Study shows workplace design key to productivity

The effect of workplace design in promoting employee efficiency and effectiveness is a key factor for consideration in today's businesses.

A recent study, "Workplace Values: How Employees Want to Work," conducted for the American Society of In-terior Designers, employees were asked what they would do to create the "ideal" place to work.

According to an ASID news release, in the study, which was cosponsored by ASID, Ecophon, Haworth and Vista Films, respondents cited four key issues they valued most:

the comfort of the workplace, ranging from the physical comfort to the at-mosphere or feel of the environment;

being able to communicate openly and effectively;

having access to the people, places and things necessary to be successful and productive;

having a functional and efficient en-vironment.

"Employers often fail to consider the value employees place on the physical work environment," said Janice Linster, ASID, principal, director of interior design with Ellerbe Becket Inc. "Those who recognize its importance as a contributor to performance, as well as a re-cruiting and retention benefit, gain a critical advantage over their competition."

Well-designed workplaces utilize solutions that integrate employees' functional needs with comfortable and pleasant surroundings. The high-performance workplace goes a step further by allowing employees greater control over adapting the physical environment. The study also indicated that employees who feel the physical environment supports their work and is in sync with the company's goals and image are more likely to be satisfied in their jobs, to work longer hours and to stay with their current employer.

"Employees feel confused and frustrated if the physical work environment creates obstacles to how they can best perform the tasks related to their specific jobs," said Patricia S. Algiers, ASID, a design/brand strategist with KSConsult-ing, a division of Kahler Slater Archi-tects in Milwaukee.

The ASID study also included in-depth interviews with more than 20 professional commercial interior designers and workplace experts.

The designers interviewed recommended that corporate decision-makers analyze how employees carry out their work before exploring design solutions.