Interior Design Trends Impact Worker Stability

by Dawn Chisholm

Dawn Chisholm is a principal in charge at Corgan Associates Inc. of Dallas.

The author explores the growing need to recruit and retain workers as reflected in interior design trends.

Visible signs of today's increasing demand for workers are found in the shifting priorities for work environments that corporate clients are communicating to their architects.
Compared to a primary focus on cost following the post-Sept.. 11, 2001, economic nosedive, today's corporate decision-makers are equally concerned with employee retention as they are with cost. Their growing interest in attracting and retaining employees is reflected not only in the input they are giving to their architects, but also in their willingness to spend a bit more on design elements they consider important.

Increasing worker satisfaction, stability and productivity A renewed interest in building in amenities signals more employee-focused design, especially in campus environments. Generally, larger corporate campuses are now incorporating more employee conveniences such as fitness centers, full-service cafeterias, dry cleaning services, shoe cleaning and repair, convenience stores, more accessible parking facilities and childcare centers.

While these designed-in amenities are perceived by employees as perks, they add value for employers by contributing to workforce stability, Also, these onsite amenities boost productivity, by giving workers fewer reasons to leave the campus.

When helping decide which amenities to include, interior designers must persuade their clients to strongly consider employee demographics. For instance, facilities for workers that come and go during the night require designing for increased security. Buildings with populations of active, professional workers who put in long hours may value fitness facilities more than others. Call centers, with workforces often comprised of part-time workers such as students, retirees, parents juggling childcare and other flex-workers - may appreciate cafeterias or other amenities which enable them to maximize their output during their reduced hours.

Enhancing comfort In addition to considering beneficial amenities, corporations are asking their architects to implement designs that increase employee comfort in their work areas.

Lighting is one of the most critical design decisions when considering worker comfort. Allowing for natural daylighting from exterior windows for most of the workforce gives employees a connection with the outside world. Once reserved only for upper management, daylight views are consistently preferred by employees over total artificial light. Also, careful use of indirect lighting to reduce computer screen glare is mandatory for employees' comfort as well as health.

Corporations are also working with their design teams to increasingly focus on comfortable, flexible designs and human ergonomics in their interior facilities. Providing adjustable chairs and adjustable keyboard heights help keep employees healthy and productive as well as comfortable. There is also a growing demand for "sit-stand" design in >> workstations and desks. Such flexible fixtures and spaces enable employees who are on the phone all day to adjust their desktop to a desired height if they choose to periodically stand while working.

Assuring security Requirements for height-ened protection of people, facilities and data are also a top concern of both employers and the workers they want to attract and retain. Designers are working with their clients to balance the competing needs for safer workplaces that meet higher security tests while avoiding building bunker-like, institutional facilities that workers hate. Such design considerations range from an increased need for security hardware and more doors to careful treatment of common areas such as elevator lobbies, reception areas and bathrooms.

Supporting mobility and flexibility Corporate clients are asking architects for design that mirrors the mobility and flexibility their employees need and want. Their work environments must also optimize the technology tools they count on, from wifi to the latest digital innovations. Interior workspaces with efficient, effective workstations are, today, much more important than "high design" throughout corporate facilities.

"Hoteling," a novelty in the 1990s that refers to shared workspaces when not "on the road," continues to be in-demand for companies with large field organizations, such as consultants, auditors and salespeople. The concept of sharing spaces is now expanded to include "touch-down and collaborative spaces" where workers connected by wifi can work individually and spontaneously, or in informal groups almost anywhere.

Such mobile environments are another win-win for both employees and employers. Employees gain the flexibility to adapt their space and work groups to meet changing demands. For employers, more flexible environments may contribute to more efficient space utilization and more density in facilities.