Creating a High-Performing Space That Employees Can Do Their Best Work In

At the risk of oversimplifying it, people want to do their best work. It really is that straightforward.

If employees believe they can be more productive at home, they’ll work from home. But if the office provides an environment that supports both focus and collaboration, they’ll choose to work there too.

The key to creating an office that people actually want to come to is understanding what they truly need to do their best work.

TL;DR:

• Companies need to create spaces where employees can do their best work
• Key focuses include enhancing wellbeing and productivity with indoor air quality monitoring, empowering employees to choose areas that suit their preferences, and ensuring a seamless experience with efficient space booking
• Collaboration among workplace teams is essential to effectively use data and respond to employee feedback
• Ultimately, understanding and addressing employee needs is vital for creating an office where employees can collaborate, thrive, and be productive

Empowering Employees With Choice

If employees are commuting to the office, they need to be confident they'll find a space that supports their productivity. It's not about personalizing every aspect of the office – this can be inefficient. Instead, companies can empower employees with data, helping them choose the spaces that best suit their needs.

Take noise, for example. Nothing’s more frustrating than trying to focus but being surrounded by distractions. With live heatmaps on digital signage or apps, companies can show real-time noise levels, allowing employees to pick the perfect spot – whether they need complete silence or the buzz of ambient activity.

Temperature is another important factor. Office climates have historically catered to male preferences, leaving other employees cold at their desks. Heatmaps can help workers find spaces with their preferred temperature, whether cooler or warmer, without disrupting energy efficiency or sparking thermostat wars.

This approach isn’t about giving everyone the ability to control the office environment, it’s about giving employees the data they need to make informed decisions.

Finding the Right Space

Just as important as these environmental factors is being able to find the right physical space when you need it.

Whether it's a quiet pod for focused work or a meeting room for collaboration, employees should be able to book exactly what they need. But one of the biggest frustrations is commuting to the office, only to find the perfect space is taken – or worse, reserved but left empty all day.

To fix this, companies need to combine booking data with occupancy data showing actual usage. This way, employees can easily find available spaces, and no-show meeting rooms or desks can be freed up automatically.

When employees can easily find and book spaces, they are more likely to view the office as a useful, productive environment – not a logistical headache.

Health and Wellbeing Matter

More than ever, employees want to feel confident that their workspace supports their holistic health. Post-pandemic, awareness of air quality is at an all-time high, and wellness and longevity have become top priorities.

To reassure employees about the health of the office, companies can make real-time indoor air quality data readily available. This goes beyond noticeable factors like temperature, extending to invisible elements like CO₂ and PM2.5, which significantly affect cognitive function and wellbeing.

When air quality is good, employees can view the data and feel reassured. And if there’s an issue, companies receive instant alerts to address it, and affected areas can be temporarily marked unavailable until air quality improves.

Transparency around health data fosters trust and helps employees feel safe and valued in their work environment, supported by certifications like the AirScore that prove the health of a space.

Turning Data Into Action

Collecting data is important, but the real value lies in how it is used. There's ongoing debate about which team should be responsible for turning data into action, with various departments like facilities management, HR, and the emerging ‘Head of Workplace’ role all playing a part.

Ultimately, success hinges on collaboration. Often, one team collects the data, another analyzes it, and yet another implements changes. Without a unified approach, these efforts can fall short. Each team may prioritize different data points, but the real results come from their ability to access relevant information and take proactive action based on it.

And above all, companies need to keep listening to their employees. Collect feedback, review it, and take action. Because how can you create an office that employees want to commute to if you don’t know what they need to do their best work?

Offices Built For Work

Somewhere along the way, we’ve lost sight of what matters. Employees don’t need office spaces filled with distractions or gimmicks – they need environments that empower them to do their best work.

The office should be designed for what really counts: supporting productivity and helping people perform at their peak. If we can get back to that, we’ll create spaces that people not only need, but want to be in.

Looking for insights on crafting office spaces that inspire great work? Tune in to this podcast episode! 

Metrikus is a market-leading software that helps organizations to make their offices more efficient, productive and sustainable. By aggregating siloed building data from multiple sources, Metrikus’ cloud-based platform provides customers with actionable insights to save time and money.