Does your office space make you want to work?

Most people associate a positive company culture with employee benefits, internal programs, and supportive leadership styles. And very few would even think that where they sit – whether in a dark and cramped row of cubicles or an open desk area with natural light – could affect the workplace culture.

“Environment is a critical factor in successfully building trust, collaboration and communication in a workplace,” said Heidi Pollard, CEO of UQ Power, a consultancy company to the mining and resources industry.

“A great workspace is more than just a desk and a chair.”

A work environment that affects a company culture in a positive way is made up of a number of features that make employees feel happy, motivated and dynamic.

The way a workplace looks, represents the values of that organisation and gives visitors and new employees a first impression of what that company stands for. The way an office is laid out affects functionality, which also plays a huge role in creating and perpetuating the company culture.

There’s a new focus on “activity-based” office environments which is making the coveted corner office and cold cubicles a thing of the past. In activity-based work spaces employees choose their seating location based on the activity they are working on.

Generally, the office space is divided into areas for quiet tasks and areas for collaboration. It can involve “hot-desking” and different types of quiet spaces and collaborative spaces to suit various tasks. Think individual working pods and café-style open areas where meetings can take place.

Pollard said, “This approach takes the focus off presenteeism and respects employees’ preferred mode of working. It offers more independence, it empowers employees and it helps to builds trust.”

By giving your employees the freedom to be themselves and choose the way in which they want to work shows that you value their individuality and recognise that people create and share in different ways.

Many of Australia’s largest firms have moved to activity-based working, including Commonwealth Bank, KPMG, Microsoft, Macquarie Bank, NAB and Goodman. Goodman lists some of the benefits of this style of working as:

• Increased staff collaboration and productivity;
• Flexible modes of work;
• Improved work environment and job satisfaction;
• Reduction in power, paper and real estate costs.