After reflecting on the past year’s workplace environments, we’ve noticed some very strong benefits of in-person workspaces since the pandemic started. Many companies have been working remotely for almost 12 months now and there are benefits to adjusting your plan to accommodate this, but there are some key benefits from in-person working which cannot be replaced in a work-from-home scenario.
Benefits of In-Person Workspaces
Water cooler talk
Where is the one place you can usually find someone to talk to in the office during the day? The water cooler or coffee machine! When you’re working in person and you get up to grab your lunch, a coffee or water, or even to just stretch your legs and get a change of scenery, you can almost always find someone to chat with around the water cooler. There have been many studies done that show the benefits of water cooler talk within the workplace. It encourages collaboration, community, team building, and growth within an individual’s job performance because the conversations typically revolve around work-related topics in a natural manner.
When working from home, it’s very difficult to facilitate this type of conversation. Water cooler talk has been replaced with scheduled Zoom calls and quick direct messages or emails, which does not have the same effect. The social interaction alone is a great benefit to water cooler talk, but the development in employees is also apparent which is why we listed this as the first strength of in-person workspaces.
Collaboration leads to higher performance
When people work in teams it opens a much broader range of ideas. Being able to sit down in a board room with other employees and bounce ideas off each other can bring out some of the best ideas in business! What starts as a small seed can quickly grow to a larger plan when multiple people are looking at a situation from different angles. There is an energy when working in person that everyone feeds off of and it’s nearly impossible to replicate this when you’re in a work-from-home position. Having a workspace that you and your team can go to hash out some great creative thinking is so beneficial for a company looking to grow. It takes many minds to bring together a great idea and the best work happens when you get them together in a room!
Effective Communication
Similar to the water cooler talk, being in the same workspace as your co-workers and employees allows an easy and natural flow of communication. Ask questions, delegate tasks, or sort through miscommunications all in person in a quick and effective manner. The instant information feedback can really improve work performance and morale within the office!
Team Building
It is easy to feel disconnected when everyone is working from home during this time. Growing your connection between staff can make the team stronger and work in better unity. When your team works as a strong unit your business runs smoother. Having everyone on the same page is much easier to achieve goals when you have your staff working in person together. By setting your employees up in an office that is safe and inclusive, you’re setting everyone up for success!
We aren’t sure how long this new normal of working from home is going to last, but we do know that working in-person is critical for teams to run well. Allow us at TCC Canada to help set your business up for success in a safe work environment that fits everyone’s need. Give your employees the ability to work in a connected work environment with the flexibility of executive office spaces. It’s a win win, really!
