Working together
The importance of the working environment to business lies in the impact an office can have on people, their well-being and their performance, the main component of any enterprise.
Design is the tool that delivers a desirable modern office environment – democratic, transparent, attractive, flexible and environmentally-friendly-that tells its occupants they are valued and helps them do their job well.
The synergy and exchange of knowledge that good offices encourage and the extent to which staff turnover is reduced are substantial benefits that flow from good design. Less staff turnover boosts productivity as recruitment and training can double the cost of a person in the first year.
So whilst a building is a much smaller proportion of a business’s costs by comparison to the people that occupy it, it can have a big impact on the efficiency and productivity of a business.
Value in offices, in investment and occupier terms, is driven by the desire of businesses for a product that works well and helps their employees communicate with each other and do what they need to do efficiently.