Embarking on an office design or an office refurbishment is exciting news for your business. The design and layout of a workplace can play a vital role in how people function and complete daily tasks. There are varied opinions on what creates the ‘ideal’ office space. Some of these beliefs however are based on more fleeting trends rather than evidence. Today, we’re going to debunk some of the common misconceptions and myths around workplace design.

Myth 1 -The executive office is dead

An executive office is one that is the base of operations for executives in a company. With the rise in open plan office design and collaborative working, a common misconception is that having a dedicated office space for executives is now the wrong route to go down when planning the layout of your office space, the modern workplace design trend is to get directors out of their individual offices and into the open place office to encourage communication. Contrary to the latest trends, this modern office design trend is not applicable to every business, one size does not fit all.  Some businesses are finding that senior teams are taking up all the meeting rooms to take their confidential calls and meetings as they no longer have an executive office, therefore we would argue that the executive office is not dead. Executive offices are designed to accommodate managerial needs, they are an important space in office design- the hub of negotiations and important exchanges of ideas. Our latest project for Keepmoat showcases many executive offices.

Myth 2- Having a reception area is old school

Do I need a reception in my workplace? In short, yes. Reception design is still fundamental, they aren’t a thing of the past. Your reception plays a vital role in how your clients, and employees see your business, its an essential area in offices for many reasons. It is the area where you greet your clients for the first time, creating first impressions, it can also serve as a waiting area. A well-designed reception area can convey professionalism, trustworthiness and familiarity with your brand/business. Some businesses however are moving a way from a manned reception and opting for AI solutions, for example an iPad that you can sign into that automatically notifies someone of your presence, another good idea is having a self-serve area where you are able to grab a coffee.

Myth 3- Gender neutral toilets are the new norm

Gender neutral toilets, or shared toilets are on the rise, particularly in serviced office buildings, but are they really the new norm? Gender neutral toilets were a trend in the 90’s but look different to what they are now (for those of you that remember -Annie McBeal). Today’s gender-neutral toilets typically have handwashing and mirror facilities within each toilet so employees are not sharing the washing area and are often high spec, similar to what you’d find in a hotel. They are also a great way for employers to manage diversity in the workplace. Although gender neutral toilets sometimes have a negative image, they are here to stay.

Myth 4- Office design is solely aesthetic

After an office redesign, there’s no doubt that your office will look great, however, it is important to understand that office design goes beyond mere aesthetics. Workspaces that are cleverly crafted can influence aspects such as productivity, wellbeing and employee satisfaction significantly. Redesigning an office is not just about incorporating the latest colour trends, a new office design must be future proof and stand the test of time. Office design can be a large investment for many organisations so although it is important that it looks good, it is equally as important taking the opportunity to review how you work, what improvements you need to make- to make use of the space more effectively to encourage staff retention and get employees back to the office.  

Myth 5-Open plan workplaces are noisy and distracting

Open plan office layouts foster collaboration, creativity and focus however, they are stereotypically seen to be distracting and noisy. It is possible to have an open plan office design as well as areas for private, quiet work within the same space, offering the best of both worlds. We often have the discussion of pros and cons of open plan office layouts with our clients, and most opt for open plan, they don’t have to be distracting and noisy providing you design effectively. There are several acoustic solutions on the market such as acoustic booths and pods, and acoustics for high ceilings. When talking open plan, we often talk about neighbourhoods and designing visual cues, so it is obvious that you are entering a different neighbourhood. As part of our workplace consultancy process, we recommend reviewing how your teams work so we can combat noise issues. Acoustic treatments including furniture and planting are a great way to not only absorb sound, but to separate zones. It is common to plan the space into activity zones such as a quiet zone, collaboration zone and hot desking zone rather than separating the space into teams, so users can go to the appropriate zone for their activity. These types of practices also help with neurodiversity in the workplace.

Myth 6- It’s impossible to calculate the impact of office design

There are many actionable steps to take to measure the impact of office design. The easiest way to calculate the impact of office design is by conducting employee surveys and receiving anonymous feedback (before and after a refurbishment), this will encourage honesty. Something you can track internally with a small amount of planning are retention rates and employee attraction rates over a certain period, office design is a great way to attract and retain the best talent in a competitive market. There are also ways to track health and wellbeing, such as wellness programmes and health surveys.  It also easy to monitor office attendance, there are even apps available! One of our clients, Reward Finance, have gone from 35% to 80% return to the office rate since their office refurbishment!

Myth 7 -Remote working is on the rise, so I don’t need an office space

 It is a known fact that remote working is on the rise, through covid a lot of businesses who previously felt they couldn’t offer remote working options discovered they could make it work. We strongly believe that the office still has its place, our 2024 statistics have found that the average number of days employees are in the office is 2-3 days. Our own personal research also shows that many employers and business owners for various reasons would like to see this stat increased.

Look beyond the myths!

Workplaces need to adapt to support the way we work, by debunking workplace related myths, we can optimise workplaces to better suit everyone.