In a previous blog post, I wrote about how giving employees latitude in determining their work schedules and the flexibility to take time to attend to family or personal issues is a huge workplace motivator (To motivate employees, flex those hours). Ultimately, when you let people make choices, you create positive and trusting relationships that lead to higher productivity and performance.
A recent article by Diane Hoskins, co-CEO of the design and architectural firm Gensler, only serves to further prove my point. Their company experience and research, plus data from their company’s 2013 workplace survey showed that employees who have choice in when, where and how to work have higher levels of satisfaction with their jobs and workplaces, are more innovative, and perform better in their jobs. You can read the entire article here. Given that Hoskins is the co-CEO of an office design firm, it’s not surprising that the article goes on to highlight how giving employees choice in how their office space is designed leads to greater employee satisfaction. However, I also found a couple of other points quite interesting:
- Tech workers have a preference for open-plan workspaces.
- Employees in the technology and telecommunications industry have greater ability to choose where, when and how to work (41%), as compared to other industries (32%).
So I’m curious, does this fit your experience as well? Are you able to choose when, where and how to work? Do you have the ability to choose how your office space is designed, and do you prefer open-plan or not? And while you’re at it, also tell us whether you’re in the tech industry or not.