Architecture & Design

14 | Architecture & Design T he pandemic has altered the way we work. We are now more focused on digital interaction than physical interaction. The office has become a virtual cloud and the physical office has been left void. As we rush towards normality, companies are faced with a challenge as they expect more employees to return to the office. Some employees are keen to do so, others are not so eager to return to what we called normality pre COVID-19. To a certain extent, the office is competing with the home office. How do we make the office a destination again? CREATING A HYBRID Brainstorming sessions at the start of a project, quick huddles between meetings or a short coffee break in the afternoon have not been possible as people have been confined to working from home. It can easily be said that the lack of social interaction and employee engagement have been the main downfalls of working from home. Focusing on these aspects to encourage employees to return to their office space is key. Greater engagement often leads to greater creativity and innovation which is important in this tiring time. The office should be seen as an value-adding experience to the work which can get done at home. It is an extension to the home office rather than a replacement, it is a place where people can engage and feel they belong to a community. In this way a hybrid working week can be established. It is natural for people to focus on individual work from home and more collaborative work from the office. The office should ensure it has sufficient space to cater for these collaborative spaces, being enough meeting rooms, workshop areas, huddle rooms and coffee spots. The amount of private desk spaces might need to be reduced to make more space for these collaborative spaces which are not found at home. Nonetheless, the reality is that some people will still join meetings virtually and therefore meeting rooms should ensure excellent video conferencing facilities at all times. FOCUS ON WELLBEING The pandemic has had a toll on mental wellbeing. The uncertainties have been exhausting and some people felt lonely and depressed as they faced long hours at home with lack of social interaction. Naturally, the focus on wellbeing was prioritised. People started enjoying the 'little things in life' such as a brisk walk after work or a mobile app meditation session in the morning. The office space should also prioritise wellbeing and take on this emerging trend. We cannot allow people to associate an office with stressful environment as they will (obviously!) not be inclined to go back. A focus on wellbeing can take on a physical approach by introducing changes to the environment which can alter the way people perceive the space. Examples include maximising areas with natural light, adding plants in working areas and introducing wellness rooms for example. Wellness rooms are private spaces where employees can escape to when the pressure of a fast-paced environment gets to them. This had started to be introduced before the pandemic but the need for these can be felt even more now that the home office has been experienced. The home office in way protects you from the fast paced office environment, it secludes you from physically confronting a colleague when you have contrasting views and it shies away from showing your disappointment when an idea falls on deaf ears. The home office can be somehow comforting in stressful periods. The introduction of these rooms can give security when an employee needs to cut off for few moments from the general office environment. Furthermore, the introduction of these rooms portrays the company's commitment and responsibility toward the workforce's demand of a healthier lifestyle and focus on wellbeing. This enhances the employees' job satisfaction which will eventually ensure retention of the workforce, a major asset in today's economy. the road back to the workplace Words by Perit Francesca Scicluna " To a certain extent, the office is competing with the home office. How do we make the office a destination again? "

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