Give Ideas Room to Grow

A group of colleagues gather around a high-top table in their office for a social get together after work. These types of informal meetings drive innovation.

How Workplace Design Improves Innovation

If you’re in the market for an innovation boom, start by removing unintentional barriers between people and ideas. Our research partners took this approach; see how their new workplaces are making it easier for people to solve problems and transform ideas into profitable solutions. 

There are places where I can have impromptu meetings.

25% increase

Aggregated results from an employee survey show that before a workplace redesign, 64 percent of people agreed that there are places where they can have impromptu meetings. After the redesign, that number increased to 89 percent.

I can interact informally with my co-workers.

16% increase

Aggregated results from an employee survey show that before a workplace redesign, 78 percent of people agreed that they could interact informally with their co-workers. After the redesign, that number increased to 94 percent.

I can have conversations without interrupting others.

21% increase

Aggregated results from an employee survey show that before a workplace redesign, 53 percent of people agreed that they could have conversations without interrupting others. After the redesign, that number increased to 74 percent.

*Aggregated results from our survey of Living Office research partners before and after their workplace design

Many of the organisations we work with struggle to untangle information bottlenecks, often caused by ill-equipped conference rooms, workstations with high partitions, and floorplans that inhibit circulation. Workplaces with settings and connective space designed for interactions both impromptu and planned make it easy for people to share ideas.

“People are sharing stories and information, and that knowledge transfer is helping us connect the dots and solve problems.”

Chris Gorthy
Project Executive, DPR Construction

DPR Construction employees look at a monitor and discuss a project in their main work area.

Organisations have unique factors that define how and why they share information: factors that determine the types of spaces they need. See what happened when two companies used our Living Office placemaking approach to transform their workplaces into innovation incubators.

DPR Construction

When a construction company needed a collaborative boost, they invested in a spacious, tech-equipped training room, among other settings. 

DPR Construction employees sit in Aeron office chairs in their new Forum, which serves as a training room for fledging site managers.

Variety of Collaborative Settings

Before their move to a new office, the team at DPR construction only have three types of collaborative spaces.

collaborative spaces before move

After their move to a new office, the team at DPR construction has six types of collaborative spaces.

collaborative spaces after move

Read the full case study

Harry’s

When this men’s grooming company moved to a new office, improving innovation was all about capturing the power of improvisational interaction. 

A duo of employees at Harry’s stand and chat at a row of Meridian storage, which serves double time as a work surface.

Work Activity Support

58% increase

Before their move to a new office, only 12 percent of employees at Harry’s believed the workplace supported their work activities. After the move, that percentage increased to 70 percent.

Read the full case study

Explore More Findings from Our Workplace Research

How to Catalyse the Workplace for Growth

When research on your people and their work informs your office design, it becomes a powerful tool for organisational growth.

Start Growing

Be an Efficiency Expert

Efficiency isn’t about more or less space, it’s about using the space you have to create a seamless workflow for people.

Enhance Efficiency

Create a Centre of Attraction

One of the biggest benefits you can offer people – and a major differentiator that you may be overlooking – is a connective and fulfilling workplace.

Be Attractive

Focus on Building Your Brand

A workplace that’s laser-focused on expressing who you are and what you do can help you build strong relationships with customers and employees.

Boost Your Brand

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