NEW TECHNOLOGY, NEW BEHAVIOR, NEW OFFICE

Great mobile technology allows people can work anywhere at any time, either formal or informal workplace, forming a new work-style and creating a new trend of workplace design.

The shift of new work-style leaves most organization's workplace out of sync with unmet needs. Both individual and group spaces aren't optimized for new work styles whereby there are many offices are, literally from another era, failing to empower or support's today's people.

"Design is not just what it looks like & feels like. Design is how it works" - by, Steve Jobs

Workplace design should be liveable, providing a shared working environment for people from different backgrounds and areas of expertise, meanwhile, supporting people's fundamental needs including health, work-life fitness, social connection, autonomy and self-fulfillment.

According to Gentler Workplace Survey, a physical work environment is an important asset which correlates organization performance. The physical work environment should support people's day-to-day knowledge activities that empower people's creativity and innovation at work. The day-to-day knowledge activities are categorized into 4 work modes: focus, collaboration, social and learn.

Focus is a work involving concentration and attention to a particular task or project; collaboration is working with another person or group to achieve a goal; social is a work interaction that creates common values and enhances relationships; And learn is working to acquire new knowledge of a subject or skill through education or experience sharing.

The effective support in workplace setting of every work mode will increase employee engagement and organization performance. There are 6 important liveable office settings to support the 4 work modes:

CHOICE OF WORKPLACE TYPE:
Ability to choose from a variety of office setting solutions for efficiency learning sessions, brainstorming communication, mindfulness focus & rejuvenate moments.

COLLABORATION TECHNOLOGY:
Availability of collaboration technologies to empower the efficiency of ideas sharing.

COMFORT AND ERGONOMICS:
Supporting wellbeing's comfort and ergonomics at work with well-designed office furniture and equipment.

ENGAGING WORKPLACE:
Creating the feeling of belonging to connect with others.

SAFETY AND SECURITY:
Ensuring the safety and security of the workplace

SUPPORT FOR CASUAL INTERACTION:
How well the design and layout of the overall office facilitates casual interaction and collaboration throughout the space.

A liveable office will balance the formal or informal collaboration at work, empowering the strong connection of knowledge, which is the most essential purpose of today's office design.

Source: Wymer, T. (2010). Proportional Planning for the Adaptable Workplace
Gensler Workplace Survey (2008), A Design + Performance Report