{"id":103,"date":"2019-05-21T10:00:46","date_gmt":"2019-05-21T14:00:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wework.com\/en-GB\/ideas\/?p=103&preview=true&preview_id=103"},"modified":"2022-05-06T14:12:44","modified_gmt":"2022-05-06T14:12:44","slug":"real-science-behind-innovative-offices","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wework.com\/en-GB\/ideas\/research-insights\/expert-insights\/real-science-behind-innovative-offices","title":{"rendered":"The real science behind innovative offices"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Space is a powerful tool to foster engagement, inspire innovation, and drive productivity. But what exactly does an optimal space look like? In <\/em>the Science of Space<\/a><\/em><\/strong>, we explore how the science of intentional design can turn any work environment into a holistic experience.<\/em>

Interior design tends to have an effect on how people behave. An innovative and thoughtfully designed workspace can increase employee engagement, productivity, and overall company performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Designing and building out a space can be costly and time-consuming; allocating those resources might mean diverting them from other essential business needs. On the other hand, ignoring design completely can result in poor work conditions, low employee engagement and performance, and a negative bottom-line impact for your company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“There’s a science to designing human-centric workplaces,\u201d says Claire Rowell, senior lead, workplace research and strategy at WeWork. \u201cFrom high to low energy, working alone or working together, and everything in between, workspace design must be intentional and serve a purpose.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, what\u2019s the smartest leadership move? Innovation<\/a>, after all, isn\u2019t luck\u2014it\u2019s science. And with science comes research, rules, and insights that you can leverage to a business advantage in a tangible way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s pull back the curtain to understand how science has been propelling the workspace-innovation movement, and how you can adopt a people-first mentality to create an environment that inspires your employees to do their best work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thinking through the science of design<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

So, how does science influence workspace innovation? It all starts with the study of the human brain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Essentially, there are three neural networks<\/a> powering the way we think: the executive control network (dedicated to making decisions), the salience network (the gatekeeper for how those decisions are made), and the default mode network (which generates ideas). This process continues throughout the day, starting with info-gathering (preparation), incubation (cross-checking what you know already with what you don\u2019t), insight (the \u201cah-ha!\u201d moment), and verification of the information at hand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The University of Oxford recently studied<\/a> the process of decision-making in the brain and saw that the ability to slow down responses allows people to avoid making suboptimal choices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That \u201cslowing down\u201d aspect is important for workspace design. In essence, it\u2019s achieved by providing a variety of spaces that promote relaxing distractions from high-focus work, enabling employees to imagine and discover new ideas. These distractions can range from a micro-break<\/a> (looking up to enjoy the view from an office window) to a macro-break (when we seek out a new space for some face time with a colleague, take a few moments to have a cup of coffee, or just want a change of scenery after a morning analytics meeting).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What better way to encourage those essential breaks than by providing a flexible workspace\u2014and the more choices, the better: quiet spaces for concentration, energetic spaces for connection, places to learn, to play and have fun, and to renew the mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Innovative companies such as Pinterest and Facebook are leaning into variety by adding more whimsical features within their offices. The theory is that creativity is boosted by including spaces dedicated to breaktime activities. For example, \u201cthe inventors of graphene<\/a> [a 1-mm-thick material discovered in the UK that could transform electronics, energy, health, and construction] came across it in their play time,\u201d said professor Stephen Heppell, flexible work and learning space expert, at the World Economic Forum<\/a> last year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, now that you understand the role science plays in determining how people think, let\u2019s discover the other factor influencing workplace design\u2014the way in which we feel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The effect of our surroundings on how we feel<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A recent study from the American Journal of Health Promotion<\/em><\/a> found that the task of making Americans healthier depends on the creation of healthier environments, rather than relying solely on health-care systems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This trend also helps businesses. The National Institute for Occupational Health and Safety<\/a> states that eliminating occupational hazards and risks from office design is the most effective way to protect workers. Because workplace stress alone<\/a> costs American businesses up to $190 billion annually in health-care costs, it\u2019s always in a company\u2019s best interest to keep its workforce healthy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s a lot<\/em> of pressure. But in the context of your physical workspace, do you really have the power to make your employees healthier? The answer is a resounding yes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lighting has a huge effect on the way employees feel, so it\u2019s important for employers to get it just right. Here are some of the ways our design teams at WeWork<\/a> use lighting to optimize our spaces:<\/p>\n\n\n\n