The Dimensions of the Workplace

13.07.2022

Excerpt from The Sustainable Workplace of the Future presented during Clerkenwell Design Week with independent sustainability expert James Bell, Dragonfly Sustainability.

As part of our activities during Clerkenwell Design Week we were delighted to be joined by James Bell, Dragonfly Sustainability. We’ve been working with James for several years now, he has been instrumental in the certification of our long established sustainability credentials. His unique insight, gained from experience working with leading FMCG organisations, is fascinating and we were delighted he could join us for an introduction which will be followed up with a second talk during Clerkenwell Open in September.

The four dimensions of workplace design

Exploring four different dimensions of workplace design; emotional, physical, technological and purposeful, can together drive behavioural, organisational and technological change to create a more sustainable, equal, healthy and prosperous workplace. We’ve summarised the key points of each below but the talk can be watched in its entirety on our Instagram channel @davison_highley

Emotional workplace.

Employees are increasingly looking for an emotional connection with employers who share their views on wellbeing and corporate governance. Attitudes towards environmental, social and governance, across all age categories, are conclusive according to recent research conducted by PwC.

1) Unily(2019), Future of the Workplace 2030+

2) PwC (2021), Consumer Intelligence Series 2021

Physical workplace.

There is no question, and much has been written about the fact, that the workplace has had a dramatic shock over recent years. Data from the EY Work Reimagined study show that while workplace remains the “anchor” for personal and career wellbeing, the days of fixed desks have arguably gone with many organisations look at more zoned campus style workplaces. Collaboration has become key and has been identified during the pandemic as one of the key reasons people need to be in the workplace. This new space planning strategy often creates an entrepreneurial spirit where employees have the freedom for creativity and radical thinking.

1) Unily(2019), Future of the Workplace 2030+

2) EY (2021), Work Reimagined: The sustainable and inclusive workplace of the future

Technological workplace.

The abundant use of Zoom and Teams has unquestionably been revolutionary in the transformation of workplaces but this aspect of the technological workplace is only a small part of the story with technology also applying to the buildings which have become more human centric through the use of lighting, ventilation and temperature to optimise comfort and well being.

Unily(2019), Future of the Workplace 2030+

Purposeful workplace.

Relevant to all who have been rethinking their purpose following the pandemic and key to attracting the best talent, the purposeful workplace considers a less hierarchical structure in organisation which can be encouraged through workplace design where modular and flexible zones can be re-worked and restructured keeping office spaces nimble and adaptive.

1) Unily(2019), Future of the Workplace 2030+

2) PwC (2016), Putting Purpose to Work  

Explore more with the full talk available to view on our Instagram account @davison_highley

Subscribe to our e-newsletter for an invitation to our next talk from James Bell during Clerkenwell Open 8th-9th September 2022.