The benefits of workstations in your office are numerous: they promote communication, limit employee isolation, and save you money. The future of workstations, however, is up for debate. In light of COVID-19 and the increased interest in working from home, traditional workstations may need revamping.
Commercial interior specialists like the ones at Key Interiors can help you breathe life back into your office’s workstations. Break down the most prevalent workstation revitalization efforts and see which, if any, may benefit your staff the most.
Active Workstations: Pros and Cons
Given the sedentary nature of many modern jobs, a good deal of employers have started introducing active workstations into their offices. Active workstations encourage standing or regular movement throughout the average workday.
These workstations benefit a team that doesn’t have much time for interaction or leg-stretching. That said, any office that introduces active workstations needs to account for disabled employees. Balancing those needs while ensuring your space is still engaging is one of the many difficulties employers can face when exploring alternative interior structures.
Shared Spaces: An Ongoing Debate
Given the continued prevalence of COVID-19 in the workplace, the question remains whether shared spaces are practical for employees (or not). On the one hand, employees who can share desks save space and subsequently money. On the other, these mutual stations require modifications to keep employees safe in the current environment. What’s more, employees who have conflicting personalities may find their work hindered by a shared space.
Whether or not shared spaces are a good fit for your office depends primarily on the opinions of your employees. As you invite more staff back to in-person work, consider asking about their views regarding space design. They’ll let you know whether or not shared spaces are worthwhile investments.
Mobility’s Impact on the Workstation
More and more employees are expressing interest in a “clubhouse” approach to the office. These teams want to work from home for part of the week while visiting office hubs for essential in-person efforts.
If you want to adopt a clubhouse work ethic in your office, you can use workstations to your advantage. A team that comes and goes doesn’t need as many workstations as a permanent in-house team. Your team can even share workstations more efficiently, considering that some parties will be absent when others are in.
That said, you’ll want your workstations to reflect your office’s mobility. Be sure to integrate cameras and other digital work technologies into your setup so that in-house staff can communicate with team members around the world.
Stepping into a New Way of Working
The future of the workstation is up for a lot of debate. The benefits of workstations are plentiful, but they also impose unique limitations on burgeoning offices. When you’re determining what manner of workstation suits your office best, you must communicate with your team. Work with your staff, and you’ll have a better idea of their needs and how your workstations can meet them.
