FUTURE TALENT November - January 2019/2020 | Page 40

ON TOPIC environment could be negatively affecting our wellbeing and productivity. Peggie Rothe, development director at Leesman Index, believes that our workspace is of the utmost relevance to getting the most out of our working day. “Humans are very much impacted by their environment,” she says. “Environments in general have a huge influence on how we feel, how we behave and how we interact. At work, more specifically, it has an impact on how well we can do our job.” Supporting this, a recent study of workers in North America by HR advisory firm FutureWorkplace found that two-thirds of employees are m o re p ro d u c t i v e i n workplaces with good air quality, lighting that’s easy on the eye and acoustics that don’t make it feel like people are working 20,000 leagues under the sea. Environments have a huge influence on how we feel, behave and interact BRINGING THE OUTSIDE IN AT SKYSCANNER 40 // Future Talent Jenny Jones, who runs a London-based architecture and design studio, agrees that these factors have a profound effect on our ability to work. “In an ideal world, your space is going to have high ceilings, great daylight, a good connection with the outdoors,” she says. “They are scientifically proven to be beneficial environments to be working in.” I t is also crucial for businesses to create a space that reflects the values and goals of their particular organisation. Jones points out that, prior to working with a client, she makes a concerted effort to gain an understanding of what the business needs, avoiding an ‘off-the-shelf’ approach. “I think what’s really interes ting abou t the workplace conversation now i s t h at i t ’ s ve r y influenced by the type of company,” she adds. “It all depends what the company does, what their workflow is, and what their culture is.” For example, global sports apparel company Gymshark’s new £5m innovation hub in Solihull has merged work and work-out spaces to exhibit the business’s commitment to physical and mental wellbeing. Designed in collaboration with of fice design consultancy Oktra, the 5 5 , 0 0 0 s q u a re -fo ot . wa re ho u s e ho s t s t he brand’s research and development function, and includes a state-of-the-art gym, photo studio and 100-person auditorium. A central concrete health bar is a focal point of the design and is a space ear- marked for learning and development and collaboration. A s the American poet Rober t F ro s t once observed, “the brain is a powerful organ; it starts working the moment you get up in the morning and does not stop until you get into the office.” Is this a reflection on our work ethic, our shor t attention spans – or perhaps the suitability of most working environments to help people perform to the best of their ability? For many of us, the answer appears to be the latter. A global survey by (office furniture solutions company) Steelc ase revealed that just 13% of workers are highly engaged or highly satisfied by their workspace, while research by YouGov found that less than half of British workers (43%) feel the design of their workplace encourages innovation and creativity. At an even more basic level, a poor working O