What is work-life balance?
Creating a work-life balance in the office setting is primarily about enabling employees to have a job that supports their lifestyle. It is also about allowing and providing employees with the opportunity to “be themselves”.
As office design and culture continues to transition over the years, the (what used to be) fine lines between “live-work-play” are blurring together more and more.
How do companies achieve work-life balance?
Companies are able to provide a work-life balance by integrating various concepts:
Activity Based – Mobility – Agility
What exactly do these concepts accomplish? By applying these concepts to the work environment, employers are able to enhance and promote collaboration among employees. They can also create choice and variety in actual work areas through out the space. This ultimately can evoke a feeling of working “outside” of the office, and provides more freedom for employees.
Everyone thrives differently, and reacts differently according to their environment. Therefore, by providing flexibility and individualized comfort opportunities, employees are more likely to be productive and inspired because they are able to choose the environment in which they feel most “at home”.
(Activity Based) –
The activity based concept shifts allocation of space from individual, to shared. This opens up opportunity for focus, or collaborative work. Diverse settings enable employees to work effectively, depending on the task at hand.
(Mobility) –
In order to achieve mobility, offer and provide more seats than there are people. Increase the variety of collaboration settings, while enhancing innovation.
(Agility) –
The concept of agility aims to support and offer the same comfort and flexibility as working at home. Offer unassigned seating that combines both the mobility and activity based concepts. By doing this, you are ultimately giving employees the choice of how, and where, to work.
Some larger companies may even find it beneficial to incorporate fitness facilities, childcare, dining services, etc. into their offices. Why? It helps employees manage their personal lives and reduces stress, ultimately resulting in more productive employees. Offering the amenities that people need on a regular basis all in one area makes time more manageable, and is a great way to build employee engagement.
Environments where employees have freedom to re-arrange a workspace to fit their needs is a simple example of a characteristic for a living workplace environment.
Contact us today to speak with one of our on staff Living Office specialists, and let us help you develop your future office!