Social Spaces

Some of the most successful ideas happen away from the desk, outside of meeting rooms and instead, in more relaxed and informal surroundings where staff can communicate more casually.

All of the most successful ideas come from people who can think clearly, share their thoughts freely and collaborate effectively with others. A purpose-built social space is the ideal way to encourage the social interaction, rejuvenation and freedom of movement which fosters this dynamic and productive kind of working environment.

With nearly all employees (91%) analysed by global commercial furniture company, Steelcase saying that somewhere to relax and rejuvenate is important to them, it’s about time business owners and employers sat up and listened. Providing workers with the resource and working environments which they believe are most beneficial to them has an invaluable impact on:

Physical and mental wellbeing for all those using the space
Competitive advantage over the attraction and retention of staff
Improved relationships, stronger communication and more collaborative work
A boost in motivation, productivity and job satisfaction

Incorporating a social spaces as part of your office interior design or refurbishment project is therefore something that we would typically always recommend. Of course, this may involve a structural reconfiguration of the space to accommodate new types of work settings which would be carried out during the fit out stage.

Get in touch if you’d like to chat to one of our space-planning experts.

46%

of workplace collaboration happens on an informal, unstructured basis (Steelcase)

88%

of millennials want to see more work-life integration in their workplaces (Mindspace)

41%

of employees want to see more support for informal interactions (Steelcase)

How to design an office social space

When creating a social space, it’s important to remember that it needs to be a multifunctional setting that can be easily adapted according to requirement and user preference. It should be an environment which brings people together from all departments and levels within the organisation to reinforce an inclusive and open workplace culture.

We recommend introducing some soft seating and more resimercial design elements to foster relaxed surroundings where people can rejuvenate and interact effectively. This is also the ideal place to experiment with current industry trends (such as biophilic design), textures and colour combinations. In terms of technology, tech-integration is advised as so much of our social interaction and downtime today revolves around the use of various devices such as mobile phones and laptops.