THE EFFECT OF SPATIAL DESIGN ON COMFORT AND ENGAGEMENT …

THE EFFECT OF SPATIAL DESIGN ON COMFORT AND ENGAGEMENT IN THE WORKPLACE

MASTER’S THESIS BYDARPAN ARORA LEED Green Associate

Committee:Daniel L. Faoro, M.Arch UD, RA, Associate Professor (Primary Advisor)Anirban Adhya, Ph.D (Thesis Coordinator, Secondary Advisor)Deirdre Hennebury, Ph.D (Thesis Reviewer)

2018 | Lawrence Technological University

Informal meeting space in one of the offices surveyed having access to daylight, technology and furniture flexibility while promoting collaboration

AGENDA

1 Abstract and thesis statement

2 Workplace engagement and wellness

3 Office design trends and current issues

4 Significance of the study and Research questions

5 Research methodology: Survey design and analysis

6 Observations and Conclusions

ABSTRACT

There is a significant relationship between individuals and their environment crucial to determining how they feel, perform, and interact with others. Making room for the different ways employees work and teams collaborate is a key to effective workplace design.

With over 200 employees surveyed in seven architectural firms in Michigan, this study explores how a gap between spatial design and space preferences in an office affect physical and cognitive comfort of its employees- highlighting gaps between what employees have and what do they prefer/ need. What design factors contribute to the feeling of physical discomfort and disengagement from work? Does workplace culture or technological availability affect the way employees work in an office?

THESIS STATEMENT

The feeling of comfort and engagement in the workplace is driven by design to an extent that it affects the overall satisfaction of working within the environment and ultimately affects the wellness of an employee.

wor

kpla

ce

des

ign

PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT

com

fort

&

eng

agem

ent

ACTIVE INTERACTION

enha

nced

w

elln

ess

OVERALL SATISFACTION

91% 35%

91% of highly engaged employees report higher satisfaction level

35% of less engaged employees report higher satisfaction level

KEY CONTRIBUTERS IN THE FIELD OF WORKPLACE RESEARCH

Performance & Engagement Design, Business, Occupant behaviorWorkplace surveys since 2005

Design, Behavior, Ergonomics, Health, Performance

Health & Well-being, Culture, Engagement, Performance

Design, Creativity, Well-being, Collaboration, Innovation, Biophilia

Productivity, Financial development,

Technology, Flexibility

Health, Well-being, Productivity, Sustainability

Design, Health, Well-being, Biophilia

Corporate culture and trends, Heath

Real estate development, Workplace survey

WHAT IS ENGAGEMENT?

Engaged employees as those who are involved in, enthusiastic about and committed to their work and workplace.

Quantum Workplace office, Omaha, Nebraska

Law firm- Fish & Richardson’s Boston office

WHAT IS ENGAGEMENT?

31.1% 31.2% 31.4% 32.0%

Growth needs

Individual needs

Basic needs

Teamwork needs

Gallup: State of the American Workplace report | 2016PERCENTAGE OF ENGAGED WORKERS IN THE U.S. SINCE 2014

Performance development needs in an office

Studied by evaluating

CASE STUDY 1STEELCASE INNOVATION CENTERGRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN

outside

WHAT IS WELLNESS?

PHYSICALSTATE

MENTALSTATE

SOCIALSTATE

Peer Interactions

Work-LifeBalance

HealthyHabits

PhysicalComfort

Self Motivation

Stress Handling

WELLNESS

HOLISTIC WELL – BEING

Positive Collaboration/

Communication

Perks and Wellness benefits

WORKPLACECULTURE

Lunch programs

Gym benefits

Paid time off/ Sick

leave

Examples

State of social wellness alsodepends on workplace culture

Wellness is a sum of one’s positivephysical, mental, and social state

Wellness as a part of overall well-being of a person- by Author

Phys

ical

Soci

alM

enta

l

6.66

7.21

7.76

Based on O.C. Tanner Institute research, 2015

WELLNESS and WORKPLACE DESIGN

2015 survey | Colliers International

Percent of respondents who reported their office incorporated following design features that contribute to employee wellness

CASE STUDY 2ASID HEADQUARTERSWASHINGTON, D.C.

PRIVATE ENCLOSED FOCUS INTERACTIVE COLLABORATION SOCIAL PUBLICAMERICAN SOCIETY OF INTERIOR DESIGNERS

CURRENT ISSUES IN WORKPLACE DESIGN

According to the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency)

the average American spends

87% OF THEIR LIFE INDOORS IN A SPACE

THE FACT

According to a 2014 survey by Gallup

the new average for most full-time workers has risen to

46-47 HOURSPER WEEK

THE CONTEXT

According to the IFMA (International facility management association)

IMPACTS COMFORT

IMPACTS ENGAGEMENT

PRIVACY

COLLABORATION

According to a 2016 report by Gallup

less than one-third of U.S. employees feel engaged in their workplaces (tracked since 2000)

SCOPE OF THIS RESEARCH

WGBC Guide to Health, Well-being, and Productivity in Offices

Exploring the impact of physical metrics on overall satisfaction using perceptual metrics – a workplace environments survey – by self reporting attitudes on various aspects

METRICS FRAMEWORK

FINANCIALMETRICS

PHYSICALMETRICS

PERCEPTUALMETRICS

Absenteeism; Turnover; Revenue

Medical cost;Physical-Complaints

Building spatial design

Indoor environment

quality

Self reported attitudes on

health, well-being

and productivity

SCOPE OF RESEARCHSURVEY FRAMEWORK

Office Furniture/ Space Layout

Choice and Control

Visual, Acoustic and Thermal environments

RESEARCH METHODOLOGYWORKPLACE ENVIRONMENTS SURVEY

Methodology: An online perception survey

Participants: Mid - Large size architectural offices in Michigan• Albert Kahn associates Detroit• Gensler Detroit• Hamilton Anderson Associates Detroit• Harley Ellis-Devereaux (HED) Southfield• HKS Inc. Northville• NORR group Detroit• Neumann/Smith Architecture Southfield

Survey tool used: Survey Monkey

Timeframe: 2 weeks from the date deployed (in March 2018)

RESEARCH QUESTIONS1. How does spatial layout in the office

affect comfort, engagement, and satisfaction of its employees?

2. What physical, visual, thermal, or acoustic factors contribute to the feeling of discomfort or disengagement from work?

3. Does increased technological flexibility and/or mobility increase overall satisfaction of working within the space?

4. Does workplace culture affect the way employees work in an office?

RESEARCH METHODOLOGYSURVEY DESIGN and EVALUATION SCALE

sections 1 and 4Context, Culture and Demographic questions

5-Point Likert scale

Multiple choice/ Dichotomous scale

Type of work space | Time spent in office | Working culture in office | Gender and Age

SURVEY DESIGN and EVALUATION SCALE

section 2Physical characteristics questionsOffice furniture | Assigned desk| Lighting and views | Acoustic and Thermal comfort

Open-ended responses

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

SURVEY DESIGN and EVALUATION SCALE

Overall perception of office environment on a scale of 1 to 10

section 3Questions on preference,choice and control

Choice of seating | Control over temperature and lighting | preference of spaces for different work modes | Overall perception of the space

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

LOW MODERATE HIGH

Open-ended responses

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

CHANGES REQUESTED BY OFFICE A:

1. Q4 AND Q5 Rewording2. Adding question added on availability of space

and technology3. New section 5: Questions on Meeting Spaces

section 5Questions on meeting spaces

most effective size of meeting rooms | factor determining usefulness of a meeting room | frequency of use

Multiple responses

RESEARCH METHODOLOGYSURVEY DESIGN and EVALUATION SCALE

PROCEDURETEST SURVEY AND DEPLOYMENT

BETA SURVEY

1IRB APPROVAL

2SITE VISIT AND DEPLOYMENT

3

Conducted to test for any errors, overall time taken, data visualization

Participants:1. Individual respondents2. FCA employees (unofficial)3. S3 Architecture employees4. Tiseo Architects employees

Approval taken from LTU’s Institutional Review Board as human subjects were involved

Each office was visited for:1. Observations2. Photographs3. In-person discussion the

firm’s office design4. Survey deployment

4ANALYSIS AND

FEEDBACK

After detailed analysis of the survey, feedback from participants was taken

SURVEY RESULTSRESPONDENT CATEGORIES (all offices)

COMPLETION RATE

82%COMPLETE RESPONSES

1987OFFICES SURVEYED TOTAL RESPONSES

241

89%

TIME SPENT AT OFFICE

Full Time

Part Time Mostly Mobile

57%

AGE GROUP

36% (22 TO 44)

(45 TO 65)

55%

GENDER GROUP

42% Male

Female

(65 & above)

Survey analysis is based on 198 complete responses only

SURVEY RESULTSOFFICES COMPARISON

OFFICE AREA vs STAFF SIZE

8000

10000

12000

14000

16000

18000

20000

22000

24000

26000

28000

30000

20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120 130 140

Area

(in

Squa

re F

eet)

No. of Employees

Office A

Office B

Office C

Office D

Office E

Office F

Office G

Office No. ofEmployees

Approx.Area Setting No. of

responses

A 80 – 85 27000 SF Historic office space 50 (66%)

B 115 – 120 20000 SF Modern office center 40 (35%)

C 35 – 40 12000 SF Reused industrial 19 (54%)

D 70 – 80 19000 SF Reused residential 32 (43%)

E 35 – 40 11000 SF High rise office space 20 (57%)

F 80 – 85 17000 SF High rise office space 20 (28%)

G 75 – 80 18000 SF Modern office center 17 (27%)

KEY FINDINGSWORK SPACE AND OFFICE CULTURE (all offices)

21%

TYPE OF WORK SPACE

25%

Bench seating (desks with no partitions)

Cubicles

Private office

48%

6%

Open-plan (desks with low-height partitions)

WORKPLACE CULTURE

SAY THEY OFTEN COMMUNICATE WITH OTHERS IN CORRIDORS

73%

44%SAY THEY ATTEND MANY TEAM

MEETINGS ON A TYPICAL WORK DAY

22%SAY THEY DO NOT HAVE THE FREEDOM TO WORK WHEN,

WHERE & HOW THEY WANT TO

KEY FINDINGSOVERALL PERCEPTION OF THE WORKING ENVIRONMENT (all offices)

16%

20%64%

FEEL SATISFIED

8%

21%

71%

FEEL PRODUCTIVE

29%

30%

41%

FEEL INNOVATIVE

18%

24%58%

FEEL COMFORTABLE

20%

25%55%

FEEL ENGAGED

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

LOW MODERATE HIGH

Based on 196 responses

RATING RATING RATING

OBSERVATIONS/ INFERENCESCATEGORY: SPATIAL LAYOUT (MEETING SPACES)

BASED ON OFFICE-A ANALYSIS

MULTIPLE, SMALL SIZED, AND SCATTERED MEETING SPACES SERVE WELL

Out of 36% of respondents who say they need to meet with others outside of their desk more than 3 times a day, 67%say that they spend less than 2 hours working at a space other than their assigned desk

Over 90% of them say that the office lacks enough conference rooms and would prefer to work in an enclosed-private room for collaborative team meetings

80% respondents say that a meeting space good for 3-8 people works best

Multiple meeting rooms within close proximity are more likely to be occupied than large rooms away from the desk

vs

Meeting spaces/ Conference

Proximity circle

Basi

s 1

Basi

s 3

“An interview with office E representative revealed that though their office has more than 2 conference rooms for 35-40 people, only employees sitting close use the space often”

Basi

s 2

OBSERVATIONS/ INFERENCESCATEGORY: SPATIAL LAYOUT/ CHOICE OF SPACES

BASED ON OFFICE-B ANALYSIS

Out of 51% of respondents who say they attend many collaborative team meetings on a typical day at work, 40-45% say that they spend 2-4 or less than 2 hours working at a space other than their desk.

Moreover, 65% of them say they would prefer to work in a common lounge for collaborative team meetings

“An interview with office B representative showed that group meetings take place in office’s central informal meeting area so as not to disturb the staff in the open-office”

< 2 hours2-4 hours

INFORMAL MEETING SPACES SUPPORT COLLABORATION AND ENCOURAGE DISCUSSIONS

Basi

s 1

Basi

s 3

Basi

s 2

Office B utilizes a reused industrial space because of which it has a very high ceiling level with exposed ducts. However, this increases the volume of the space reducing the feeling of congestion- as referenced by the representative of office-B.

While 100% of respondents have access to natural light in the space and 85% feel visually optimistic – 100% of the respondents say that they DO NOT FEEL CONGESTED within their office environment

However, this also adds to the distraction by noise within the space, which is evidenced by 47% of respondents who say they do not have enough acoustic privacy while working

HIGH-CEILING LEVEL REDUCES THE FEELING OF CONGESTION IN THE SPACE

BASED ON OFFICE-B ANALYSIS

OBSERVATIONS/ INFERENCESCATEGORY: OFFICE FURNITURE

DESKS WITH LOW-HEIGHT PARTITIONS WORK BETTER THAN CUBICLES

While majority (62%) of respondents work in a cubicle, it is observed that respondents who work at desks having low-height partitions (26%) feel more positive about their working environment in all variables

Satisfied

Productive

Innovative

Engaged

Comfortable

Highest influence is found on the feeling of engagement/ involvement while slight difference is found in productivity, innovation or comfortability

Cubicles

Desks with space dividers


In office-E, while 63% of respondents say they go out of office to make private phone calls, more than 70% of open-ended responses attribute the reason to the lack of enclosed spaces/ rooms for privacy within the office.

The same trend is observed in office-F, where 65% of respondents go outside of office to make private phone calls

ENCLOSED SPACES FOR PHONE CALLS ENHANCE PRIVACY

Basi

s 1

BASED ON OFFICE-E and F ANALYSIS

Basi

s 1

Basi

s 2

Office E and Office F are however in the same building with similar space types/ layout

OBSERVATIONS/ INFERENCESCATEGORY: INDOOR ENVIRONMENTS (VISUAL)

BASED ON all office’s ANALYSIS

Access to daylight affects the mental wellness which has also been evidenced in other studies*

In all office’s survey analysis, the results survey shows that three-quarters of the respondents who say the office environment feels visually optimistic, have high rating on satisfaction and engagement within the office

*WGBC Guide on Health, Well-being & Productivity

DAYLIGHT INCREASES MORALE and ultimately well-being

Extent to which daylight penetrates

Low space between top of cubicles and ceiling level augments the issue

High cubicle walls preventing visual transparency and light to penetrate further in

DAYLIGHT

CIRCADIAN RHYTHM

OVERALL MORALE

Office-A example: Staff seating area (row of cubicles)

OBSERVATIONS/ CONCLUSIONSCATEGORY: CHOICE OF SPACES

CONTROL OVER TEMPERATURE & LIGHTING

(FLEXIBILE TECHNOLOGY) = (INCREASED SATISFACTION) VARIES BY AGE

70% of respondents feel restricted to their desk for work having access to technology only at their assigned work space AND more than half of them say they often communicate with others in corridorsor circulation spaces

Satisfied ProductiveInnovative EngagedComfortable

22 to 44 age

45 to 64 age

In terms of the influence on overall perception of the environment, respondents within the age group of 45 to 64 feel more positive about their environment than the younger generation who prefer more flexible and mobile environment to be innovative and engaged


Out of 73% of respondents who say they go outside the office for relaxation/ disengaging from work temporarily, majority of them attribute the reason to having access to local market and/or a park next to the office in the open-ended answers. Access to a water body or natural vegetation helps them to re-energize or refresh their mind

“An interview with office D representative showed that because of easy walking distance to coffee shops outside the office, cafeteria is less often utilized inside”

OFFICE SURROUNDINGS DETERMINE THE USE OF BREAK SPACES

BASED ON OFFICE-C and D ANALYSIS

Basi

s 1

Basi

s 2

Not as projected

FEEDBACK FROM PARTICIPANTS

Feedbacks were received from Office B, D, and G

1

2

3

4

5

6

N

Entr

y

MASTER OF ARCHITECTURE THESIS WORKPLACE ENVIRONMENTS SURVEY: INDIVIDUAL OFFICE SURVEY ANALYSIS CHAIR: DANIEL L. FAORO M.Arch, RALAWRENCE TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY BY DARPAN ARORA APRIL 2018 COORDINATOR: ANIRBAN ADHYA Ph.D.

OFFICE A Size: 80-85 employees Area: 27,000 SF

Break/ KitchenUtility/ Storage

Meeting/ Conference

Private officesOpen work space

Timeline: Mar 2 – Mar 17 2018Setting: Historic office buildingTotal responses: 50 ST

ATIS

TIC

S

INFE

REN

CES

DAYLIGHT & VIEWSEnclosed offices & roomsalong the periphery restrictdaylight to interior spaces.Low ceiling and highpartitions augment the issue.

CHOICE OF SPACESThe floor has enoughconference spaces forgroup meetings but lacksinformal or common areasfor breaks or socializing

STAFF SEATING FURNITUREC-shaped desks with low tomedium height partitions, andcubicles in open-plan workspaces with private offices forupper management

WORK IN A CUBICLE SPACE

DO NOT HAVE FREEDOM TO WORK WHERE & HOW THEY WANT

62% 34% 38%ATTEND MANY TEAM MEETINGS

ON A TYPICAL WORK DAY

Ove

rall

Perc

eptio

nO

ffice

Fu

rnitu

re DISAGREE TO HAVING VARIETY IN SEATING OPTIONS

90%AGREE TO FEELING CONGESTED IN THE

SPACE44%

LACK ENOUGH PRIVACY AT THEIR DESK

4 out of 10

Ligh

ting

& Vi

ews

FEEL VISUALLY OPTIMISTIC IN THE OFFICE

10% SAY THERE IS LACK OF ENOUGH VISUAL

TRANSPARENCY60% DISAGREE TO

HAVING ACCESS TO NATURAL LIGHT

54%

Acou

stic

&

Ther

mal

C

omfo

rt ARE GETTING DISTRACTED BY

NOISE41%

SAY TEMPERATURE & HUMUDITY LEVELS ARE

NOT SATISFACTORY54%

SAY AIR DOES NOT FEEL FRESH

IN THE OFFICE70%

Cho

ice

& C

ontro

l

AGREE & DISAGREE TO HAVING PRIVATE SPACES FOR FOCUSED WORK42% FEEL RESTRICTED TO DESK FOR

ACCESS TO TECHNOLOGY70%HAVE NO CONTROL OVER

THE TEMPERATURE IN THE SPACE7 out of 10 5 out of 10

Spac

e Pr

efer

ence

s fo

r

28%

30%

42%

Feel Comfortable

34%

24%

42%

Feel Engaged

38%

28%

34%

Feel Satisfied

15%

24%61%

Feel Productive

46%

30%

24%

Feel Innovative

First floor layout

At the desk/ assigned space Common lounge area Cafeteria (inside the office) Secluded booth/ Private room Outside the office

HAVE NO CONTROL OVER THE ARTIFICIAL LIGHTING

IN THEIR SPACE

SITE

VIS

IT O

BSE

RVAT

ION

S

KEYFINDINGS

Cat

egor

y: O

ffice

Fur

nitu

re DESKS WITH SPACE-DIVIDERS WORK BETTER THAN CUBICLES

While majority (62%) of respondents work in a cubicle, it is observed that respondents who work at desks having space-dividers (26%) feel more positive about their working environment in all variables

Satisfied

Productive

Innovative

Engaged

Comfortable

Highest influence of the space type on overall perception is found on the feeling of engagement/ involvement

Cubicles


Cat

egor

y: S

patia

l Lay

out MULTIPLE SCATTERED MEETING SPACES SERVE WELL

• Out of 36% of respondents who say they need to meet with others outside of their desk more than 3 times a day, 67% say that they spend less than 2 hours working at a space other than their desk on a typical work day

• Over 90% of them say they would prefer to work in a common lounge or an enclosed-private room for collaborative team meetings

vs


For instance, yellow spaces indicated here depict conference/ meeting rooms and close proximity circle around them. They acquire same area in both types of layout but serve a large pool of users who would use these spaces for focused or collaborative work; or even for private phone calls or relaxation.

Open-ended responses too show a need for more enclosed-private meeting spaces good for 3-8 people

Cat

egor

y: C

hoic

e an

d C

ontr

ol (FLEXIBILE TECHNOLOGY) = (INCREASED SATISFACTION) VARIES BY AGE

70% of respondents feel restricted to their desk for work AND more than half of them say they often communicate with others in corridors or circulation spaces


22 to 44 age

45 to 64 age


MEETING SPACESPREFER MEETING

ROOMS GOOD FOR 3-8 PEOPLE

80%SAY THAT EQUIPMENT/

TECHNOLOGY IS MOST SIGNIFICANT FOR A USEFUL MEETING SPACE

65%

Entry

N

8

911

10

127

Second floor layout

DAYLIGHT & VIEWSA row of windows allowample daylight in the spacebut is blocked by highcubicle walls and low ceilingto penetrate further in. Viewsare minimum to the outdoor

CHOICE OF SPACESThere are minimalcommon/ informal meetingspaces, that too alongcirculation pathway. Pantryarea is under-utilized dueto lack of enough seating.

STAFF SEATING FURNITUREMost of the floor has cubiclesarranged in a linear fashion,except a conference room andan informal seating. Thisrestricts visual transparencybetween spaces on the floor

Seco

nd F

loor

Firs

t Flo

or

96%

2% 2%Individual focused work

16%

54%

8%

22%

Socialize/ Take a break

14%

49%

37%

Working with a team

22%

2%

52%

24%

Talking on the phone

14%

10%

6%70%

Relax/ Disengage

1

2

5

12

OFFICE B Size: 115-120 employees Area: 20,000 SF

Office floor layout


Meeting/ Conference

Private officesOpen work space

1

23

45

6

7

N

10

89

Timeline:Feb 23 – Mar 11 2018Setting: Modern office center

Total responses: 40

STAT

ISTI

CS

2 4 5 6

SITE

VIS

IT

OB

SERV

ATIO

NS

INFE

REN

CES

Cat

egor

y: S

patia

l Lay

out INFORMAL MEETING SPACES SUPPORT COLLABORATION

AND ENCOURAGE DISCUSSIONS

Out of 50% of respondents who say they attend many collaborative team meetings on a typical day at work, 40-45% say that they spend 2-4 or less than 2 hours working at a space other than their desk. Moreover, 80% of them say they would prefer to work in a common lounge for collaborative team meetings

< 2 hours2-4 hours

Cat

egor

y: P

hysi

cal E

nviro

nmen

t


Access to daylight affects the mental wellness also evidenced in other studies

The survey shows that three-quarters of the respondents who say the office environment feels visually optimistic, have high rating on satisfaction and engagement within the office

DAYLIGHT & VIEWS

Recent office renovations revivedthe space into open-plan layoutproviding daylight and access tooutside views from personal desksof employees. The current openlayout seems well-lit throughout.

CHOICE OF SPACES

The office revitalization addedample group meeting spaces,formal and informal, thatprovide opportunity for moreeffective collaboration andengagement within the office.

STAFF SEATING FURNITURE

C-shaped desks with low height partitionsprovide a sense of privacy while alsoproviding opportunity for peer interactionwhile seated. The floor area seems overoccupied in terms of a balance betweencirculation space and furniture.

WORK IN DESKS WITH LOW-HEIGHT PARTITION

OFTEN COMMUNICATE WITH OTHERS IN CORRIDORS



6%

18%

76%

Feel Satisfied

6%

20%

74%

Feel Productive

16%

29%55%

Feel Innovative

8%

24%

68%

Feel Comfortable

11%

21%

68%

Feel Engaged

Ove

rall

Perc

eptio

n

KEYFINDINGS

Offi

ce

Furn

iture AGREE TO HAVING

VARIETY IN SEATING OPTIONS

63%SAY SPACES DO NOT FEEL CONGESTED

75%LACK ENOUGH

PRIVACY AT THEIR DESK

6 out of 10

Ligh

ting

& Vi

ews


73% AGREE TO HAVING ENOUGH VISUAL TRANSPARENCY

75% AGREE TO HAVING ACCESS TO

NATURAL LIGHT80%

Acou

stic

&

Ther

mal

C

omfo


NOISE63%


NOT SATISFACTORY35%


IN THE OFFICE38%

Cho

ice

& C

ontro

l

AGREE TO HAVING PRIVATE SPACES FOR FOCUSED WORK77% FEEL RESTRICTED TO DESK FOR


THE TEMPERATURE IN THEIR SPACE


IN THEIR SPACE6 out of 10 5 out of 10

Spac

e Pr

efer

ence

s fo

r

94%

3% 3%

Individual focused work

15%

50%

25%

10%

Socialize/ Take a break10%

65%

25%

Working with a team

18%3%

67%

12%


10%

23%

5%

59%

3%

Relax/ Disengage


OFFICE C Size:35-40 employees

Area: 12,000 SF


Meeting/ Conference

Support spacesOpen work space

Timeline:Feb 24 – Mar 11 2018Setting: Reused Industrial

Total responses: 19

STAT

ISTI

CS

SITE

VIS

IT

OB

SERV

ATIO

NS

INFE

REN

CES

Cat

egor

y: O

ffice

Set

ting OFFICE SURROUNDINGS INCLUENCE MOOD

AND WELLNESS

Out of 73% of respondents who say they go outside the office for relaxation/ disengaging from work temporarily, majority of them attribute the reason to have access to local market and/or a park next to the office. Access to a water body or natural vegetation helps them to re-energize or refresh their mind

Cat

egor

y: P

hysi

cal E

nviro

nmen

t

AMPLE DAYLIGHT AND HIGH-CEILING REDUCE THE FEELING OF CONGESTION IN THE SPACE

Access to daylight affects the mental wellness also evidenced in other studies.

The survey shows that 100% of respondents agree to having access to natural light as well as do not feel congested within the office. In fact, open-ended responses show that respondents feel the office occupies more space than it needs.

DAYLIGHT & VIEWSRow of steel sash and clerestory windows allow ample natural light intothe space eliminating the need for artificial lighting during the day at all.A park outside the office offers natural landscape and lake views.

CHOICE OF SPACESThe office has central informalgathering space with variety inseating options and access to amonitor for group discussions.A cafeteria in close proximity tomain flow of work servesinformal collaboration

STAFF SEATING FURNITUREMix of cubicle spaces and C-shaped desks with low – midheight partitions (with option toremove some as needed) groupedin teams. Overall, there seems tobe a good balance betweencirculation space and furniture.





Ove

rall

Perc

eptio

n

KEYFINDINGS

Offi

ce

Furn




100%LACK ENOUGH


5 out of 10Li

ghtin

g &

View

s




NATURAL LIGHT100%

Acou

stic

&

Ther

mal

C

omfo


NOISE47%


NOT SATISFACTORY53%


IN THE OFFICE32%

Cho

ice

& C

ontro

l

DISAGREE TO HAVING PRIVATE SPACES FOR FOCUSED WORK37% DO NOT FEEL RESTRICTED TO DESK

FOR ACCESS TO TECHNOLOGY58%HAVE NO CONTROL OVER

TEMPERATURE AND ARTIFICIAL LIGHTING IN THE SPACE

AGREE TO HAVING CONTROL OVER

WINDOWS FOR FRESH AIR5 out of 10 5 out of 10

Spac

e Pr

efer

ence

s fo

r

1

3

4

57

8

9

10

2

1 3

2

10

5%10%

85%

Feel Satisfied5%4%

91%

Feel Productive

26%

25%49%

Feel Innovative5%

16%

79%

Feel Comfortable

21%

25%54%

Feel Engaged

100%

Individual focused work5%

37%

37%

21%


95%

5%

Working with a team

16%

11%

57%

16%

Talking on the phone5%

11%

73%

11%

Relax/ Disengage


MASTER OF ARCHITECTURE THESIS LAWRENCE TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY WORKPLACE ENVIRONMENTS SURVEY: INDIVIDUAL OFFICE SURVEY ANALYSIS BY DARPAN ARORA CHAIR: DANIEL L. FAORO M.Arch, RA COORDINATOR: ANIRBAN ADHYA Ph.D. APRIL 2018

OFFICE D Size: 70-80 employees

Area: 19,200 SF


Meeting/ Conference


Timeline:Feb 24 – Mar 11 2018Setting: Reused Residential

Total responses: 32

STAT

ISTI

CS

SITE

VIS

IT

OB

SERV

ATIO

NS

INFE

REN

CES

Cat

egor

y: O

ffice

Set

ting OFFICE SURROUNDINGS DETERMINE THE

USE OF BREAK SPACES

The office utilizes a reused residential building space which has small kitchen areas scattered on a typical floor – not dedicated, but integrated. 51% of respondents go outside the office for socializing while 85% go outside for relaxing. Downtown location is attributed to the reason.

DAYLIGHT & VIEWSBeing in a reused residential space, only deskslocated next to a window have access to daylight.Spaces further interior solely depend on artificiallighting throughout.

CHOICE OF SPACESThe office design offers multiple common spaces scatteredthroughout the floor for collaborative meetings- formal orinformal. Similar to a residential interior, there are smallkitchen/ pantry spaces for food storage and heating.

STAFF SEATING FURNITUREC-shaped and L-shaped desks with no partitions provideample peer interaction but no privacy. There are ampleof storage spaces as well as variety in seating optionssuch as sofas, informal chairs and tables

WORK AT DESKS HAVING NO PARTITIONS




Ove

rall

Perc

eptio

n

KEYFINDINGS

Offi

ce

Furn

iture DISAGREE TO

HAVING VARIETY IN SEATING OPTIONS

72%AGREE & DISAGREE

TO FEELING CONGESTED

31%LACK ENOUGH


8 out of 10

Ligh

ting

& Vi

ews




NATURAL LIGHT72%

Acou

stic

&

Ther

mal

C

omfo


NOISE56%


NOT SATISFACTORY85%


IN THE OFFICE60%

Cho

ice

& C

ontro

l

DISAGREE TO HAVING PRIVATE SPACES FOR FOCUSED WORK64% FEEL RESTRICTED TO DESK FOR



Spac

e Pr

efer

ence

s fo

r

6%

15%

79%

Feel Satisfied3%

19%

78%

Feel Productive

24%

32%

44%

Feel Innovative

22%

16%62%

Feel Comfortable6%

25%

69%

Feel Engaged

ENTRY

2

3

45

6

7

8

Main floor layout (out of two floors)



IN THEIR SPACE

94%

6%


9%

28%

6%

51%

6%


16%

43%

41%

Working with a team

13% 3%

46%

38%


6%3%

6%

85%

Relax/ Disengage

Office floor layout

N

Cat

egor

y: P

hysi

cal E

nviro

nmen

t VISUAL PERCEPTION INFLUENCES COMFORT OF WORKING IN A SPACE

The survey shows that 100% of the respondents who say the office environment feels visually optimistic, have high rating on comfort and engagement within the office while at least 33%of respondents who feel visually depressed or neutral in the office space have low rating on comfort within the space

6 4

72

OFFICE E Size: 35-40 employees Area: 11,000 SF

Timeline: Feb 27 – Mar 17 2018Setting: High-rise office center

Total responses: 20

STAT

ISTI

CS

SITE

VIS

IT

OB

SERV

ATIO

NS

INFE

REN

CES

Cat

egor

y: O

ffice

Fur

nitu

re

Cat

egor

y: P

hysi

cal E

nviro

nmen

t


80% of respondents who say they lack enough privacy at their desk, work at desks having NO partitions.

Moreover, open-ended responses and an interview during site visit showed a need for more private-enclosed spaces for employees to go for privacy needs

DAYLIGHT & VIEWSAmple access to daylight andoutdoor elevated views of downtownand Detroit river. Low-height deskswith glass partitions and white open-ceiling increase the diffusion ofnatural light within the working space

CHOICE OF SPACESA mix of formal and informalmeeting spaces provide varietyin seating options throughoutthe space including seatingalong the windows plus acafeteria as socialization space

STAFF SEATING FURNITURERectangular desks with storage units asspace dividers provide opportunity forenhances peer interaction but sacrificeacoustic privacy. Movable pin-up boardsalong the central corridor provide wallspace for group discussions

WORK IN DESKS HAVING NO PARTITIONS


74% 60% 40%AGREE & DISAGREE ON ATTENDING

MANY TEAM MEETINGS IN A DAY

5%10%

85%

Feel Satisfied

5%

20%

75%

Feel Productive

10%

36%54%

Feel Innovative5%

35%60%

Feel Comfortable

15%

40%

45%

Feel Engaged

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rall

Perc

eptio

n

KEYFINDINGS

Offi

ce

Furn




60%LACK ENOUGH


9 out of 10

Ligh

ting

& Vi

ews




NATURAL LIGHT95%

Acou

stic

&

Ther

mal

C

omfo


NOISE55%


NOT SATISFACTORY50%


IN THE OFFICE52%

Cho

ice

& C

ontro

l



THE TEMPERATURE IN THEIR SPACE


IN THEIR SPACE6 out of 10 5 out of 10

Spac

e Pr

efer

ence

s fo

r


OFFICE F Size: 80-85 employees Area: 17,000 SF


Meeting/ Conference


Timeline:Feb 22 – Mar 1 2018

Total responses: 20

STAT

ISTI

CS

SITE

VIS

IT

OB

SERV

ATIO

NS

INFE

REN

CES

Cat

egor

y: S

patia

l Lay

out ENCLOSED SPACES FOR PHONE CALLS

ENHANCE PRIVACY

While 65% of respondents say they go out of office to make private phone calls, more than 70% of open-ended responses attribute the reason to the lack of enclosed spaces/ rooms for privacy within the office.

Cat

egor

y: P

hysi

cal E

nviro

nmen

t

USE OF GLASS FOR INTERIOR ENCLOSED SPACES PROMOTES VISUAL CONNECTIVITY AND PENETRATION ON DAYLIGHT FURTHER IN

Out of 80-85% of respondents who agree to having ample daylight and visual transparency within the space, majority of them have high rating on overall satisfaction and engagement in the space

DAYLIGHT & VIEWSDesks are aligned along the periphery of the interior space allowing amplenatural light to penetrate. Private offices and conference rooms towards thecenter have glass walls along that provide visual transparency and exchangeof diffused light in and out of the room

CHOICE OF SPACESThe office has two mid-size and one largeformal conference room and a few tablespaces for group discussions. A kitchenwithin the office, it is under-utilized due tolack of proper seating around it

STAFF SEATING FURNITUREMajority of the work spaceswithin the open-plan haveeither C-shaped desks with lowheight partitions or linear deskswithout any dividers.





Ove

rall

Perc

eptio

n

KEYFINDINGS

Offi

ce

Furn

iture DISAGREE TO



35%LACK ENOUGH


3 out of 10Li

ghtin

g &

View

s




NATURAL LIGHT85%

Acou

stic

&

Ther

mal

C

omfo


NOISE55%

SAY TEMPERATURE & HUMUDITY LEVELS ARE SATISFACTORY

35%SAY THAT AIR

FEELS FRESH IN THE OFFICE

40%

Cho

ice

& C

ontro

l

DISAGREE TO HAVING PRIVATE SPACES FOR FOCUSED WORK75% FEEL RESTRICTED TO DESK FOR


THE TEMPERATURE IN THE SPACE

HAVE NO CONTROL OVER ARTIFICIAL

LIGHTING IN THE SPACE9 out of 10 8 out of 10

Spac

e Pr

efer

ence

s fo

r

5%

20%

75%

Feel Satisfied5%

30%

65%

Feel Productive

25%

35%

40%

Feel Innovative

20%

20%60%

Feel Comfortable

20%

15%

65%

Feel Engaged


MASTER OF ARCHITECTURE THESIS LAWRENCE TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY WORKPLACE ENVIRONMENTS SURVEY: INDIVIDUAL OFFICE SURVEY ANALYSIS BY DARPAN ARORA CHAIR: DANIEL L. FAORO M.Arch, RA COORDINATOR: ANIRBAN ADHYA Ph.D. APRIL 2018

OFFICE G Size: 75-80 employees Area: 18,000 SF

Timeline: Feb 26 – Mar 11 2018

Total responses: 17

STAT

ISTI

CS

INFE

REN

CES

Cat

egor

y: P

hysi

cal E

nviro

nmen

t

VISUAL TRANSPERANCY IN THE SPACE INCREASES ENGAGEMENT AND OVERALL SATISFACTION WHICH INFLUENCES THE FEELING OF INNOVATIVENESS

37% of respondents have low and high rating on the level of engagement in the space.

70% of highly engaged respondents feel visually optimistic in the office while only 17% feel optimistic who have low rating on the level of engagement but say they have low visual connection between spaces

It is also observed that 40% of highly satisfied respondents feel highly innovative within the space while no respondents having low-rating on satisfaction feel highly innovative

WORK AT DESKS WITH LOW-HEIGHT PARTITIONS




Ove

rall

Perc

eptio

n

KEYFINDINGS

Offi

ce

Furn

iture DISAGREE TO


88%SAY SPACES

FEEL CONGESTED

59%LACK ENOUGH


5 out of 10

Ligh

ting

& Vi

ews




NATURAL LIGHT47%

Acou

stic

&

Ther

mal

C

omfo


NOISE59%


NOT SATISFACTORY82%


IN THE OFFICE80%

Cho

ice

& C

ontro

l




Spac

e Pr

efer

ence

s fo

r

38%

29%

33%

Feel Satisfied

18%

25%57%

Feel Productive

57%25%

18%

Feel Innovative

37%

26%

37%

Feel Engaged

43%

26%

31%

Feel Comfortable



IN THEIR SPACE

ENTRY

1

2

34

5

6 7

8

9


Informal Meeting/Conference

Private offices

Open work space

Office floor layout

N

79%

5% 11%5%

Individual focused work6%

28%

44%

22%


71%

17%

6%

Working with a team

11%

26%63%


16%

11%

73%

Relax/ Disengage

9 8

5 1 7 6

ENTRY

Unoccupied space

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

89

1011

12

13

14

Office floor layout

N

85%

10%5%


15%

40%20%

25%


70%

25%

Working with a team

20%

15%65%


10%

16%

74%

Relax/ Disengage

Office plan not received

76%

12%

12%


18%

41%12%

29%


29%53%

6%

Working with a team

6%

69%

25%


24%

76%

Relax/ Disengage

DESKS WITH NO PARTITIONS INCREASE IMPROMPTU INTERACTIONS BUT SACRIFICE SPACE PRIVACY

Access to daylight affects the mental wellness also evidenced in other studies

The survey shows that three-quarters of the respondents who say the office environment feels visually optimistic, have high rating on satisfaction and engagement within the office

1 12

2

11

Health, Well-being, & Productivity

THESIS 2: Forum 4: Context Darpan Arora

explanatory research:WHY?

employee salaries and benefits account for 90% of typical business operating expenses…HEALTH incorporates physical

health outcomes that can be measured or evaluated such as: headache, eye strain, stress & depression, etc. that constitute physical and mental health of employees.

An occupant’s sense of WELLBEING is also comprisedof their perception of numerous factors, including how PRODUCTIVE they think theyare: perceived physical & psychological stability, perceived productivity, perceived office environment, perceived organizational culture, etc.

METRICS FRAMEWORK*

Financial metrics

Absenteeism, Staff Turnover, Revenue

breakdown,

Medical costs & complaints, physical

complaints

Physical Metrics

Physical spatial design of the building

Indoor environmental quality of the space

Perceptual metrics

Self-reported attitudes on health, well-being, &

productivity in the workplace

SCOPE OF RESEARCH

1 Cited in Browning B. (2012) The Economics of Biophilia: Why designing with nature in mind makes sense. Available: http://www.interfacereconnect.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/The-Economics-of-Biophilia_Terrapin-Bright-Green-2012e_1.pdf

1

SPATIAL DESIGN

COMPONENTS STUDIED

Layout and planning

Furniture and Ergonomics of

the space

WORKPLACE ENVIRONMENT COMPONENTS

STUDIED

SENSORIAL CONNECTION

Visual

ThermalAcoustic

SURVEY FRAMEWORK

Variable:Sound Privacy

Cause:Poor spatial planning where collaborative & focus zones are too close or not enough physical barrier

Effect:Difficulty in concentrating at work can lead to discomfort, and low productivity at work

Variable:Sitting Posture

Cause:An effort to increase productivity, individual put in more & more work hours sitting at their workstations

Effect:Sitting in same posture all day and not moving increases the risk of health issues such as back-pain, obesity , eye-strain, etc.

*WGBC Guide: Health, Well-being, & Productivity in offices

http://www.interfacereconnect.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/The-Economics-of-Biophilia_Terrapin-Bright-Green-2012e_1.pdf

Spatial Program

Within the context of PROGRAM, the study explores tangible and intangible elements that constitute the physical spatial design of a workplace and its indoor environment –which affects the comfortability of the users in that space.

descriptive research:WHAT?

Indoor Environmental

Quality

LAYOUT FURNITUREPhysical, Spatial

elements of design

HEAR

SEE

FEEL

Growth of alternate workspace layouts (Illustration by Benjamin Monroe)

FURNITURE is an important attribute that is studied in terms of ergonomics as well as flexibility of it within the workplace.

Barbarian group’s New York office

Kneeling chairs

Daylight Views

Air temperature

Peer sound privacy

Equipment sound privacy

See-through spaces

Humidity Fresh air


Culture

descriptive research:WHAT?

While factors such as employee relations, work regulations, organizational practice, etc. serve as a halo effect factors in determining employee satisfaction; providing CHOICE & CONTROL, that is within the architectural realm, significantly affects cognitive comfort in employees.


• The context of Choice revolves around engagement anddisengagement.

• Incorporating a variety of settings, styles and postures to choose fromis essential to wellbeing and employee engagement.

Choice to work in secluded pods for focusing

Choice to conduct video calling in a private room

Choice for group meeting space and furniture flexibility

Office culture affects behaviors that make movement and control acceptable during the workday.

Providing workers a control over their working environment significantly affects comfortability.

These two examples depict the freedom to

control lighting levels –both artificial and natural

MOVE CHANGE POSTURE

ADJUST LIGHTING

ADJUST TEMPERATURE

WHERE TO WORK?

HOW TO WORK?

SPATIAL PROGRAM

CHOICE OF SPACE

WHAT TYPE OF WORK?

CONTROL WITHIN THE

SPACE

Observed factors that influence architectural design of a workplace (based on literature review and case studies) and contribute to the health, well-being and productivity of an individual.

OFFICE CULTURE TECHNOLOGY

Does my work include attending meetings?

Do I need to focus all day at spreadsheets?

Can I move around my office with my laptop?

Can I control the height of my desk?

Can I have warm lighting in my space?

Can I open the window for some fresh air?

Can I go to a pod for working?

Do I have a private room for making phone calls?

Is there private spaces within my close proximity?

Is the cafeteria too close to my work desk?

Is the space big enough for large group meeting?

Can I access my account from the common area?

Is there a power outlet in the secluded pod?

Is there a monitor in the private enclave?

Forum 4: Context

STEELCASE INNOVATION CENTERGRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN

CASE STUDYForum 4: Context

□ CubiclesD Enclosed spacesD Open layout

Office: Harley-Ellis

Devereaux (HED)

Location: Southfield, MI

Size: About 120 employees

Area: About 20,000 Sq.Ft.

Foru

m 4

: Con

text

SURVEY INSIGHTS Initial Analysis

METADATA:

1. No of respondents: 20 (17 complete, 3 partial)2. Response sources: 15 FCA employees; 3 random

employees; 1 from HED; 2 from Tiseo Architects3. Average time: 8-13 min to complete

Based on 17 complete responses:OFFICE CULTURE

OFFICE FURNITURE VISUAL COMFORT

ACOUSTIC COMFORT THERMAL COMFORT

OVERALL FEELING CHOICE & CONTROL

Some open-ended answers:

change ONE thing about your office furniture/ layout“ability to have a standing desk”

“add height adjustable worksurfaces”

“move next to a window”

“More of a variety of desks in all offices (standing, sitting, and pods)…. option to sit, stand”

change anything about your visual, acoustic, or thermal comfort“Make a provision for natural light”

“More windows which are openable”“More sunlight and fresh views”

“Make partitions taller”

why do you prefer to leave your workplace“working indoors makes me feel confined and uncreative”

“private”

”I like to keep my life private”“TO go for walks and stretch my legs”

“Fresh air”

Foru

m 4

: Con

text

PRIMARY PURPOSE OF THE STUDYTo advocate for the need for wellness within the workplace by identifying spatial design factors that influence one’s physical and cognitive satisfaction and involvement. Wellness is a sum of one’s positive physical, mental, and social state.

A 2016 study by Foundation for Young Australians, estimates that

260%jobs in the future will demand

MORE CREATIVITY & INNOVATION SKILLS

According to a 2014 survey by Gallup

the new average for most full-time workers has risen to

46-47 HOURSPER WEEK

WHAT IS WORKPLACE WELLNESS?

PHYSICALSTATE

MENTALSTATE

SOCIALSTATE

Peer Interactions

Work-LifeBalance

HealthyHabits

PhysicalComfort

Self Motivation

Stress Handling

WELLNESS

HOLISTIC WELL – BEING

Positive Collaboration/

Communication

Perks and Wellness benefits

WORKPLACECULTURE

Lunch programs

Gym benefits

Paid time off/ Sick

leave

Examples

State of social wellness alsodepends on workplace culture

Target Audience: Employees working in an office

Sample audience: Architecture/ Design firm employees in Southeast Michigan

The study aims at contributing to the growing body of research in the field of workplace wellness by correlating spatial design attributes with physical and cognitive environmental satisfaction within employees

The anticipated outcomes will highlight the gap between spatial design of the surveyed firms and employee preferences. The study will also identify common design factors that work and that don’t work within those offices

According to a 2015 report by Gallup

less than one-third of U.S. employees feel engaged in their workplaces (tracked since 2000)

PERCENT OF ENGAGED EMPLOYEES (Gallup data)

32% 13%

In an study by Continental Office, it is foundCreativity in an office can depend on

COLLABORATION TEAMVISIBILITY

IMMEDIATESETTING

FORUM 5: PURPOSE

HOW DOES DESIGN IMPACT WELLNESS?Workplace design affects one’s ability to do a task by providing comfortable ambient conditions as well as motivation by promoting psychological engagement.

Extent to which daylight penetrates

Low space between top of cubicles and ceiling level

High cubicle walls preventing visual transparency

Seco

nd fl

oor o

ffice

spa

ce-

Albe

rt Ka

hn A

ssoc

iate

s, D

etro

it

DAYLIGHT

CIRCADIAN RHYTHM

OVERALL MORALE

OPEN PLAN

VISUAL TRANSPARENCY

SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT

KED (Kelby Ergo Design) explains

THE CORRELATION BETWEEN WELL-BEING and WORKPLACE DESIGN

According to Jennifer Veitch there are four areas in which there is some evidence that workplace conditions can benefit employees (especially with certain mental health problems):

SOCIAL RELATIONS

ATTENTIONFOCUS

STRESSREDUCTION

PHOTO-BIOLOGY

PERSONAL Space

C R O W D I N G

ACCESS TO WINDOW

Seasonal Mood Disorder

due to insufficient access to daylight

FORUM 5: PURPOSE

WORKPLACE ENVIRONMENTS SURVEYAnalysis of the survey data

PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS OF THE STUDY(An example of a surveyed firm)

N

Entr

y

Corridor/ Circulation

Break/ Kitchen spaces

Utility/ Storage

Conference rooms

Enclosed private offices

Open work spaces

SUMMARY

This firm studied occupies part of a historic building in Detroit. The first floor has private and open offices including multiple conference rooms and runs management-based activities. The second floor has more departmental-type setup (cubicle spaces) and runs design-based activities.

SURVEY STATISTICSTimeline: March 2 – March 17, 2018Total responses: 55 (66% of the firm size)Completion rate: 91% (50 complete responses)

Square Feet_________________________________________________________

About 27,000 Sq. Ft. divided between first and second floor of the building

Recent renovations_________________________________________________________

First floor – 2001 Second floor – Mid 90s

First floor Second floor

Entry

N

Types of spaces_________________________________________________________

Open-plan, Private enclosed, conference rooms (big and small), break rooms (small), material library + utilities

Firm Size_________________________________________________________

80-85 employees

Main entrance lobby area

FOR

UM

5: P

UR

POSE

SPATIAL DESIGN OBSERVATIONS AND INFERENCES FROM THE SURVEY RESULTSC

ateg

ory:

Spa

tial L

ayou

t DESKS WITH SPACE-DIVIDERS WORK BETTER THAN CUBICLES

While majority (62%) of respondents work in a cubicle, it is observed that respondents who work at desks having space-dividers (26%) feel more positive about their working environment in all variables

Satisfied

Productive

Innovative

Engaged

Comfortable

Highest influence of the space type on overall perception of the working environment is found on the feeling of engagement/ involvement while slight difference is found in productivity, innovation or comfortability

Cubicles


Cat

egor

y: S

patia

l Lay

out MULTIPLE SCATTERED MEETING SPACES SERVE WELL

• Out of 36% of respondents who say they need to meet with others outside of their desk more than 3 times a day, 67% say that they spend less than 2 hours working at a space other than their desk on a typical work day

• Over 90% of them say they would prefer to work in a common lounge or an enclosed-private room for collaborative team meetings

• Open-ended responses too show a need for more enclosed-private meeting spaces good for 3-8 people

< 2 hours2-4 hours

vs


For instance, yellow spaces indicated here depict conference/ meeting rooms and close proximity circle around them. They acquire same area in both types of layout but serve a large pool of users who would use these spaces for focused or collaborative work; or even for private phone calls or relaxation.

Cat

egor

y: C

hoic

e an

d C

ontr

ol (FLEXIBILE TECHNOLOGY) = (INCREASED SATISFACTION) VARIES BY AGE

70% of respondents feel restricted to their desk for work having access to technology only at their assigned work space AND more than half of them say they often communicate with others in corridors or circulation spaces


22 to 44 age

45 to 64 age


36%

28%

34%

2%

Feel Satisfied

14%

24%61%

1%

Feel Productive

44%

30%

24%

2%

Feel Innovative

26%

30%

42%

2%

Feel Comfortable

32%

24%

42%

2%

Feel Engaged/ Involved

OVERALL PERCEPTION OF THE WORKING ENVIRONMENT –

FORUM 5: PURPOSE

THE EFFECT OF SPATIAL DESIGN ON COMFORT AND ENGAGEMENT …

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