‍Most workplaces don’t offer employees a great experience. 

Data by Leesman shows that the average home supports the average knowledge worker better than the average office. If employees are better off working at home, why should organisations invest in their workplaces?

Regardless of where employees choose to work and when, the office still plays a crucial part in the hybrid-working mix.

Leesman’s latest research report – Power of Place – identifies that when people are in the office, it will likely lead to four key business benefits:

1. Pride and image
2. Privacy and concentration
3. Community and working together
4. Enjoyable place to work

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In a hybrid-working world, an ‘average’ office is no longer enough. But what does it take to create an outstanding workplace experience? 

Drawing on Leesman’s data (gathered from Leesman+ spaces), we’ll dive into the benefits of an outstanding workplace and share some of the steps our clients – frog, Oliver Wyman, Siemens and Dr. Oetker – have taken to turn these concepts into a reality.

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1. Pride and image

The office plays an important role in maintaining a shared organisational identity and leaving a lasting impression on staff and visitors, especially within a distributed workforce.

80% of employees in Leesman+ workplaces agree that their office is a place they would be proud to bring visitors to, compared to 51% in average workplaces.

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Concept in action: frog, London

Global creative consultancy (part of Capgemini Invent) 

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As a creative design company, frog has high standards and a keen eye for detail.

To deliver a workplace the team would be proud of, we pushed the boundaries of design and created inspiring user experiences.

Perhaps one of the most impressive areas is the reception area, which reflects the ethos of the brand from the moment you walk into the building.

The space has been finished with creative details that share the rich history of the frog brand, including an art installation of the Apple Macintosh SE – one of the designs frog is most famous for.

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2. Privacy and concentration

While the home environment has set a high standard for privacy and concentration, the office also needs to enable moments of focus. Leesman’s research shows that top-performing workplaces excel in supporting privacy and concentration.

80% of employees in outstanding workplaces feel productive, compared to 65% in average workplaces.

Key activities such as private conversations and creative thinking are significantly better supported in Leesman+ workplaces. 

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Concept in action: Oliver Wyman, London

Global-leading management consulting firm

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Through carefully considering how Oliver Wyman’s employees and clients would interact and move through the building, we developed ‘zones’ that support the spectrum of employee activities, including focused work, collaborative tasks, meetings, socialising and relaxation.

For example, when employees need a space for quiet and productive work, they might choose to work from the library, which features sound buffers and acoustic panels to absorb noise.

It also has a cosy fireplace, concealed booths, greenery, comfortable seating and handy access to the adjoining coffee bar.

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3. Community and working together

Creating a sense of community and enabling people to collaborate across locations is crucial for business success.

80% of employees from Leesman+ workplaces feel a strong sense of community, compared to 61% in average workplaces.

Outstanding workplaces help maintain the social fabric of the organisation by providing spaces for creative collaboration and informal meetings. 

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Concept in action: Siemens, London

‍One of the world’s largest producers of energy-efficient and resource-saving technologies 

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‍Siemens wanted to understand how their portfolio of offices could work more collaboratively and efficiently in a hybrid-working world.

After completing a successful project at their Manchester site, we were appointed to complete their London offices too.

The new mix of settings at their London HQ supports the breadth of workplace activities that happen on any given day, including dedicated areas for hosting clients, breakout spaces for collaborative tasks and tech-enabled meeting rooms that facilitate connections across locations.

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“The environment today allows our teams to thrive in various ways – collaboratively, hybrid/virtually and also privately.”

Martin Kemp, Location Manager at Siemens

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4. Enjoyable place to work

Staff have more choice than ever in where they work. If the office experience isn’t enjoyable, why would employees choose to work there?

Leesman’s data shows that only 61% of employees in average workplaces find their office enjoyable, whereas 82% of those in Leesman+ workplaces do. 

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Concept in action: Dr. Oetker, Leeds

‍Global retail giant

‍The primary focus of Dr. Oetker's new office centres around the employee experience.

Since the team have switched to a hybrid set-up, the office has now become a hub for collaboration. To support this, we connected previously siloed teams by installing a central staircase to facilitate more movement throughout the space.

We also paid extra attention to social and communal areas across the office, creating new and improved spaces for colleagues to come together in both work and social settings.

This has enabled the Dr. Oetker team to host more community engagement events like their highly anticipated 'Pizza Fridays'.

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"The goal was to create a space where people could come together to connect with each other, reconnect with the brand and clients, and celebrate special moments while enjoying great food."

Grant Dean - Lead Designer

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How do you elevate your workplaces from average to outstanding?

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There’s no one-size-fits-all rulebook for designing an exceptional office. The best workplaces are tailored to support the needs of the people who use them – and that’s different for every organisation. 

As a guide, we can look at the features of Leesman+ workplaces that show the most significant differences in satisfaction compared to average workplaces:

• Atriums and communal areas
• General décor
• Quiet rooms for working alone or in pairs
• Hospitality settings that provide refreshment facilities
• Plants and greenery
• Informal work areas/breakout zones
• Variety of workspaces

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Create an exceptional workplace experience

Creating an extraordinary hybrid-working experience for employees will contribute to organisational success. If you’d like to talk to one of our workplace consultants about how to realise the potential in your workplaces, send us a message and we’ll be in touch.

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