Boost Employee Collaboration
Collaborative office spaces bring coworkers together.
How can you help your team achieve high levels of cooperation, maximize their effectiveness and minimize hurdles? The answer: thoughtful investment in workspaces that inspire collaboration.
Collaboration Stations
Shared desk spaces aren’t new to the open floor plan concept. However, consider placing teaming stations strategically throughout your office that are separate from your employee’s desks. The station should consist of a large table that could be sitting or standing height and is constructed with group work in mind. This often means getting a table with ample space for computers and papers and has electrical outlets and cord management incorporated in its design.
Gathering Spots
While a collaboration station is a fixed area, gathering spots are more dynamic and should be made up of repositionable furniture pieces. Create a fun and functional arrangement of smaller, active pieces of furniture that can be easily situated to turn a space into a customizable gathering spot whenever employees need to have an impromptu huddle. A gathering spot could include adjustable side tables, interesting artwork and even plants to help be truly inspiring.
Sharing Tools
Providing employees with the right technology to share ideas quickly and effectively is key. This could be as simple as a well-placed whiteboard to capture thoughts or an easy-to-connect-to monitor that makes sharing screens or making conference communication a breeze. Whatever solutions you select, be sure they are in line with what will best benefit your team.
And finally, it’s important to promote a culture of collaboration. Giving employees the tools to succeed will mean little if you don’t also encourage them to work together, share ideas and build on each other’s concepts.