New motivations
To better understand the new demands and motivations surrounding hybrid work, Steelcase researchers in Europe and Asia conducted interviews, diary studies and surveys with hundreds of employees. Their findings are relevant around the world.
“What’s new is just how many meetings add distractions in the workplace. People tell us they don’t have enough options for privacy especially as some workplaces shift toward more shared individual spaces,” says Andrada Iosif, Steelcase WorkSpace Futures researcher.
People evaluate the types of spaces available. How much privacy their personal work space provides. How many people are nearby and what company culture suggests about taking meetings in an open space.
Employees consider how much they need to focus on any given task. How confidential is the work? Can I be interrupted? How long is the meeting? What technology do I need? Is the conversation personal?
Preferences, self-awareness and mood also influence people. Some days people need a breather or to get “off stage” when situated in a space where others can see and hear. Other people get energized being near colleagues.
Futures Researcher
Privacy is both personal and contributes to productivity. It enables focus, connection with others and rejuvenation. By giving everyone – no matter their role – access to different kinds of private spaces, the workplace can do a better job of supporting how people feel and the work they need to do throughout each day.
People are more likely to choose an individual space in the open when their work requires less focus or lower cognitive command, like a call they are listening to, sending a few emails, or when you are on the receiving end of an information share-out. Boundaries like screens, and framing or shielding elements help denote someone’s territory and limit distractions, such as people walking in the background or other interruptions.
There’s a middle ground, too. People may be willing to be seen, but not heard, or vice versa. Or they may want to stay accessible to their teams, but signal that they are working on something that requires heads down time. Semi-enclosed spaces are a good option for this kind of work, giving people a place that limits distractions yet lets them be near teammates.
People seek greater levels of privacy when they have highly confidential work, need to focus deeply or need some respite — things that require more mental acuity or feel control over everyday workplace distractions. In these kinds of moments, employees are most likely to reserve a space that gives them more acoustic and visual privacy.
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