Bobby Miller
Writer Website
Science in the Office Space: Rethinking Our Thinking Space
1,800 words
Every office building has its own “culture” waiting inside. Some are composed of creative, outgoing people who collaborate on a regular basis. Others are comprised of people who are the most productive and focused while working individually. Whatever the case, the dynamics of every office culture is determined not only by the employees working there but also by the layout of the office.
While we sometimes picture offices as a bunch of cubicles stuck together, there are actually many different ways to organize workers and their materials. Although there is no “best” office layout, scientific research has given us a better understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of different layouts and features.
How to Open Your Office Space to Conversation and Diseases
One trend that began in the 1990s is the open-concept layout. According to Jasmine Budak of Canadian Business magazine, people believed that this design was revolutionary because it allowed for rapid communication among employees, which in turn increased companionship, creativity and productivity.
“Benching” is a common format found in open offices. (Credit: BizJournals.com)
However, this trend might be passing since “knowledge workers are increasingly asking for closed offices to help with concentration,” as Budak notes. Plus, Australian scientists have shown that the “excessive noise and lack of privacy” can stress out workers, which is hardly beneficial to productivity or employee well-being.
If you’re working in an open office and find yourself dissatisfied with it, then Budak has a few suggestions for you. While asking for a room of one’s own may be a tall order, asking for thick carpets and partitions is reasonable. Plus, laying out the work stations such that people cannot see one another helps reduce the perceived noise level significantly.
Perhaps some space among employees would curb the spread of disease as well. A recent study has shown that, in addition to allowing discussions to flow among employees, open-plan offices allow diseases to flow among them too. Led by Dr. Christina Danielssona, a team of four scientists from Stockholm University examined the illness and sick day rates among two thousand employees working in different office types.
The information they collected suggests that common, mild illnesses such as colds can be especially pervasive in open-plan offices. The number of short sick-leave spells in these offices is the highest, particularly among women. Men are most likely to call in sick for short periods of time if they work in flex-offices, which replace individual workstations with some meeting rooms.
Needless to say, infectious bacteria can travel from person to person more easily when employees are touching the same materials and tables throughout the day. Plus, any bacteria released in the air from breathing or talking has no walls blocking it from other people.
But the university researchers speculate that open plans contribute to illness in other ways as well. Particularly, all the noise and lack of privacy contributes to stress. On top of that, in open-plan offices, employees have less control over their personal space, how to decorate it and organize it. This too contributes to stress.
To make matters worse, employees are actually more likely to come into the office despite feeling sick if they work in an area with an open layout. This may in part be due to the “group dynamics” these layouts are said to promote. If everyone can see you all the time, then there’s more stress to come into work even if you’re sick because everyone would notice your absence—and perhaps ask about it when you return.
This information on disease in the workplace was published in the Taylor & Francis Group journal Ergonomics. You can read the full text online at tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00140139.2013.871064.
In light of the science presented here, you would expect employers to back away from open layouts. But in reality, the opposite is happening. According to an analysis performed by CoreNet Global and published in the ASHRAE Journal, the amount of office space per worker in the US may drop by nearly a third from 2010 to 2017. Businesses clearly think they can save money by cramming as many employees as possible into a small space, despite what science says about the hidden costs.
The Power of Nature
Aside from how much room an office gives each employee, another important factor contributing to an effective workplace is how it uses nature. Typically, we picture offices as dry, artificial places colored in navy and gray as people in black suits and white shirts type away at equally dull-looking computers. However, science suggests that various parts of nature, such as sunlight and plants, belong in the workplace too.
In June 2013, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine published a study that examined how exposure to natural sunlight influenced employee productivity and sleep quality. Specifically, according to Eurekalert.org, they found that employees in offices with windows “received 173 percent more white light exposure during work hours and slept an average of 46 minutes more per night” than those in windowless settings. The employees regularly exposed to sunlight also had higher vitality, overall sleep quality and rates of physical activity.
Exposure to sunlight can boost employee health, particularly in terms of sleep. Just watch out for glare on the computer screens. (Credit: ForWallpapers.com)
So, while everyone keeps talking about Windows XP in the workplace, maybe we should really be concerned about actual windows. As the sleep academy points out, architects should try to install plenty of windows for day-shift workers. And if you find yourself stuck in an office without genuine white light, I would recommend bringing your own with a light box, a device used to simulate sunlight exposure.
However, Budak of Canadian Business notes that a study performed in the UK found that a window view of natural elements could decrease job stress, so there is no perfect substitute for good ol’ Mother Nature. Some European countries go so far as to mandate that employees need to be within twenty-seven feet of a window.
Windows aren’t the only way to bring nature inside, though. Jane Dyrhauge Thomsen, Hans K.H. Sønderstrup-Andersen and Renate Müller of various universities in Denmark teamed up to study plants in the workplace. In their 2011 case study, they found that employees perceived ornamental plants as a means of giving employees and the workplace a warmer, happier feeling.
By having healthy plants around, employees are reminded that they can take care of things and be responsible for their work environment, which contributes to a positive, productive atmosphere. Looking at a plant can also provide some stress relief or a quick break while tackling a challenging problem. Plus, plants can even facilitate relationships among employees. One participant in the case study explained this by saying that “talking about the plants is the same as talking about the weather.” It allows a person to break the ice with another, which is especially important for new employees.
Plants can help keep the air in an office fresh, too. (Credit: RodaleNews.com)
The scientists explain, however, that simply bringing in some plants isn’t enough to liven up an office. For one thing, the plants must be in nice condition. Having a dead plant around can make the workplace feel sloppy, which is unsatisfying and can decrease productivity. It could prove downright stressful for perfectionists. And even if they’re alive, plants are less beneficial if they’re not in bloom. The scientists behind the case study also found that some young male participants were hesitant to discuss plants or gardening with other employees. One participant went so far as to claim that “talking about plants is something old people and women do.”
Rodale News recommends plants such as peppermint, gardenia, golden pothos and more to clean the air and stimulate the brain. Picking the perfect plant, though, depends on how much sunlight it will receive and how much effort you are willing to put into it.
Overall, scientists have shown that plants in the workplace can be beneficial under the correct circumstances. Just be sure to watch out for dirt and bugs!
If plants in the office are not a feasible option for you, then consider bringing in some photography of nature’s beauty.
Other Tips for Effective Office Space
Studies have shown that employers and employees should keep other factors in mind when trying to create an effective work environment.
To begin with, as Budak of Canadian Business notes, a study performed by Cornell University found that employees in cold workplaces are the most prone to making mistakes, which in turn makes them less productive. In the study, cold participants led to a 10 percent increase in hourly labor cost. However, raising the thermostat by 9ËšF made typing errors drop 44 percent and output rise 150 percent, as Budak explains. The study concluded that the optimal temperature for office workers is 71.6ËšF to 77ËšF (22ËšC to 25ËšC).
Other scientists have shown that color can influence the mood of employees. “Studies suggest warm colors (reds, oranges and yellows) can energize a workplace by stimulating motor efficiency while also making people more detail-oriented and accurate,” according to Budak. However, cooler colors such as blue and green may help soothe employees in a belligerent, stressful environment.
A York University researcher has also concluded that changing the color of prison walls can help calm down inmates. And if that can work on prison inmates, then it can probably work on office workers, too. So changing up colors by cycling posters, curtains and other decorative items throughout the year can help increase employee morale.
Finally, one unusual Harvard study has profound implications for not only the workplace but other settings as well. In the study, scientists found that participants were less likely to cheat in a game if toys watched them play. Plus, “companies close to daycares or nurseries proved to be more charitable than others,” according to Budak. So, nostalgic visual cues of childhood seem to make people more honest and generous. Perhaps companies should encourage workers to each have a piece of childhood memorabilia in their office space.
Misty Spinney, a runner-up in Brit + Co.’s “Pimp Your Office” internal competition, used old Nintendo products to evoke her childhood. (Credit: CNN.com)
All these studies suggest that businesses and employees can learn a thing or two by paying attention to recent studies on the workplace. Even if there is no specific design or method that can be universally applied to all business cultures, science can provide some guidelines to help people stay happy, considerate and productive while on the job.
Bobby Miller originally wrote this article for the digital magazine Nvate in March of 2014. Due to its age, some of the information or links in the article may be outdated.