We once took working in the office for granted, but have come to terms with the fact that what some may consider an office “trend,” we consider to be the bread and butter of our workplace.
Teams function better when there is opportunity for collaboration. There is something to be said about being around others who are working toward the same goal. Being surrounded by others who are trying to accomplish something or whose productivity is something you can mirror tends to add to the strength of a business, while boosting motivation and fast-tracking results.
Sharing ideas with one another is streamlined. It’s been a running joke that zoom calls “could’ve been an email,” especially during the past couple of years when most of us were working from home and a little desperate for human interaction (let’s be honest). Zoom call meetings are great, but sometimes felt a little unnecessary when meetings were more of a life update then a meeting. Communal spaces on the other hand are great because they allow for people to come together even for a brief time, gage energy and get creative in the approach.
Functionality. Let’s not forget about the functionality purposes of a communal space. You don’t have to make it complicated; just adding a space for employees to step away from their own desk and step into a space designed for collaborating creates versatility. Confining employees to their desks for the duration of their workday may be the only choice sometimes, but intentionally adding an area for community to form has proven to beneficial.
Some people who do it well:
WeWork
WeWork sets the standard for communal workplaces—their focus is not only to create spaces for their own employees to collaborate, but also for other companies.
Amazon
It’s no secret that Amazon has a large team across the globe that requires a lot of collaboration. Their office reflects the continually evolving nature of their company. See the photo below:
Netflix
What stands out to us in the Netflix office is that the communal spaces were strategically placed in the center of the space. There is a seat here for everyone!
The bottom line is: we are better as a team. We live by the rule that everyone knows something you don’t. Creating a space within the workplace where collaboration is encouraged, and ideas can be shared and built upon is invaluable.
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