When architects Arney Fender Katsalidis (AFK) worked in partnership with WORKTECH Academy to study the future of the flexible workspace market in the UK, the research team discovered that corporate occupiers and flexible space operators were searching for a new formula in the emerging hybrid world of work – with important implications for design and amenities. In this extract from the report, ‘The Future of Flex: Flexible Workspace in the UK Post Covid-19’ (2021), Earle Arney and Kat Hayes of AFK look at what corporate occupiers are looking for in terms of office design and present some prevailing themes.
Companies are under more pressure than ever before to innovate. Evidence from neuroscience research suggests there are basic design steps firms can take to support creative thinking.
Stress levels are on the rise, but what we really want to know is whether workplace design can help us ease the pressure and, in turn, prevent burnout. Scientific research suggests that it can. Being stressed occasionally is part of being human, and it has been so since our very first moments as a species. Our minds and bodies have developed systems for dealing with being stressed that have repercussions for our psychological and physical health. A consequence of being stressed in the modern workplace is ‘burnout’ – fine-tuning design practices can make stressing out and burning out less likely.
Prioritising employee mental health has become essential in today’s workplace. Even before the pandemic, nearly 15% of workers experienced mental health issues, with 13% of sickness and absences linked to these conditions, according to the Mental Health Foundation.
According to a recent survey from Honeywell, 72 per cent of workers are worried about the effects of poor air quality on their wellbeing, however many feel that they don’t receive enough information from their employers.
In collaboration with JLL, Savills, and London & Oriental, we designed a Tenant-Ready™ space at Buckingham Green’s Tower building, blending luxury with sustainability. The space features recycled materials, such as worktops made from yoghurt pots and stools from beer factory waste, alongside reconfigurable furniture for flexibility.
