Office design with everyone in mind

A working environment is more than just desks and chairs. It’s about creating an environment in which every employee can feel good and give the best of themselves. An office is both inspiring and functional.  

How do you create an office environment that meets the diverse needs of all your employees? That’s the question. Often, people only differentiate according to the nature of the tasks, i.e. activity-based working. But this can be a bit too simple. Even though two people perform the same task, it may be that they have different needs.  

Attention to sensory stimuli 

You experience a lot of stimuli at the workplace; unfortunately, much of it can be quite annoying, e.g. noisy telephone conversations or disturbing lighting. Not everyone deals with these issues in the same way. This is why it is important to offer employees a choice, and to have workplaces adapted to the individual. Consider low-noise spaces where people can isolate themselves for work that requires high levels of concentration.  Or the use of colour. Neutral colours instil a sense of peace, security, and concentration. Stronger colours represent energy and strength. These may be small adjustments, but they can make a real difference on how people experience their office.  

Attention to accessibility  

Often forgotten, but no less important: accessibility to the environment. Not only in the public area, but also at the workspaces themselves. If you want everyone to feel welcome in the office, this must be reflected in the design. Some examples are clear contrasts and markings on stairs for people with visual impairments. Or sufficiently wide passageways or adapted furniture for wheelchair users. 

In practice: Bewel, a sheltered workplace.  

For Bewel, an organisation that employs people who find it difficult to access the labour market, accessibility was an essential part of their new construction project. They chose to equip their cockpits with benches similar to those you find in a train and a contact table, paying extra attention to wheelchair accessibility. Pami customised the opening, height, and location of the table leg so wheelchair users could easily take a seat. Would you like to know more about the entire project? Take a look here.  

Taking sensory stimuli and accessibility into account are just a couple of the many important points of attention. Always putting your people and the team first with the aim of giving everyone the opportunity to make optimal use of their skills is very important. After all, when people feel supported, this translates into improved performance and satisfaction.  

Would you like to create a workplace in which everyone can feel good? Pami is happy to help you. Please contact us to arrange a meeting or ask for more information at no obligation.