look at renting additional office space or moving to a remote workplace, as Workplace by Facebook has done. Alternatively, they could look at having a central hub for employees to meet and collaborate, which could be located in a traditional office environment or in a dedicated meeting room. In either case, they would want to ensure that this shared space is suitable for the purposes of remote working.
Another important factor to consider is worker engagement. It is well-established that the most engaged employees are the most productive employees. Therefore, businesses should do everything they can to ensure that their employees are engaged in their roles and feel appreciated for the contribution they make. This way, they will be motivated to deliver top performance and stay engaged in their roles.
Where Do I Sit?
While many businesses are seeking to move to a remote working model, it’s not always easy. As we’ve established, not all offices are designed for remote working, and it’s important to consider the layout, floor space, and design of your existing office environment. This is because not all spaces are made equal and there are various best practices and rules to follow in terms of how you should design your office for optimum productivity.
The first thing you might want to do is assess whether you actually have the technological infrastructure in place to support remote working. For example, do you have a good internet connection and is it fast enough to handle remote working? Having asked these preliminary questions, you can move on to consider the design of your space.
The 4-Step Design Process
So how should your office be designed and what are the best practices that you should follow? Well, to put it simply, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to building a productive office.
The first step is to properly assess the layout, the size, and the design of your existing office space. There are many different factors that you need to take into account, including the type of equipment you have in the office, the types and sizes of furniture you have, and the colour scheme you have going on in there. Once you have considered these elements, you can move on to the next step.
The next step is to decide how you want your office to function. In terms of the type of activities that take place in the office, you need to consider what sort of tasks you want to perform and who you want to perform them. For example, if you want to perform highly creative tasks, such as writing or designing, then you might want a dedicated space for yourself. This could be a standalone room or a loft space above a workshop or a garage.
If, on the other hand, your tasks involve more of a “talking-head” sort of work where you just need a quiet place to meet with a colleague or two to discuss the weekly news, then you might want to look at a more traditional office layout.
Whatever you decide, the next step is to organise the office space you’ve created. Now is the time to put everything you need into practice. If you have a dedicated space, then you can put up walls and organise the furniture you have into functional areas, such as a desk area, a lounge area, or a kitchenette. You can also add additional space, such as a conference table or a seating area, with the help of a room divider or a screen wall.
One other important thing to do at this stage is to add additional functionalities to your office space with the help of technology. You can get automated work stations, such as a stool type workstation, a standing desk, or a treadmill desk. You can also get functionalities that assist workers, such as a good lighting, ergonomic chairs, adjustable desks, and warm colours.
Make Your Business Cards And Email Signatures More Attractive
Now, one of the things that could potentially detract from your productivity is your business cards and email signatures. This is because these items are usually made up of bland text and low-quality stock photos, which could potentially become very dull and uninteresting. In order to make your business cards more interesting and informative, use the space on the front to highlight your services or products, as well as articles you’ve published.
In addition, if you’re using email signatures, which is something I recommend, then you can further personalise these by using a tool like Gush Sign to insert a custom image or logo into the signature.
These items are usually kept in a file cabinet or on a desk somewhere, so by placing a small magnet on the file or on the desk, you can pull up a business card or email signature and replace it whenever you need to, which is why I like to keep them close at hand. This also makes it easier to keep track of what’s important and what’s not. When I need to find an employee’s email signature, I usually look at their business card first, as I know what company they’re from and can often guess at the person’s name, based on their job title. This way, I know exactly what email signature to look for and can always find it quickly.
Final Takeaway
So, what would you do differently next time you’re designing a workspace? Think about the activities that take place there and how you can make the most of them. Remember that every office is individual and some of the things that work for one business might not work for another. Designing a workspace is not a one-size-fits-all exercise, and it’s important to consider the specific needs of each business and the people who work there.