What is workplace analysis?
Creating smarter workspaces
What is workplace analysis?
Workplace analysis breaks down each component of a workplace and analyses how well (or not so well) it works. All areas and elements are evaluated during a workplace analysis to determine their effect on the people who work within the space.
A workplace analysis can have various stages, including an examination of the existing space, conversations with employees and management and detailed surveys of current areas and what they include.
Who would usually complete a workplace analysis?
An interior designer would usually carry out a workplace analysis as part of the process of formulating a new design concept for a commercial space.
How scientific, intricate, and formalised the analysis is will depend on the commercial interior designer you choose to design your workplace.
Not all interior designers will refer to the process as a “workplace analysis”, as some designers may have their own terminology for this process.
However, it’s common for good commercial interior designers to incorporate a process of this nature into the design process.
Without a workplace analysis, your new office or premises may look beautiful, yet it could lack critical features or elements that spark your desired outcomes.
British workers spend an average of 3,515 full days at work throughout their professional life (source: Accountancy Age). Therefore, how interior designers choose to structure and fit out workplaces has a significant impact on individuals’ daily life – not to mention the success of your business.
Why does workplace analysis matter?
Workplace analysis is a vital part of the commercial design process. It informs the designer in a holistic way that enables them to create a space that doesn’t merely look aesthetically pleasing but has a tangible impact on your business’s performance.
As well as considering how to optimise productivity and employee wellbeing, a successful workplace analysis will also take sustainability into account. By assessing your workplace’s current environmental credentials and carbon footprint, a designer can advise on adopting greener practices and nurturing more responsible behaviours in individuals.
A skilful interior designer will take a sensitive and insightful approach to analysing your workplace. Therefore, the resulting concept will empower every employee to perform at an optimal level and feel valued, comfortable and satisfied in the space.
How does Jolie Studio approach workplace analysis?
For us, workplace analysis is a personalised and nuanced process.
When we take a design brief for a workspace concept, we will ask to speak to department heads within the organisation. Then, we will spend time getting to know the people behind the workplace, discussing team performance, relationships and dynamics while establishing the more practical non-negotiables that help them function at 100%.
Conversations are open, fluid and confidential; getting under the skin of a workplace to understand issues some employees may not be confident discussing with coworkers or management.
After gathering this data, we feed it back to directors in a high-level way, establishing the headline issues a new space can solve to take the business to the next level.
In addition to evaluating the practical needs of a workplace, we seek to understand the real, emotive and aspirational reason for the change (which isn’t always the practical reason given).
Business owners don’t invest in changing a workspace lightly. So, we consider it our duty to uncover the big hopes behind the decision and harness this to create an experiential space that will elevate the working environment to generate real-life benefits.
Of course, the process behind this approach has scientific and strategic elements and factors in practicalities at every stage.
However, we ultimately pride ourselves on taking a unique approach to workplace analysis by bringing purpose to every component that features in our concepts.
When we create a concept for your workplace, it speaks to your deeper needs as an organisation, harnessing the power of sensory, emotionally-driven design to influence positive behaviour and impactful benefits.
Are you thinking about redesigning your workplace or creating a new working environment? We’d love to discuss your intentions to see how we could add value to the finished product. To speak to our design team, call the studio on 0161 553 0366.
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