Designer Brian Alexander knew there were benefits to organizations installing rows of side-by-side desks placed in close proximity to one another. It condenses real estate footprints and makes working together as simple as turning to the right or left. His challenge was to bring a new level of privacy to these desk systems.
A studious observer of human behavior—especially in the workplace—Alexander noted that, “High density and low privacy can lead to high distraction and low performance. Working in close proximity increases the odds of people being distracted by sound, movement, or simply by feeling the presence of others nearby.” Addressing these distractions to make standing desks systems better is the idea behind Renew Link.
By staggering the work surfaces at a shallow angle, Alexander dramatically reduced one of the biggest distractions: glancing up from your work and making eye contact with the coworker opposite you. But the proximity that promotes interaction is still there. “Giving people a new level of individual choice in shared work environments,” he says, “shows respect for the contributions they make to an organization by helping them be as comfortable and productive as possible.”
