Working Outdoors
Office design trends
Why should all offices have outdoor spaces to work? There are a wide variety of options for incorporating outdoor areas in workspaces. Without the need to reform the spaces, solutions with sustainable, durable, and resistant Outdoor furniture can be offered to create areas where you can work, rest or relax during the journey.
Providing options such as break areas in outdoor common spaces, inviting employees to take a walk or have an option to work outside, or simply bringing in more outdoor elements such as plants and natural daylight can have a big impact on employees, concentration and focus, creativity, happiness, productivity, and engagement.
Recent studies have suggested that spending time in nature can lead to increased focus, improved creative thinking and problem solving, and increased happiness. These benefits can have a dramatic impact employee engagement, retention, and productivity.
Another benefit of working outdoors is that it enhances greater creativity. Recent studies show the positive effects of walking to problem solve and generate ideas.
Concentration & Focus
One benefit of working in an outdoor space is improved employee concentration and focus. Modern offices can be an incredibly distracting environment, especially in open floor plan offices. Ringing phones, noisy conversations, and intrusive instant messages can make it nearly impossible to concentrate.
Improved Creativity
Another benefit of working outdoors is improved creativity. A recent research completed a groundbreaking study on the effects of walking for problem solving and idea generation. As it turns out, the way that most people brainstorm, crammed into conference rooms, might not be the most effective approach.
Problem-Solving
Working outdoors can also provide a powerful boost to our problem-solving skills. A recent study found that participants solved an average of 47 percent more puzzles after completing a hike than participants who did not go on a hike. There is evidence that merely walking at a normal, comfortable pace, can help open up the creative pathways in our brains.
Increased Engagement & Talent Retention
Most importantly, working outdoors can lead to increased employee productivity, enhanced employee engagement, and improved employee retention. According to recent surveys, workers between the ages of 22 and 65 spend approximately 95 percent of their time indoors.
The more we explore the benefits of spending work hours outdoors, the more we realize the more we see upsides of spending time outside, better productivity, improved focus, enhanced creativity, and even improved health and wellbeing.
Consider Technology & Weather on Functionality
When it comes to designing an outdoor workspace, it is critical to consider the impacts of technology and the weather on functionality. Depending on the geographic location of your outdoor workspace, sunshine, heat, cold, rain, and wind can all necessitate the inclusion of specific components in the design of the space.