How Office Design Impacts Productivity

At one point in time, good office design meant getting as many desks as possible into a space. The more bums on seats, the better. But now, research on office design and productivity tells us there’s a better way. One that improves workplace wellbeing, makes staff want to come into the office, and helps them work better when they do.

What you need to know about the modern employee

Since the pandemic, data from the Office of National Statistics shows that around 45% of professionals and senior managers in Great Britain are hybrid working. While the British Chamber of Commerce reports that over 40% of businesses increased the requirements for staff to work on site from 2024-25, 1 in 10 have said employees have quit in response.

According to Owl Labs, nearly 40% of employees who do return to the office admit to ‘coffee badging’ – basically coming in, scanning their badge, having a coffee, and going home.

If you want to get your staff into the office and have them be actually productive while they’re there, it might be time to make a change to your commercial interior design to improve wellbeing, minimise distraction, and boost output.

3 things that put productivity on pause

There’s a mixed view on whether working from home or on-site is the most productive. But there are some aspects of office life that can absolutely bring productivity to a standstill. In fact, research has found that UK employees lose over an hour a week to poorly designed workspaces, which in turn is costing businesses billions.

Noisy environments
Background noise like the coffee machine running its cleaning cycle or hearing coworkers talking about their weekends can be a big distraction, and poor acoustics are one of the biggest complaints among staff who work on-site.

Research shows that noise exposure reduces attention and cognitive performance, which can impact overall productivity. With all the will in the world, your staff can’t do their best work in a noisy environment with poor acoustics.

Harsh lighting
Poor or artificial lighting can also impact both workplace wellbeing and productivity. Bad lighting is linked to headaches, eye strain and fatigue, as well as stress and anxiety, all of which can have a negative effect on your employees’ ability to get things done.

Uncomfortable workspaces
Unsuitable ergonomics in office workstations can cause musculoskeletal issues, which not only affect productivity in the moment but can also lead to employees taking time off sick to recover.

How to build your office design for productivity

Whether you’re planning a full workspace fit-out or an office re-design, here are some modern office design ideas to boost your team’s productivity.

Get your team in the zone
They say different strokes for different folks – we say different stations for different occupations. Offering spaces tailored to different types of work is key to helping your employees be more productive.

This might look like:

• Collaborative workspaces and meeting rooms built for teamwork.
• Flexible breakout areas.
• Privacy pods for focused work.
• Social areas for downtime.

Having distinct spaces designed for different activities (rather than a single space trying to be everything to everyone) means more efficient, productive work.

Minimise distractions
When noise and poor acoustics are among the top complaints about returning to the office and barriers to productivity, it’s important to address them head-on. Use stylish and functional sound-absorption solutions strategically around your space to dampen unwanted noise so your employees can hear themselves think.

Let there be light
While bad artificial lighting can have a negative impact on workspace wellbeing and productivity, it’s not always possible to rely on natural light alone. But high-quality, modern office design makes the most of the natural light available with complementary office lighting that reduces screen glare and helps your staff feel better and work harder.

Help your staff get comfortable
Swap out wobbly desks and squeaky chairs for ergonomic workstations that adjust to each employee’s needs. Height-adjustable, ergonomic office furniture supports your team’s body so they have fewer aches and pains and more focus on the task at hand.

Play the long game

When you focus on office design for both wellbeing and productivity, you see more than just a boost in output. You see fewer sick days, lower burnout, and reduced staff turnover. Employees who say their employer cares about their wellbeing are over 50% less likely to be actively looking for a new job, according to Gallup.

Investing in your working environment isn’t just good for productivity now, it’s a long-term investment in the future of your business.

See how it’s done

Take inspiration from some of our other workspace fit-out and office design projects.