Working through it

From BlackWhite magazine - issue 09, workspace feature

Help your clients beckon their employees back to the office through an effective hybrid workplace design.

For most people, the pandemic fundamentally altered the landscape of work in one way or another. Not only did it demonstrate the feasibility and benefits of remote work for many businesses who, until then, were operating with a traditional office model, it necessitated a profound rethinking of how commercial offices are designed. Years later, it’s become crystal clear that office work as we knew it will never be the same again.

For starters, the ability to work remotely has led to a significant shift in employee expectations. When the first lockdown took effect, many of the discomforts of office work dissolved overnight. Introverts found relief from loud or chatty co-workers, free time was gained when commuting time dropped to zero, chores like laundry and washing dishes could be accomplished during breaktimes and many developed a strong taste for working in ‘soft pants’ over ‘hard pants’. Of course, the sudden switch to working remotely presented challenges, too. Those who lived alone felt isolated, parents faced brand new distractions and additional responsibilities around their children’s education, some found it more difficult to collaborate while others lacked adequate space or privacy. Many businesses assumed there would be a quick return to the status quo in a post-lockdown world, but it didn’t take long before the disparity between what employers hoped would happen and the new normal was discovered. Suddenly, many employees were no longer willing to tolerate the drawbacks of working full-time hours five days per week within the confines of a standard commercial office setting.

A number of surveys conducted since the pandemic began have indicated that more than half of all workers prefer a hybrid working model, where they can split their time between the office and home or another remote location. What a hybrid working model looks like can vary greatly from one business to the next, as obviously different types of offices will have different roles and responsibilities that must be performed on-site, but chances are high that most businesses have fewer employees working in their commercial office spaces at least part of the week than they did before the pandemic began. This change is arguably the most profound paradigm shift since the conception of commercial office spaces – one that necessitates moving away from the rigid, cubicle-dominated layouts of traditional office designs towards more flexible and dynamic spaces that amplify the pros of on-site work while simultaneously lessening the cons. Primarily, this means today’s commercial office designs need to focus on increasing comfort – or at least decreasing discomfort – and on accommodating and supporting workers to maximise their productivity. But as some companies have discovered, implementing a thoughtful hybrid office design that’s both functional and attractive has benefits for employers and workers alike.

Redesigns spurred on by shrinking floorplates

One of the key reasons many businesses that have leaned into the hybrid workplace model have been considering or are undergoing office redesigns is space management. With fewer staff members in the office from day to day, many companies have realised they don’t need as much space as they used to. It’s hard to build a business case for renewing a large lease full of empty desks, and despite the upfront investment that comes with a redesign, the move to a diminished floorplate can make better financial sense in the long run.

In the face of shrinking office spaces, the onus falls on designers to seek out innovative ways to accomplish their clients’ goals within a smaller area. The tricky part is, in the face of new employee expectations and changes in workflow, the demands of what the space is expected to provide may have increased. For some businesses, that could mean anything from compressed collaboration spaces to the reconsideration of boardrooms to a move away from an open plan setup to make the most of the area that’s available.

Solutions like custom-built millwork and furniture and partitions with castors that can be easily and quickly moved to accommodate different tasks are becoming essential. Popular standbys like Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss waterborne enamel and Resene Enamacryl gloss waterborne enamel are handy single pack options for painting custom furniture solutions, but due to the high-traffic nature of commercial office spaces, you may find Resene AquaLAQ – a robust product suitable for furniture, millwork, joinery, kitchen cabinetry and more – or Resene Powder Coating make more sense for your client’s specific needs. The good news is, unlike pre-fabricated options, you can be confident that your custom-built office furniture will perfectly match or coordinate with your Resene colour selections for the rest of your project surfaces.

Strike a balance between flexibility and collaboration

For many business, finding a way to balance the flexibility that employees now expect while fostering the collaboration that the company values will be one of the primary goals of their hybrid commercial office design.

One approach is the implementation of ‘hot desking’, where employees do not have assigned desks but are free to occupy any available workspace as needed. While this can maximise space utilisation to accommodate varying in-office attendance, humans are creatures of habit and it can be a turnoff for some employees to not have a dedicated workspace. To better accommodate employee preferences, advanced booking systems that integrate with company calendars can enable workers to reserve their preferred space before they arrive in the office. Be sure to include dedicated lockers or cubbies where employees can securely store personal belongings on their out-of-office days within your design.

Since the pandemic, there has also been an increase in the inclusion of more casual, domestic-style furniture like sofas and beanbag chairs as well as a variety of sitting and standing desks to encourage comfort and support for people with different work preferences. However, providing a balanced mix of private workstations and open collaboration areas is also important for catering to different work styles and tasks. Quiet zones with noise-control features can be designated for focused work while open lounges or huddle rooms can facilitate team meetings and spontaneous interactions.

Keep in mind that one of the main reasons employees may come to the office is to connect with their colleagues. An effective hybrid office design can help foster a sense of community and camaraderie by creating areas that encourage interaction and collaboration. Comfortable, well-designed common areas such as cafeterias, coffee bars and lounge spaces can serve as informal meeting spots in addition to break areas. These hubs are often the only zones where workers from different departments come together, making them instrumental for unifying the team so the workplace feels social rather than siloed.

Increasing focus on employee wellbeing

While employers should want their staff to be comfortable and healthy from an ethical standpoint, there are several measurable and immeasurable benefits for business owners who place importance on employee wellbeing. Though results of studies have been unclear as to whether or not showing up in an office actually leads to a marked increase in productivity, healthy employees with minimal distractions are generally more productive. Better physical health may mean fewer sick days, improved mental wellbeing can lead to more positive outlooks and feeling more motivated with fewer distractions can help workers to focus. Although some of these factors may be out of the employer’s control, there are a number of ways that an effective design can positively influence the office environment in pursuit of better outcomes.

Incorporating biophilic design elements, such as indoor plants, natural light and ventilation, outdoor break areas and interior paint colours and décor that evoke nature can create a more pleasant and calming environment. Among the most popular interior options is the inclusion of natural-looking stained or colourwashed timber in hues like Resene Colorwood Natural, Resene Colorwood Bask and Resene Colorwood Becalm and painting major surfaces such as walls and ceilings in earthy hues like Resene Siam, Resene Rainee or Resene Serene – which is believed to offer positive psychological benefits through an indirect connection to nature. For outdoor break areas, look to products like Resene Waterborne Woodsman and Resene Woodsman for staining exterior wood surfaces to help protect these materials from the elements while allowing the beauty of the wood’s natural grain to be on full display. When using dark paint and wood colours outdoors, consider choosing a Resene CoolColour formula to further protect your materials from harmful UV radiation.

Workplaces can also provide wellness rooms for relaxation and mindfulness activities like stretching, yoga or meditation, offering employees space to decompress and recharge. Onsite fitness centres or partnerships with local gyms, shower and changing facilities and a secure bicycle lockup area can encourage healthier habits and make it easier for employees to integrate physical activity into their day. According to the principles of colour psychology, using soothing hues like Resene Ashanti, Resene Carefree and Resene Relax to paint major surfaces in wellness spaces can help signal employees’ brains to relax, take some time to breathe and decompress. And as we discovered during the pandemic, upgrading air filtration systems can improve air quality and reduce the transmission of airborne illnesses between employees, which can have a significant effect on workplace productivity and worker health.

Look beyond white

White has long been the most common colour used to paint general surfaces in commercial office spaces, but that is dramatically changing as businesses have begun to recognise the benefits that other Resene paint colours can offer. Not only do offices that feature colour feel more in line with current design trends, which can be appealing to both employees and clients, paint is an incredibly flexible design tool that can be used to meet multiple goals while respecting your client’s budget.

For starters, incorporating soft or nature-inspired Resene paint colours other than white can make commercial offices feel more comfortable and homey, contributing to employee satisfaction and wellbeing. Colourful walls and surfaces add depth and interest to spaces, breaking up the monotony and making the environment more stimulating. In the same way that some colours can help employees feel more relaxed, certain colours have been shown to influence mood and productivity. Blues like Resene Comfort Zone are often associated with calm and focus, while greens like Resene Haven can create a sense of balance and yellows like Resene Mellow Yellow are seen as optimistic.

Another popular idea is to use paint to reinforce corporate identity. Brand colours can be used on surfaces like walls, ceilings, trims and doors to overtly or subtly nod to the company’s identity while creating a cohesive look that aligns with marketing materials and other branding efforts. These colours can also be incorporated into painted murals within the office featuring motifs associated with the company or the product to introduce more colour and inspire creative thinking among employees.

Different colours can further be used to distinguish various zones or departments within the office, making navigation easier and subtly guiding behaviour. Colours can be chosen to support the specific function of a room or area. A conference room might benefit from a colour that promotes concentration, such as a tranquil blue like Resene Upside or an inky off-black like Resene Jaguar, while a break room could feature a more peaceful and relaxing hue like Resene Field Day or an energising one like Resene Happy. Non-white paint colours are often better at concealing dirt, scuffs and minor imperfections in heavily used areas like hallways, kitchens and breakrooms, which can reduce the need for frequent touch-ups and maintenance.

Thoughtfully-considered lighting

Lighting is another important tool in commercial office design in order to implement the vibe you and your client are after and ensure your Resene colour selections look their best. Warmer tones generally make a room feel cosy while cooler tones can make it feel more open and spacious, but this largely depends on lighting as different colours and finishes reflect light differently, affecting the overall ambiance of the space.

Spaces that have expansive windows often require window coverings to block out glaring light which may cause headaches and make it difficult to see screens or glazing to provide privacy from passersby and filter out UV radiation. These spaces may also benefit from the inclusion of dimmers or timers to allow more control over overhead ambient light sources on dark mornings and stormy days or for those working into the evening.

In spaces with few windows, it’s important to get the right mix of task and ambient lighting. Consider dimmable up-lighting and matte or low sheen Resene paint finishes, such as Resene SpaceCote, in conference rooms where presentations are regularly made to reduce glare and ensure downlighting or pendant lamps are on separate circuits to give the room’s users more control.

Like other types of residential furniture, the inclusion of domestic-style lamps is becoming more popular in commercial office spaces as they are often more comfortable to be around for longer periods of time and give individual employees more control over brightness and glare within their work area. While these fixtures may not be the right fit for every type of office work, they can help provide a soothing ambiance in quiet zones or break areas.

Prioritise universal design principles

While it’s unlikely that an office can be perfectly designed to suit every single employee, the years since the pandemic began have taught us a great deal about what doesn’t seem to work very well for anyone. The shift to hybrid workplaces also demonstrated that businesses can no longer afford to take a ‘one size fits all’ approach to their office design. Instead, we need to recognise that different people have different needs and working styles.

Most businesses include employees of varying ages, cultural backgrounds, physical abilities and life experiences. Designing offices to cater to this diversity so that employees feel valued and supported regardless of their age or stage in life starts with flexibility. Adjustable, modular furniture allows employees to tailor their work environment to their specific needs, such as standing while working. Offering spaces with sound-reducing features can make it easier for those with auditory sensitivities who need quiet space for focused tasks, ensuring that the office remains functional and comfortable for neurodivergent employees.

While designers should strive to design workspaces that are universally accessible for both able-bodied individuals as well as those with disabilities, injury or age-related reductions in mobility can affect how older employees interact with your office design. Changes in mobility might mean that employees who were previously able-bodied might suddenly become injured or require surgery, such as a hip or knee replacement – and thus might temporarily or permanently require use of a mobility device such as canes, walkers, crutches or wheelchairs. Without adequate width or turn-radii for walkways and toilet stalls or access to a lift, their return to office might not be possible. Other natural age-related effects like macular degeneration affect the ability to perceive hues and can make it more difficult to tell certain colours apart, such as green and yellow, if the two hues are similar in tone. Ensuring there is adequate contrast between wall colours and door frames can be helpful.

Then, there are gender-related considerations. In both New Zealand and Australia, the population of women outnumbers men – and yet, workplace designs often don’t provide for their unique needs. While the advent of commercial office spaces occurred during a time when many women were expected to leave the workplace to take on the role of primary caregiver after having children, that is no longer the societal norm. By and large, most women will return to work following their maternity leave – and arguably more women will return to an office they worked in before giving birth if their workplace is supportive of their postnatal needs. From childcare benefits and schedule flexibility to providing private spaces for pumping and a separate refrigerator to store breast milk, there is plenty that employers – and their office designs – can offer to support the return to work after maternity leave.

Another common misconception is that women won’t be experiencing menopausal changes until they are in or nearing retirement, but research shows that is not the case. For some women, perimenopause can begin as early as their mid-thirties. This natural life stage causes a long list of potentially life-altering side effects that may last for up to a decade – and many symptoms don’t currently have simple solutions, like hot flashes. Women who experience frequent hot flashes may find it uncomfortable or embarrassing to deal with this symptom in a professional setting. Including on-site showers or change rooms where employees are able to refresh and the introduction of more relaxed dress codes can ultimately help support women going through menopausal changes on days they need to come into the office. These extra supports can be helpful to other staff also.

While some of these considerations may not be feasible for every client, they underscore the importance of rethinking the way we have designed commercial offices in the past. The more that design professionals are able to encourage clients to adopt a flexible and inclusive workplace culture that celebrates diversity and promotes equity, the better. Not only will it likely help your client to attract and retain talent, but it can ultimately make their employees feel valued and part of a supportive community.

Top product picks for commercial office interiors

Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen and Flat waterborne enamel

For general walls, bathrooms, ceilings, kitchens, laundries, plywood and wallboards.

Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss and Resene Enamacryl gloss waterborne enamel

For architraves, bathrooms, furniture, kitchens, plywood, skirtings, timber doors, wallboards, window frames, panels and joinery.

Resene Aquaclear clear waterborne urethane varnish

Cork, timber desks, doors, fibre and particle board, furniture, panelling, parquet, skirtings, solid timber and veneers.

Resene Colorwood natural wood stain

For native and imported timber (dressed and rough sawn), panelling, doors, fibre and particle board, furniture, canework, cork, rope, timber ceilings and beams and window and door frames.

Resene Kitchen & Bathroom range

For wet areas prone to bacteria and mould, such as bathrooms, kitchens and laundries.

Resene Lumbersider Low Sheen waterborne paint and Resene testpots

For adding artistic flair through murals and painting décor and accessories.

Resene AquaLAQ

For kitchen and bathroom cabinetry, shop fittings, doors, furniture and blinds.

Resene Powder Coating

For custom furniture, cabinetry, shelving and light fixtures.

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BlackWhite magazine

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