After being overlooked to meet the imperatives of densification and square footage profitability, the human element is once again taking a central role in the thinking about workspace design.
“This workspace can become a powerful tool for employee retention if it reflects the company’s values and culture," says Annie-Claude Gilbert, interior designer and partner at LemayMichaud architecture firm. While a beautiful office is attractive, it must above all convey the DNA of the organization. To achieve this, she suggests creating an environment that allows for physical interaction between colleagues. "We bring out the benefits of being together, the added value of spaces that foster a sense of community," while striking a balance between collaboration and individual work.
The approach that could save you some headache is to follow the principles of activity-based workplace, commonly referred to as "MTAA," where "each person can work in the places that suit them best, depending on the tasks they need to accomplish," says the designer.
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