Enhancing Employee Experience

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Enhancing Employee Experience

Farcas, Julia

URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10429/2570

Date: 2024-05-06

Abstract:

Offices are a space where much of an employee’s time is spent, with the majority of that time consisting of them being stationary behind their desk. Sedentary living can lead to an unhealthy lifestyle consisting of limited physical movements that affect both the mental and physical health of an individual. Looking at the function of nature as a tool, office spaces can become a restorative environment that connects human beings back to nature; this can be achieved using biophilic design. This thesis investigation explores how nature can inspire reinvigorating design strategies to enhance employee well-being; analyzing how the office environment can support dynamic behaviors to enhance employee experience. The methodology includes creating abstracts and collages to combine both office environments and natural elements together. Surveys were conducted to understand employee experience and to define what employee wellness means to them. While analyzing current biophilic design, a critique was discovered as the intention with biophilia is to connect humans and nature; however, current biophilic use does not relate to nature, but instead satisfied with using muted colours, and simple decorative design. Reinvigorating office spaces with natural design connects humans to nature in order to increase health and well-being, strengthening the connection to nature and making the space more dynamic allows individuals to place value on nature and in turn place value on themselves. Cultivation of success magazine was created to help employees and employers work together to develop new ways of thinking to re-design offices. There are four main variables that are essential to incorporate in every office space including well-being, connection, comfort, and balance. 32 interventions were created to enhance employee experience by using nature inspired design.

Description:

Imagine an office environment where the employee was the priority. A space where they can be their authentic self physically and creatively. A dynamic space within the design that connects to living beings. This thesis investigation focuses on enhancing employee experience in the office space by examining existing biophilic frameworks and exploring how nature functions to enhance well-being. Employee well-being is essential for office dynamics in order for employees to perform to the best of their ability and enjoy the office environment. Prioritizing a balanced lifestyle that includes rest allows the individual to manage negative effects of sedentary movement such as chronic diseases. Incorporating biophilic design in the office space is a thought-out process that fully immerses the employee within the design which leads to a positive impact on their wellbeing. Nature can inspire new design strategies which can become a dynamic environment for office space. Learning from nature can enhance our experience by understanding how nature functions and what benefits it provides us for our everyday lives. The benefits of nature on humans are known, with the multiple functions of nature that affect our daily lives. The four main categories of nature consist of the sun, plants, water and animals which positively affects the body as it can increase immunity, calm the nervous system, and decrease depression. By conducting surveys and experiments, employees defined what employee wellness meant to them and their top priorities were health and having a work life balance. This thesis investigation asks how biophilic design can enhance well-being in office space. Looking at opportunities within the office that can transform the employee experience. Asking what design approaches and strategies can support a new narrative about the office that supports well-being. Offices should shift focus from the priority of making a profit to supporting employees while at work which can therefore increase their productivity and enjoyment in the office. Using nature as a precedent for design, reinvigorating design strategies can develop more dynamic behaviours for employees similar to nature. The central argument is a critique of the current workplace, that is not designed to support employee well-being. Arguing the idea that adding biophilia in a space enhances well-being for users. The current biophilic designs are not used effectively or sufficiently in office spaces as biophilia is not a quick and easy fix for office design, and it is not an isolated design that is disconnected from the environment. Offices disproportionately prioritize profit instead of employees’ well-being. The assumptions for this thesis investigation includes the idea that offices will remain as a primary workplace. Office space has remained substantially unchanged over a prolonged period of time and has not followed societal changes/ employee needs and the new ways we work. However, there are many benefits to working in an office where employees can connect and work together for a shared goal. The methods used for this thesis investigation includes surveys, diagrams, abstract art and collages. A survey of employee’s experience was conducted to understand perceived wellness, as well as an experiment of employee experience by adding biophilia in office spaces. Diagramming elements of life, for flora, fauna and humans, a comparison was made between a 24 hour workday of living beings. Photo collages were also used to visualize biophilic elements and natural elements together, abstracting the photo collages to compare between nature and biophilia in order to examine the effectiveness of current biophilic design. The critique of this thesis is how broad a spectrum of all elements of research was conducted such as focusing on making changes to office design that can adapt to all typologies and sizes. Fostering a connection with living beings is a challenging task in an indoor environment. Another challenge includes the ability to convince employers that there are changes that can be implemented in the office to benefit employees which will increase employee satisfaction and overall productivity. There are a variety of elements working together which can be difficult to implement with a simple framework and set of guidelines. The limitation of this thesis investigation is that biophilic design is only one factor in an office environment, and so many other factors are included in office space (including hours of work, workload, finances, outside stresses within the family, etc). This study will help enhance worker experience in office spaces by creating a space that workers enjoy and feel accomplished at the end of the day. Helping to bring life and vibrancy back into everyday life by creating a dynamic environment that fosters the human-nature relationship with the use of nature to reinvent biophilic design elements.

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