tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24430259363377369292024-03-18T09:15:11.963+00:00Workplace UnlimitedBlogging on all things Workplace related.
www.workplaceunlimited.comoselandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02743879390466432468noreply@blogger.comBlogger76125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2443025936337736929.post-73890904253359190562023-06-07T12:29:00.003+01:002023-06-07T12:49:13.243+01:00To POE or not to POE, that is the question<p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiREY0ztios5oc1skAegsnXObJrc9o2hemDQ24Ses4r2hLKdjZnvFl6blbApyf-7DmrQCWK1tD7qk9oCo4Z8zfhonAB1rd8aucMlTHhkLNbQwhnkoNaKB1LULqh7Oa1R3lQhgUnLzU-9cDylZYHO9zc-jaHzYJn_Oy4l2tqsbBHgBofXg46qBgb4AuULA/s329/Book.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="329" data-original-width="215" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiREY0ztios5oc1skAegsnXObJrc9o2hemDQ24Ses4r2hLKdjZnvFl6blbApyf-7DmrQCWK1tD7qk9oCo4Z8zfhonAB1rd8aucMlTHhkLNbQwhnkoNaKB1LULqh7Oa1R3lQhgUnLzU-9cDylZYHO9zc-jaHzYJn_Oy4l2tqsbBHgBofXg46qBgb4AuULA/w134-h207/Book.png" width="134" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;">It’s always exciting
to finish a book. I am not quite there but I have recently approved the draft
layout of “A Practical Guide to Post-Occupancy Evaluation and Researching
Building User Experience”. The book is based on my 25 years’ experience of
conducting POEs and I have completed over 100 evaluations during that time. The
book will be out in September but is available to pre-order from <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1032390921/ref=cm_sw_r_as_gl_api_gl_i_T79W70ZGKSMXYYMHGKP9?linkCode=ml1&tag=workplacezoo-21" target="_blank">Amazon</a>.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Without conducting an independent evaluation of newly built
or refurbished workplaces, we cannot be confident that they meet the needs of the
occupying organisation and its people. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: verdana;">This is more pertinent than ever as:</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">we attempt to attract people
back to the office, </span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">we need to guarantee that
buildings are as energy efficient and sustainable as modelled and designed, and
</span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">we restore national productivity and ensure offices promote
wellbeing and performance.</span></li></ol><p></p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">But a POE also offers additional hidden value to architects
and designers. Offering a POE to a previous client is a fantastic way of
reintroducing your business and renewing old relationships, especially 9 to 12
months after project completion. I worked for an architects practice many moons
ago and we offered a basic POE to all our clients. We found, more often than
not, that the offer was gratefully received and would lead to further project
work. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Using on-line surveys (just one of many elements of POE) at the briefing
stage is also a cost-effective means of collating feedback to inform the brief;
it also forms the baseline for a cost-effective post-project evaluation. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Do let me know if I can help reintroduce you to old clients
and conduct a POE on your behalf. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Also, hopefully you will have seen that I am conducting
research on the appeal and relative attractiveness of working in the office and
working from home. It would be great if you could complete this short </span><a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/WPUSurvey2" style="font-family: verdana;" target="_blank">15 minute survey</a><span style="font-family: verdana;"> in
return for entering a prize draw for a MillerKnoll chair and Workplace Trends
conference ticket.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>oselandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02743879390466432468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2443025936337736929.post-27976900047469051852023-02-22T14:29:00.003+00:002023-02-22T15:00:13.010+00:00The return to ROWI<p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGZkzWLjfM2192d-6XXuxRvZZWqH9Knl-jTDHNK8x_ERNJ-D5ULKGFQPe1CkDKLp9POXguXYmEE-zolNJURvnlryB_yCwXm8Vf6WT0jbfkbqwB-Lq9MZnw4VGLwaSYk8oQpcMXkDo2ngKOnI-LVZHZdGT0GFAM1YUgfPVNRD0vcmN-ewmKZqu7u0apzA/s580/CREJ.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="580" data-original-width="451" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGZkzWLjfM2192d-6XXuxRvZZWqH9Knl-jTDHNK8x_ERNJ-D5ULKGFQPe1CkDKLp9POXguXYmEE-zolNJURvnlryB_yCwXm8Vf6WT0jbfkbqwB-Lq9MZnw4VGLwaSYk8oQpcMXkDo2ngKOnI-LVZHZdGT0GFAM1YUgfPVNRD0vcmN-ewmKZqu7u0apzA/s320/CREJ.jpg" width="249" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Last month my paper on “<a href="https://hstalks.com/article/7412/developing-the-return-on-workplace-investment-rowi/" target="_blank">developing the return on workplace investment (ROWI) tool</a>”, co-authored with Matt Tucker and Hannah Wilson of Liverpool John Moores
University, was published in the CREJ. The paper has been long in the making ...</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">It started back in 2012 when Adrian Burton of the AWE asked me
to develop a means of estimating the productivity benefits gained from good workplace
design. I responded to the challenge by reviewing 75 solid papers that reported
a change in occupant performance due to improved environmental conditions, such
acoustics, temperature, lighting etc. Initially the results of the different studies were so varied that they lacked any credibility. However, I worked with
Paul Bartlett and the Office Productivity Network to weight the results according
to the research environment, performance metric and type of activity so that they
better represented a real office. The weighted results were more believable, were accepted by the AWE to use in their cost-benefit analysis of new workplace
projects and we were accepted for publication by the <a href="https://workplaceinsight.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/2012-JBSAV-Quantifying-Productivity.pdf" target="_blank">JBSAV</a>.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span></span></span></p><a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: verdana;">Fast-forward seven years and I presented that research to
Matt Tucker’s Built Environment students. Matt was impressed with the
methodology and approached Chris Moriarty and Peter Brogen at IWFM to sponsor further
research. Since then, Matt and Hannah expanded the literature review increasing
the reliable studies to 105, with 194 reported performance metrics, also recognising
different types of performance. The results were again weighted and the potential
impact of workplace design on task performance was recalculated as below.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga296OZeBOwK0j2iGTpLbbWm7jgb4214UmxtoLb4mZ-txEihbX-SLkidD9dUOg5IdQjmPi7AcFF0qUQRte-mpnmQQRTcbOB7SQWUql0cIHwmGMU21goj7ZBZlwicj4-s_-tULX4_clN_u-n8H4wW233jzlp7U6nJFWukpt9nw9JyR0atCQQs9r6Tk6wQ/s1120/Performance.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="283" data-original-width="1120" height="162" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga296OZeBOwK0j2iGTpLbbWm7jgb4214UmxtoLb4mZ-txEihbX-SLkidD9dUOg5IdQjmPi7AcFF0qUQRte-mpnmQQRTcbOB7SQWUql0cIHwmGMU21goj7ZBZlwicj4-s_-tULX4_clN_u-n8H4wW233jzlp7U6nJFWukpt9nw9JyR0atCQQs9r6Tk6wQ/w640-h162/Performance.jpg" width="640" /></a><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAF_IVFRQUpc2n7Pqa2G0hXuFTSShneLWLT070OzP_7e-On6aGkvMXuKn_XFBjFtPI58l-C3DvIhtcgq2ohjx193qreH4GfP6iAWHWyfpQbI84NYNihnBLggPiyqSUhnhYfgjSgCZo28a30LGsvJpzLY8lF8TifLal2G7sDgskGsFk9kE6yPMBtjglXQ/s1128/Workplace.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="410" data-original-width="1128" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAF_IVFRQUpc2n7Pqa2G0hXuFTSShneLWLT070OzP_7e-On6aGkvMXuKn_XFBjFtPI58l-C3DvIhtcgq2ohjx193qreH4GfP6iAWHWyfpQbI84NYNihnBLggPiyqSUhnhYfgjSgCZo28a30LGsvJpzLY8lF8TifLal2G7sDgskGsFk9kE6yPMBtjglXQ/w640-h232/Workplace.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div>Furthermore, we created a prototype ROWI tool with eight
distinct sections. Sections 1 and 2 replicate a standard cost sheet, but sections
3 to 7 are key where the benefits variables are input, resulting in the predicted
ROWI in section 8. We tested the principles with a panel of friendly experts,
shared it with the IWFM community and we are now testing it with legacy data provided
by a corporate occupier.</span><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsyYbbeiv0aBrtPQQUQklCHwyE0EVQnM6wbg1M4DdEyxjhpJcfLRy1hvKQhpY7jMgDfJPMWgzOB0atFOd60iYXwi-VDxz6kmEEd1NGyGfmwGmsnWiPqUnsczc8xmw8VsSB7DHjMMWL61phpDSwDu14TxMwOD8cMus-nhARWoOPMfkQXTnRnU3PEQ68Vg/s1288/ROWI%20Tool.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1148" data-original-width="1288" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsyYbbeiv0aBrtPQQUQklCHwyE0EVQnM6wbg1M4DdEyxjhpJcfLRy1hvKQhpY7jMgDfJPMWgzOB0atFOd60iYXwi-VDxz6kmEEd1NGyGfmwGmsnWiPqUnsczc8xmw8VsSB7DHjMMWL61phpDSwDu14TxMwOD8cMus-nhARWoOPMfkQXTnRnU3PEQ68Vg/w400-h356/ROWI%20Tool.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The published paper can be obtained at the link above, or
you can download the original client report from my <a href="https://workplaceunlimited.com/Determining%20the%20Return%20on%20Workplace%20Investment%20v2.1.pdf">website</a>. Academics might claim
that it is impossible to predict performance benefits. Meanwhile the justification
and “cost-benefit” analysis of workplace projects is continued to be based on property
cost and space savings rather than the impact on the occupying organisation. The
ROWI tool clearly requires further development but it’s a start. I would really
like to hear your views on our approach – does it make sense and is it useful?</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p></div></div>oselandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02743879390466432468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2443025936337736929.post-37050288253889754592023-01-30T16:30:00.004+00:002023-01-31T12:42:27.028+00:00The Write Stuff<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8_tjVGTJXMt5M6Qc0D9eO4TVvvUz1PL6-u0Y8CEwkWyNSRmaVgFT6eaVTe5ED6-ILOxHoagP19hlRzRJanoNbHjggwhXIB9eylIgS21sGf1THPIPK1WqUgrEAnJMUTZ4TsYe3xQVZ-HhT53s_Sx_7dRqo0iWcc0w5fUeY8DGFOy92Rw3ZSGxx7fm92g/s3250/Shed.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2181" data-original-width="3250" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8_tjVGTJXMt5M6Qc0D9eO4TVvvUz1PL6-u0Y8CEwkWyNSRmaVgFT6eaVTe5ED6-ILOxHoagP19hlRzRJanoNbHjggwhXIB9eylIgS21sGf1THPIPK1WqUgrEAnJMUTZ4TsYe3xQVZ-HhT53s_Sx_7dRqo0iWcc0w5fUeY8DGFOy92Rw3ZSGxx7fm92g/s320/Shed.png" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;">It's good to be back to workplace consulting after I spent most
of the tail end of 2022 writing – papers, blogs and my third book. <o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I managed to submit my draft of <i>A Practical Guide to
Post-Occupancy Evaluation</i> before taking a well-earned break. The
new book is a revision of the <i>British Council Guide to Post-Occupancy
Evaluation</i> that I wrote back in 2007. It’s an under-statement to say the world
has moved on since then – we’ve had austerity measures, agile/hybrid working,
advances in sensor technology and AI to name a few workplace related
initiatives. What hasn’t changed is the importance of POE, it’s more relevant
than ever especially with Net Zero Carbon targets. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Nonetheless, despite
encouragement by the government and professional bodies, such as CIBSE and
RIBA, the take-up of POE is still lacking. My plan is to unravel the mystery of
POE, highlight the benefits and provide practical advice on how to conduct
different levels of POE. Your support is needed in encouraging clients to
conduct POEs to improve future office buildings.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">After a 38-year thriving relationship with Maggie, we
finally wrote our first joint article. In “<a href="https://workplaceunlimited.com/Jouranl%20of%20Biophilic%20Design.pdf" target="_blank">Home-working the biophilic way</a>”,
published in the <i><a href="https://journalofbiophilicdesign.com/" target="_blank">Journal of Biophilic Design</a></i>, we discuss how to practically
introduce biophilic elements to your home office. I joined the ranks of George
Bernard Shaw, Roald Dahl and Le Corbusier as a “shed-worker” and discuss how my
cabin at the bottom of the garden provides a sustainable but spacious and
cost-effective home office offering privacy, tranquillity, environmental control
and access to nature.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I was fortunate to research and co-author the BCO report on <i><a href="https://www.bco.org.uk/Research/Publications/The_Future_of_UK_Office_Densities.aspx" target="_blank">The Future of UK Office Densities</a></i>. This was an opportunity to understand and
address the increasing office densities in the UK. Too high a density requires
additional infrastructure (toilets, lifts, building services etc.) and can
result in reduced occupant performance due to noise, cross-infection and
discomfort. In contrast, too low a density leads to inefficient space use and
higher property costs. It’s a fine balance and the required density varies by
organisation, sector and function. However, we proposed that a ballpark figure
of 10-12 m² per planned occupant is preferable to the previously recommended 8
m</span><sup style="font-family: verdana;">2</sup><span style="font-family: verdana;"> per person.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The BCO research inspired me to write a piece for <i><a href="https://www.facilitatemagazine.com/" target="_blank">Facilitate Magazine</a></i> titled “<a href="https://workplaceunlimited.com/Facilitate%20Magazine.pdf" target="_blank">Under-utilised offices – An inconvenient truth</a>”.
With the increasing popularity of people spending three days in the office
there is more likelihood of offices sitting empty for at least 57% of the week
(including weekends). Heating, cooling and lighting empty offices just doesn’t
seem sustainable to me and certainly doesn’t help meet Net Zero Carbon targets.
The alternative is to introduce unallocated desks, the so-called dreaded
hot-desking, and balance occupancy levels across the week. This will allow
future office space to be better sized or current unused space released for use
by other organisations. There are some valid reasons for some occupants not to
hot-desk, but the commonest objection I hear is that it’s inconvenient, a
hassle and a burden on time. Like all things environmental, I don’t think
inconvenience is a sufficient reason not to share desks when only in the office
a small fraction of the time.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">If you are considering a post-occupancy evaluation (POE),
require workplace related research or simply need advice on your office space
then do get in touch at <a href="mailto:oseland@workplaceunlimited.com" target="_blank">oseland@workplaceunlimited.com</a></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>oselandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02743879390466432468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2443025936337736929.post-90576142911804876502022-11-02T16:37:00.006+00:002022-11-02T16:50:03.688+00:00Workplace Capability<p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK48ekNAItkw1tBCZ9hG6wYzNmi9lBXg0PFS7YGsmmb-Is9LDWCfJorhn6kTnWILlWqoHQeersR9ZT4JWvE0I5b_g78sO-Ny48lwSSCBNV0JIgPrrKfz3jsJbCCtjU2L5Rx5sDgWhReW2o-l0HjcQI9MOsD47d2TFV7NYCVzGF7P0G9uaizp5LPKt4NQ/s2048/Picture1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK48ekNAItkw1tBCZ9hG6wYzNmi9lBXg0PFS7YGsmmb-Is9LDWCfJorhn6kTnWILlWqoHQeersR9ZT4JWvE0I5b_g78sO-Ny48lwSSCBNV0JIgPrrKfz3jsJbCCtjU2L5Rx5sDgWhReW2o-l0HjcQI9MOsD47d2TFV7NYCVzGF7P0G9uaizp5LPKt4NQ/w299-h224/Picture1.jpg" width="299" /></a></div>I have been a mountain biker for thirty years, but last year
I purchased a gravel bike. The gravel bike is more all-terrain, hybrid if you
like, allowing me to cover longer distances using trails avoiding busy roads. I
recently rode along the Upper Lea Valley trail and paused to admire three
sculptures of people significant to the area: Eric Morecambe, Capability Brown
and a Sea Scout.<br /></span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The landscape architect Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown was
called so because he famously told his clients that their property had
capability for improvement. It occurred to me that this is an admirable vocation
for workplace consultants, architects and designers. My own occupant feedback
surveys and those of Leesman reveal high levels of dissatisfaction with many
workplaces. But rather than write-off those inadequately performing spaces we
should be advising the occupying organisations on the hidden capability of
their workspaces. A high-level review, or post-occupancy evaluation, will
highlight areas for improvement. This may include quick-wins such as changes to
the desk layout, the aesthetic (colour/lighting), the use and balance of the
space (such as introducing new work-settings like focus pods and breakout) and
perhaps the facilities’ offering (like refreshments).</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS3pcv9rd7G0ICY6bLODzA5iaI7-8wWx6OsAZRd0eYpJGt107inP1DO5gazIaqxBaPAbTpssw_JirdQe8FpKznirBzBczJwpiPvVDMBW7aoxhWfQNMIfUA27VrXckQapGAZiSDgSjDMa3B1p5GwrueEe_E45uJVegQU0nKTCCqoxsBv8Slpp_MxWyKJA/s2163/Picture1.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1085" data-original-width="2163" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS3pcv9rd7G0ICY6bLODzA5iaI7-8wWx6OsAZRd0eYpJGt107inP1DO5gazIaqxBaPAbTpssw_JirdQe8FpKznirBzBczJwpiPvVDMBW7aoxhWfQNMIfUA27VrXckQapGAZiSDgSjDMa3B1p5GwrueEe_E45uJVegQU0nKTCCqoxsBv8Slpp_MxWyKJA/w400-h201/Picture1.png" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Another key lesson for workplace design from Capability
Brown is creating a more natural aesthetic. He is renowned for introducing more
natural landscapes to gardens, with smooth undulating grass, scatterings of
trees and small lakes. His landscaped gardens replaced the more formal ones of
the time, identified by their clear structure, geometric shapes and symmetrical
layout. In my last book </span><i style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://www.workplaceunlimited.com/workplace-zoo.html" target="_blank">Beyond the Workplace Zoo</a></i><span style="font-family: verdana;">, I introduced my
version of the ‘landscaped office’. I called for a move away from the serried
rows of desks to the introduction of different shaped desks and meeting spaces
planned with a more organic layout.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirJY9RsOnYC3LSxblMrJIvlL3Ih9s1QOluKl7HQnmC_pZGoNeLQ9WX1igo-vHT-UDkeXQwXET7KT6MaYQu5ibLARIJw3uvM_m-ufpUt4FPcPeFJY1_k11niXKimYRBLMlLmMZPLaZA2vjq-DhlKw8YGinWDKoBzGQL8a_Olnkqqcl8UkH5Pb4F6yOl-g/s2056/Picture2.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1223" data-original-width="2056" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirJY9RsOnYC3LSxblMrJIvlL3Ih9s1QOluKl7HQnmC_pZGoNeLQ9WX1igo-vHT-UDkeXQwXET7KT6MaYQu5ibLARIJw3uvM_m-ufpUt4FPcPeFJY1_k11niXKimYRBLMlLmMZPLaZA2vjq-DhlKw8YGinWDKoBzGQL8a_Olnkqqcl8UkH5Pb4F6yOl-g/w400-h238/Picture2.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br />Capability Brown also introduced ‘pleasure gardens’ with
flowers and shrubberies, placed away from the main lawns. Such features offer a
place for being immersed in and appreciating the beauty of nature. Again, his
design is analogous to the workplace and a call for a range of pleasurable and
biophilic work-settings supporting different activities, including relaxation,
contemplation and mind-wandering but also gatherings and socialising. The
landscaped office calls for a mixture of work-settings and the application of
biophilic design principles. Research shows that more natural environments can
help reenergise people and enhance their creativity.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">All too often the solution to a poorly performing workplace
is a move and new fit-out, but we should first consider refurbishment as a means
to reach full capability. Consider how to make those spaces more natural and pleasurable.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>oselandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02743879390466432468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2443025936337736929.post-57054765467055478862022-09-29T11:12:00.007+01:002022-09-29T11:17:36.749+01:00Design for the Range, Not the Average: The Prejudice and Inadequacies of Indoor Environment Standards<p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq_vT8widHcc0l1ggsPnOH2x9MbRZdhNwsAV5bD8s6115cr46kGpX15hlphpDPXhjRe6SrK6-qKyt6ch00vuzyOhLJuDt-AprHb6GkglM8-bURaMyGAt2m8kCoIKYw0ca8mDH3AwP3oiWWp1YKGfsE-Gkg2YE1e46lGAr0kbx8y0Eswcwax122meWE-w/s663/Picture1.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="413" data-original-width="663" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq_vT8widHcc0l1ggsPnOH2x9MbRZdhNwsAV5bD8s6115cr46kGpX15hlphpDPXhjRe6SrK6-qKyt6ch00vuzyOhLJuDt-AprHb6GkglM8-bURaMyGAt2m8kCoIKYw0ca8mDH3AwP3oiWWp1YKGfsE-Gkg2YE1e46lGAr0kbx8y0Eswcwax122meWE-w/w400-h249/Picture1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana;">I
recently presented at the <a href="https://comfortattheextremes.com/" target="_blank">Comfort at the Extremes (CATE)</a> conference in
Edinburgh. The delegates were a mix of researchers and medics in the fields of
indoor air quality and thermal comfort in offices, homes, schools and
hospitals. I recognised many from my days as a thermal comfort research back in
the 1990s - it was good to catch up after some 25 years. It was also an
opportunity for me to have another jibe at the prejudice and inadequacies of
current indoor environment standards. This is what I said …</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span></span></span></p><a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: verdana;">Many
years ago, when my kids where younger, and much shorter, I visited Colchester
Zoo. I was impressed by the way that each animal enclosure was meticulously
designed to ensure each species could thrive as well as survive. I know humans
are all one species, but we are very different animals. Then I returned to my
homogenous corporate office, a serried sea of open plan desks. That when I
thought, surely this environment does not cater for the range of individual human
needs and preferences.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Since
then, I have been conducting research to understand how we can accommodate the
needs of the variety of people that occupy our offices. We reportedly have five
generations in the workplace we different needs. I have conducted several
surveys exploring the impact of noise on different personality types. I have
also helped to design a workplace more suited to neurodiverse occupants -
more corporates are employing such people due to their high cognitive
performance. Also, more organisations are global attracting staff from a wide
variety of cultures and ethnic minorities. From an inclusivity and diversity
perspective it is our responsibility to acknowledge and accommodate the needs
of such a range of office workers. We must specify and design for the range and
not the average, whatever that is. Let’s not forgot that 49.99% of us are below
average and 49.99% of us are above average.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic3u57jRXNWrdgwV3VkfgEnosYiKLvbEcDZpTUWchznDuNrfsthjzoVhlw3NL5kV6oqP5bmbetswKD_6TO7EPAKZ6ra46NcPUyKg6pfL3-_rbLcG1IufnNLnmito8sKpSKeFJHdEw1kjoTP0xRfFZVUw04o57dPLo2qoaTWmkWBoEfgixnLTv5sPnQ-w/s2260/Picture2.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1299" data-original-width="2260" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic3u57jRXNWrdgwV3VkfgEnosYiKLvbEcDZpTUWchznDuNrfsthjzoVhlw3NL5kV6oqP5bmbetswKD_6TO7EPAKZ6ra46NcPUyKg6pfL3-_rbLcG1IufnNLnmito8sKpSKeFJHdEw1kjoTP0xRfFZVUw04o57dPLo2qoaTWmkWBoEfgixnLTv5sPnQ-w/w400-h230/Picture2.png" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana;">My
day job is mostly related to the planning and design of offices. But I want to
focus here on the indoor environmental conditions. My own database of almost
100 buildings and others, such as the Leesman Index, consistently show that
noise, thermal comfort and indoor air quality are the key causes of
dissatisfaction with the physical environment in offices. This is not
surprising because they are psychophysical variables, and also related to what
Herzberg called the hygiene factors. For example, perceived thermal comfort is
not the same as temperature (°C), perceived space is not the same as physical
size (m<sup>2</sup><span>), noise is not simply sound level (dB) and light is not
just illuminance (lux). This makes providing for such variables somewhat
challenging for building services engineers.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Psychophysics
is the study of how people perceive, interpret and react to the world, or more
precisely the psychological and physiological response to a physical stimulus.
For example, in psychoacoustics, air pressure waves hit the ear drum and
through our ear and brains physiology we are able to perceive those waves as
sound. However, cognition then kicks in allowing us to interpret that sound and
decide whether it is a noise or not. The interpretation depends on multiple
personal and situational factors including context, meaning, experience,
expectation, activity and personality.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Noise
is defined as unwanted sound, which means it depends on the individual and
their situation. This is verified by many researchers who only find a weak
relationship between sound level and noise annoyance, typically physical sound measurements
explain only 25% of the variation in noise annoyance. Logically that means that
up to 75% of the variance could be due to psychological and physiological
factors. This relationship is further confounded by acousticians arguing over
the best physical measure (dB, RT, STI etc.) whereas they should be focussing
on their efforts on understanding the 75% non-physical factors.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Over
the last few years, Paige Hodsman and I have been researching the effect of
noise on different personality types to help mitigate noise issues in open plan
offices (<a href="https://hstalks.com/article/5430/the-response-to-noise-distraction-by-different-per/" target="_blank">Oseland & Hodsman, 2020</a>). We asked office (including home-office)
occupants to complete the Big 5 Personality Inventory, a.k.a. OCEAN, and answer
questions about the noise in their working environment. Our database currently
stands at 2,145 responses. As hypothesised, based on a previous literature review,
we found that those more extroverted and less neurotic had fewer concerns with
noise and so elements of their performance were less affected by it.
Surprisingly, the effect of personality on noise distraction was greater than that
of activity. Further multiple regression analyses revealed that 41% of the
variance in noise annoyance could be explained by personal factors and
psychoacoustic variables.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Consequently,
one of our recommendations for reducing noise distraction in open plan offices
is to consider the predominant personality type in different teams and design
to meet their preferences. So, for example, for a team that might have more
introverts such as finance, law or analysts consider a quiet and calming base
zone that facilitates focus and concentration. However, additional spaces are
also required to facilitate social interaction, meetings and noisier
activities. In contrast, if the team is mostly made up of extroverts, such as
sales or marketing, then a buzzy and stimulating base zone should be provided but
with nearby spaces for quiet and solo activities. However, like most indoor
environmental standards, acoustic ones tend to specify a target physical level
(such as dB for sound or seconds for RT etc.) based on an assumed average
occupant. Admittedly, more recent acoustic standards for open pan offices now
consider work activity.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj58Jctmf7zxPhX11i2n-Ou-faDrxyHB-89lUpTad3D313T7BSlQoLxEKuBdyM-MldBeWoWlBWi8m3-Bb2r9fU5kWRKkQZmabZqxe5MXm3ulIZpa0U6Xw0FsVugn00nKY-fjE4gp5xfMK0vBNyk9ww6MepsHcz__fKDxNO1ZUvhFnanH4xZeVzI-crQpw/s2854/Picture3.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1984" data-original-width="2854" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj58Jctmf7zxPhX11i2n-Ou-faDrxyHB-89lUpTad3D313T7BSlQoLxEKuBdyM-MldBeWoWlBWi8m3-Bb2r9fU5kWRKkQZmabZqxe5MXm3ulIZpa0U6Xw0FsVugn00nKY-fjE4gp5xfMK0vBNyk9ww6MepsHcz__fKDxNO1ZUvhFnanH4xZeVzI-crQpw/w400-h278/Picture3.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Similarly,
lighting standards propose that a 200 lux range around 400 lux is suitable for
offices. I have not conducted experiments on lighting, but for my latest book I did review several
previously conducted studies of offices (<a href="http://www.workplacezoo.com/" target="_blank">Oseland 2021</a>). These studies indicate that the
occupants prefer a range of 900 lux. So, the 200 lux range in standards would
not suit most of them. One solution is to have lower ambient lighting, around 200
lux, supplemented by personally controlled task lighting at each desk.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Thermal
comfort guidance also tends to recommend a range of preferred temperatures, but
at least some (like <i><a href="https://www.iso.org/standard/39155.html" target="_blank">ISO 7730</a></i>) recognise that comfort in offices is not
only dependent upon temperature but also humidity, air velocity and two
personal factors – metabolic rate (Met) and clothing (Clo). The latter two
factors are looked up in tables and result in the biggest variation in
predicted thermal comfort. The original double heat balance equation, used in <i>ISO
7730</i> and other standards, is centred around skin temperature and sweat
secretion, which are estimated using the looked-up Met. However, the underlying
relationship of Met to skin temperature and sweat was derived from experiments
on college-age students, rather than a range of people.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfXUDHUgF5MI_q0nQpiDwv-69t3lO0BjeJEmnYN8Zh38_8elDgUcwm3UNvYkpZU4FcnjC6js6pLHGyMCKwtzv_hkQOI_Vj4JAJshvA2b4iXDh8Zr34GBgyrQSUXZx0W_Igl_KBNG7xDuOL46ViO69y7OstM2NbWpg_QJtIwHdUqDfCZFjL1Iwo2QJzbg/s3066/Picture4.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1146" data-original-width="3066" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfXUDHUgF5MI_q0nQpiDwv-69t3lO0BjeJEmnYN8Zh38_8elDgUcwm3UNvYkpZU4FcnjC6js6pLHGyMCKwtzv_hkQOI_Vj4JAJshvA2b4iXDh8Zr34GBgyrQSUXZx0W_Igl_KBNG7xDuOL46ViO69y7OstM2NbWpg_QJtIwHdUqDfCZFjL1Iwo2QJzbg/w640-h240/Picture4.png" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Much
research on thermal comfort is conducted in a climate chamber. Environmental
psychologists, like myself, are not so keen on such an approach because it
lacks “ecological validity”. We believe the response of the participants does
not reflect those in the real world because i) such studies use college-age
students who are often paid, thus affecting their motivation, ii) climate
chambers are quite an unrealistic, usually metal-clad, environment, and iii) climate
chambers allow specific variables to be controlled but ignore the multiple
factors of the real world. Furthermore, the heat balance model is based on
steady state exchange physics and treats people as inanimate objects with a
simple stimulus-response. Whereas, in reality we are sensing, thinking, experiencing
beings that interact, react, change, adapt and evolve to thermal environments.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: verdana;">A
further illogical aspect of <i>ISO 7730</i> is that are there are three
classification categories. The higher categories supposedly result in a better
quality of thermal environment. However, the higher categories also have tighter
bands of recommended temperatures. This approach is based on engineering
precision rather than the inclusion of a broader range of thermal comfort
requirements. The higher categories and tighter temperature ranges may well
cater better for the average person, but not for the range of people found in
the modern office.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: verdana;">It
is challenging to accommodate a range of thermal comfort requirements in an
open plan office, but a single set-point temperature is not the answer. One
alternative approach is to use “environmentally responsive workstations” which
provide individual control of an under-desk thermal panel and desk height fan.
Desk fans are a cheaper alternative in the summer. Another option is to provide
a thermal gradient in the office, so that the occupants can choose to sit where
they are most thermally comfortable.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: verdana;">It
is time to rethink standards, they need a more human-centric starting point rather
than be wholly grounded in physics or engineering. They need to be empirical rather
than theoretical – the real world is full of unknown variables and humans are
the most variable. Models and predictions need to be validated and verified in
the real-world with a range of “real” people. A single number derived from highly
controlled conditions is highly unlikely to meet the range of human requirements.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: verdana;">In
summary:<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: verdana; text-indent: -18pt;">We
are all one species but different animals</span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Design
for the range of occupants not the average occupant</span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Embrace
and design for inclusion and diversity</span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A
simple single number (such as dB, lux or °C) is not the answer</span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Nor
is it an excuse for low satisfaction levels</span></span></li><li><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Provide
variety, choice and solutions that work for all</span></span></li></ul><p></p>
oselandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02743879390466432468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2443025936337736929.post-90236208433045902102022-02-14T16:48:00.004+00:002022-09-29T11:15:21.241+01:00A World of Music and Workplace<p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjzzSo0_10E4yO8bVE0XvWcS4y2PmmtQiv9EFDpGr58X2SgGuRuYemOzo3De8m8K7AaDabvXdgk1wcutPHH46lRXU26n4HWnM9zJFlilW9Kn7q3k8Llto-85PeQpm7XIlTgDtyMYTbdEX_7YTj9SNnSfIVabbakoVve2MhCZZrD1h7PAtffwQ_UX9u2IA=s671" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="671" data-original-width="671" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjzzSo0_10E4yO8bVE0XvWcS4y2PmmtQiv9EFDpGr58X2SgGuRuYemOzo3De8m8K7AaDabvXdgk1wcutPHH46lRXU26n4HWnM9zJFlilW9Kn7q3k8Llto-85PeQpm7XIlTgDtyMYTbdEX_7YTj9SNnSfIVabbakoVve2MhCZZrD1h7PAtffwQ_UX9u2IA=w276-h276" width="276" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;">In my time out from workplace consulting I prepare and
present a weekly show on my local community radio station. It got me thinking
about the similarities between music and the workplace.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Firstly, I like different music depending on my activity, my
mood and the time of day. Music of a higher beats per minute undoubtedly suits
me better when I’m on my spin bike or flagging, but I prefer slower-paced
instrumentals when I am focussing or writing. Different work-settings are
better suited to different activities and mood.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span></span></span></p><a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: verdana;">Secondly, I like to listen to music late at night to help me
relax and prepare for sleep. In contrast, the wife finds that she cannot sleep
if music is playing. It’s quite possible that my extrovert tendencies benefit
from music for relaxation, whereas the wife is a self-confessed introvert and
music, at the wrong time and in the wrong place, can be overwhelming. Like
music, the workplace must accommodate the needs of different personality types
and other individual needs.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Thirdly, I consider myself to have good taste in music – I
am a fan of progressive rock. Naïvely when I was younger, I considered most
other people’s musical preferences to be rubbish and continually insisted mine
was better. I’ve mellowed over time and I now accept that my friends prefer a
whole array of different genres of music – I even listen to some of it and
occasionally discover a new favourite artist. It would be arrogant of me to
expect my friends to only like my preferred music. Likewise, it would be
arrogant to expect my colleagues to like my ideal workplace. Yet, it is quite
common for office design to be heavily influenced by the preferences of the
project team.</span></p><p><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Finally, music genres come in and
out of fashion and I like discovering new music. However, there are particular
tracks that I always fall back on, the ones I know and love. Beware of fads in
the workplace, there are certain basic tried and tested elements that need to
be provided before experimenting with new and whacky ideas.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Offices need to offer choice of a range of work-settings to
accommodate the needs of all its occupants. We should embrace our individual
preferences rather than design for a minority view.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Any other similarities between the workplace and music?</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>oselandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02743879390466432468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2443025936337736929.post-26010006064052625872021-10-14T15:19:00.010+01:002021-10-14T15:51:19.737+01:00Beyond the Workplace Zoo<p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UQnEwMqDMMg/YWg58zMkpbI/AAAAAAAAC_0/ka_xVMzQaNs47wBPHS2aNje5mWXgfkCWwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/NigelOseland-book.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UQnEwMqDMMg/YWg58zMkpbI/AAAAAAAAC_0/ka_xVMzQaNs47wBPHS2aNje5mWXgfkCWwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/NigelOseland-book.jpg" width="213" /></a><span style="font-family: verdana;">I can’t believe my last blog post was around Xmas time last
year, where has the time gone? But it doesn’t mean I haven’t been writing, just
through a different media. My own lockdown baby came in the form of a new book:
<i><a href="https://amzn.to/3tFGAlX" target="_blank">Beyond the Workplace Zoo: Humanising the Office</a></i>. It was published two weeks
ago with a cosy book launch last week and its official airing at <i><a href="https://workplacetrends.co/events/workplace-trends-london-2021/" target="_blank">Workplace Trends</a></i>
yesterday.</span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">It has been over 20 years since my last “proper” book, <i>Improving
Office Productivity</i>. A book I co-authored with Paul Bartlett, who sadly
passed away last year. Paul’s views on office economics and productivity
paved the way for much of my thinking in the new book – his humour and candour are
deeply missed.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><span></span></i></span></p><a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>Beyond the Workplace Zoo</i> captures my thoughts, ideas
and advice on office design based on over 30 years as a practicing environmental
psychologist – 11 years as a human factors researcher and 23 years as a
workplace consultant. The first half of the book draws on often forgotten or overlooked,
but nonetheless fascinating and relevant, research in psychology and related disciplines
relevant to office design. The second half presents my proposed workplace solution, a
revived and revised version of <i>Bürolandschaft</i>, combined with the <i>Action Office</i>
and <i>Free-range Office</i>, that I term the <i>Landscaped Office</i>. In addition to numerous psychological
theories, I have integrated biophilic design and activity-based working into my ideal workplace.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The summary I presented at yesterday’s conference was:</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pp7684otonA/YWg6cDu1O8I/AAAAAAAAC_8/dawH_c_IKxUWhQY83XgxFG4NLuUm1cBhACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Zoo.tif" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1309" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pp7684otonA/YWg6cDu1O8I/AAAAAAAAC_8/dawH_c_IKxUWhQY83XgxFG4NLuUm1cBhACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Zoo.tif" width="205" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana;">The office is an enabler not a cost burden – balance wellbeing
and performance against cost and space.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">We are all one species but very different animals – offer freedom,
flexibility and the choice of work-settings as well as environmental conditions,
avoid homogeneity. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">Design for the range (of humans) not the average – office space
and environmental standards based on the average do not reflect the needs of most
occupants.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">Embrace our individuality and diversity – accommodate individual
(psychological, personal and physical) needs.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">Office design is non-binary – implement the <i>Landscaped
Office</i> rather than pure open-plan or enclosed offices.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">De-densify the office – especially post-pandemic, add some partitioning
and break-up the space.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">Spread the news – read and review <i><a href="https://amzn.to/3tFGAlX" target="_blank">Beyond the WorkplaceZoo</a>.</i></span></li></ul><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Find out more about my new book <a href="https://workplaceunlimited.com/workplace-zoo.html" target="_blank">here</a>. I look forward to your comments and reviews.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>oselandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02743879390466432468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2443025936337736929.post-80732793485815814742020-12-18T13:19:00.007+00:002021-10-14T15:37:59.994+01:00Seasons Greetings 2020<p> </p><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="border-collapse: collapse; mso-padding-alt: 0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184; width: 100%px;">
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="color: grey; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="hhttps://tinyurl.com/y8avf2bb" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="967" data-original-width="1600" height="241" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CwaGDIG4JhI/X9yqykOOZ1I/AAAAAAAAC3Q/UH8r5LQJEBsbAQfkCa8np12_WKAddsaNACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h241/Xmas%2BCard%2B2020.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I have been quite fortunate, but Covid-19 is
undeniably terrible and this year has been devastating for some with loss
of loved ones and income. Apparently our fight and flight response means
we dwell on the negative rather than the positive and five pieces of good
news are needed to balance one negative. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span></span></span></p><a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: verdana;">I appreciate this is little
compensation for some, but my positive outcomes of Covid-19, which may
apply to you also are: </span><p></p><ul type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><span style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">we got to spend more time
at home with our family</span></span></li></ul><ul type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><span style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">we didn’t have to commute
on overcrowded trains/tubes</span></span></li></ul><ul type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><span style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">we forgot about Brexit
for a little while</span></span></li></ul><ul type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><span style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">we had more time for
hobbies and being creative – I drafted a book and Maggie has resumed
playing violin after many years</span></span></li></ul><ul type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><span style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">we supported local cafes
and businesses </span></span></li></ul><ul type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><span style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">we diversified,
discovered new skills and offered new services</span></span></li></ul><ul type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><span style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">we have, on the whole,
been productive working from home</span></span></li></ul><ul type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><span style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">we learned to use virtual
platforms, better connecting us to family, friends and colleagues
around the globe</span></span></li></ul><ul type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><span style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">there was reduced
pollution from traffic and manufacturing</span></span></li></ul><ul type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><span style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">there will continue to be
better work-life balance going forward with working in and out of
the office </span></span></li></ul><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br />I wish you Merry Christmas and a much
better and prosperous New Year.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">As usual I am sending out an e-card rather than posting one. In
lieu I have donated blankets for babies and children’s Christmas gift boxes to
UNICEF. <i>(Click on the image or <a href="https://workplaceunlimited.com/Xmas%202020.mp4?goal=0_24716acf3d-7d207b512b-65806527&mc_cid=7d207b512b&mc_eid=6e8996a920" target="_blank">here</a> for an animated musical version.)</i><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">
Best wishes</span><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Nigel</span></span></p>
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</tbody></table>oselandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02743879390466432468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2443025936337736929.post-66760160736992761422020-05-11T16:03:00.000+01:002020-05-12T16:13:26.990+01:00Post Covid-19 Workplace: Recollection not Revolution<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SdkLKpjrVZY/Xrk-rSmO5iI/AAAAAAAACxk/NrwbWc4akmkyD1SQmf7_l0EIvD_rwWecACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Fotolia_124599833_M.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SdkLKpjrVZY/Xrk-rSmO5iI/AAAAAAAACxk/NrwbWc4akmkyD1SQmf7_l0EIvD_rwWecACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Fotolia_124599833_M.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Boris made his rather ambiguous announcement yesterday on
his Covid-19 exit strategy and there have been plenty of previous posts from the
workplace industry anticipating the announcement and how redesigning the office
is the solution. But I firmly believe that we already have the answers, and
have had them for some time, but have repeatedly chosen to ignore them. I
recommend we start by recollecting and (re)introducing tried and tested best
practice in the workplace before we push a design revolution. </span><br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Let us just remind ourselves of that long forgotten best
practice design which workplace strategists have been recommending for at least
two decades:</span> </div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>1. Occupational density –</b> For years in the UK we have been
chasing density, the space provision per person in the office, in the name of
space and cost efficiency. For example, the BCO’s Occupier Density Study
published in 2009 found an average of 11.8m<sup>2</sup> per desk, across the
whole building NIA, compared to 9.6m<sup>2</sup> per desk in the 2018 study.
The 2.2m<sup>2</sup> difference may not seem like a lot but it is equivalent to
losing almost one workstation with associated circulation per occupant (or two
industry standard desk surfaces). Sadly, UK legislation on workspace
requirements does not help – the minimum is approximately 4.6m<sup>2</sup> per
person (assuming the 11m<sup>3</sup> minimum and a standard 2.4m floor to
ceiling height). These low standards allow densities to be chased and best
practice ignored. It is well documented that in the animal kingdom,
overpopulation often leads to disease – nature’s way of addressing the balance.
High density impacts temperature, air quality and noise along with
accessibility and egress. A return to lower density offices which support
performance and health is long overdue. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>2. Desk size –</b> To meet the higher densities, desk sizes have
reduced. I recall my 2 x 1m desk at my first architectural practice, providing
me with a clear 2m between those sitting adjacent to or opposite me. The
current UK industry norm is 1400mm wide desks, and I have worked with
efficiency-zealous clients insisting that 1m wide desks provide sufficient
space! These smaller desks result in more noise distraction, infringement of
personal space (see Hall’s Proxemic Framework) and higher likelihood of
cross-infection. Simply put, stop manufacturing and installing smaller and
smaller desks. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>3. Partitioning –</b> There are some similarities in designing
workspaces to prevent noise distraction and cross-infection. Distance helps
reduce noise, and infection. Semi-partitioning (not necessarily walls) also
helps, as do desk screens that are sufficiently high enough to cover the mouth
but not reduce the line of sight (approximately 1300-1400mm), but there has been
an ongoing trend for low or no desk screens and minimal partitions. I am
neither an advocate of private offices nor fully open plan workspaces. Office
layout is not a simple dichotomy of open versus closed but a scale with an
optimal layout that I refer to as the landscaped office, borrowed from Bürolandschaft.
The landscaped office is predominantly open plan but with zoned and
semi-partitioned spaces broken up by storage, bookshelves, planting, acoustic screens
and alternative work-settings such as quiet pods, focus rooms, meeting areas
and social spaces. Reintroduce zoning and partitioning in the workspace.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>4. Indoor air quality (IAQ)</b> <b>–</b> From a design perspective, temperature,
noise and air quality are the most common causes of <a href="https://www.remark-group.co.uk/air-quality-work-survey">dissatisfaction
and loss of performance</a> in the office. In the past, the level of fresh air
intake in mechanically ventilated offices was reduced, and the stale air
recirculated, to minimise energy costs – outdoor air will need filtering and
heating or cooling thus using more energy. This practice was partly responsible
for Sick Building Syndrome and the transmission of other diseases. Fresh air
rates and treatment will need readdressing in the post Covid-19 workplace.</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>5. Agile working –</b> Many workplace strategists are advocates
of agile/flexible/smart/ remote/activity-based working and have been promoting
the benefits since the early 90s, see one of my <a href="https://www.workplaceunlimited.com/2012%20WPU-OP-01%20Flexible%20Working%20Benefits.pdf">early
reports</a>. Benefits have been proven to include: increased performance,
reduced absenteeism, enhanced cross-selling, increased attraction and reduced attrition,
and business continuity as less disruptions due to travel issues or viruses. Empower
people to work when and where they are most productive including occasionally
working from home. </span></div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Home working –</b> The <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-employers-and-businesses-about-covid-19/guidance-for-employers-and-businesses-on-coronavirus-covid-19">Government’s
guidance</a> recommends working from home, a very sensible approach that is
fundamental to a good agile working environment. Now that most office workers,
and their managers, have experienced working from home, the uptake is likely to
be higher than previously. If the workforce are allowed to work from home for say
two days per week and the time in and out the office is well managed, then the number
of desks required will reduce by up to 40%. In the short-term, if 40% of the
desk chairs are simply removed, perhaps every other desk chair, then the overall
workspace density will be reduced, and the occupants will have more buffer
space. Alternatively, alternate desks could be marked or coloured up to
indicate days that they may be used. However, do remember it is the employers’
responsibility to provide a safe workplace for their employees, so there will
be additional costs in providing the workforce with the right technology,
equipment and furniture to work effectively from home. I have already spotted
unscrupulous “no win, no fee” law firms offering to represent those who have
had a fall when working from home. The new office is likely to be a more
blended environment mixing the physical with the virtual, so that those in or
out of the office can seamlessly work together.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Desk-sharing –</b> Using agile
working to help reduce the density and number of desks is likely to mean that desk-sharing
(hot-desking) in some form is required. It is unlikely that hot-desking will be
carried out the way it currently is with people grabbing desks as they become
vacant. It is more likely that a shared desk is obtained and used throughout
the duration of the day followed by a deep clean overnight that allows the desk
to be used safely by a colleague the next day. The service level agreements of
cleaning contracts will need to be revisited with more regular desk cleaning.</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></li>
</ul>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>6. Shift working –</b> The Government’s guidance also suggest
shift working (technically a type of flexible working). This is a less popular alternative
to home working. In theory, the workforce could work two or even three 8-hour
shifts in one day and assuming they can travel to the office the density the
number of occupants, and corresponding density, could be reduced by a half or
two-thirds. Again, in the short-term alternate desk chairs could be removed or
desk marked up to indicate the fays they may be used. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The issue of travel is fundamental and a tricky one that
needs resolving. There is little point in designing for social distancing in
the post Covid-19 office if staff are first travelling to work on crowded
trains and the underground. Note, train carriages are approximately 60m<sup>2</sup>
thus accommodating just 15 people with 2m separation. Furthermore, many people
work in high-rise buildings, where the wait times for lifts are already
agonising at peak hours, so access to upper floors will be a challenge if there
is only one or two people allowed per lift car. Maybe in the long-term we will
see the rise of the low-rise building or perhaps the reintroduction of
paternoster lifts. Travel to and from work is a priority but agile working,
with home working, is the more obvious solution in the short-term. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The above design solutions will only work if the right
behaviours are in place alongside good leadership. Humans are creatures of
habit and unless continuously reminded or rewarded will revert to previous
behaviours. For example, consider how behaviours quickly returned to “normal”
after similar, admittedly less contagious, viruses such as SARS and MERS. Also,
my personal observation, is that basic hygiene such as hand-washing and social
distancing has not continued with the same vigour as at the start of the
pandemic. As a psychologist, I draw on basic theory to explain why new
behaviours are not sustained. For example, <a href="https://www.simplypsychology.org/operant-conditioning.html">Operant
Conditioning</a> helped clarify why behaviours that result in reward, or the
avoidance of unpleasantness or punishment, are more likely to be repeated. One
issue with Covid-19 is that the negative consequences are not immediate and so the
“distance” from the required behaviour change makes it less sustainable.
Consider the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanford_marshmallow_experiment">Stanford
marshmallow experiment</a> in which a child was offered a choice between one
small but immediate reward (a marshmallow or pretzel), or two small rewards if
they waited for 15 minutes. It was found that those with lower education were
more likely to take the immediate reward rather than wait. Furthermore, in terms
of everyday health threats, 60% of those suffering a heart attack <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-smoking/return-to-smoking-after-heart-attack-ups-death-risk-idUSTRE76L2ZP20110722">return
to smoking</a> despite the clear benefits of quitting. Behaviour change also
requires continuous reinforcement, whereas Covid-19 is a more like a one-off
incident, so repeat communications with reminders and short-term rewards will
be required to sustain the new behaviours. The design solutions above and
recently proposed by the workplace community will at least act as reminder and
nudge behaviours, but I am not convinced that the required behaviours will
stick beyond a novelty period.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In terms of leadership, trusting and empowering staff to
occasionally work from home is a clear pre-cursor to adopting agile working. In
the majority of my projects, it is middle management that object the most to
working from home. Many prefer their staff to be to hand and take the easy
route of managing performance by time in the office rather than by agreed
deliverables. More importantly, right now we need to cease the practice of
presenteeism, where staff feel obliged to turn up to the office even when ill, and
actively discourage staff from returning until fully restored back to good
health. Our new-found skills with on-line meetings, supported by an investment
in technology, will help staff connected when not in the office. In the
long-term blended physical/virtual working environments will help sustain such
practice.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In conclusion, workplace design can help us overcome
infection from viruses but, rather than reinvent the workplace, first recollect
and adopt those best practices (suggested by workplace strategists) that have been
repeatedly ignored. There are some relatively easy low-cost short-term
solutions, such as continuing home working and reducing desk densities by
removing seats up marking up desks. Long-term design solutions will help nudge and
sustain the required behaviours going forward. There are likely to be
associated up-costs due to new technology, increased cleaning regimes and
reduced space density, but consider it a form of medical insurance. However,
right now ongoing clear and sensible communication and leadership is essential,
but sadly it is not always available.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Many thanks to Maggie Procopi, Iain Smith, Paige Hodsman and Brian Thompson for their input and advice.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
<br />
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>oselandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02743879390466432468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2443025936337736929.post-50107040666276075162020-05-04T14:54:00.001+01:002020-05-07T13:42:39.212+01:00Working from Home – A Psychological and Personality Perspective<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cWg53f1qIpg/XrAeKABMf3I/AAAAAAAACwI/i4jN5klhayYTeFAXoTWsWtYXxTq54dm3wCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Picture1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="841" data-original-width="1359" height="198" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cWg53f1qIpg/XrAeKABMf3I/AAAAAAAACwI/i4jN5klhayYTeFAXoTWsWtYXxTq54dm3wCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Picture1.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I always find it interesting when classic psychological theory
can help inform current situations. It has become apparent that working from
home (WFH), and social isolation, like many things follows the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yerkes–Dodson_law" target="_blank">Yerkes-DodsonLaw</a>, with its inverted U-shape relationship. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The Yerkes-Dodson Law is traditionally used to describe the relationship
between levels of mental and physiological arousal and performance, see Figure
1. When we are at our optimum level of arousal, we perform to our maximum (the top
of the curve). However, when the level of arousal is low, for example, when we
are tired, demotivated, lethargic or bored our performance drops. Furthermore, when
our level of arousal is high, for example when excited or stressed, performance
also drops. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span>
<br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The inverted U-shape curve applies to many relationships and
indeed appears to apply to WFH. We are all discovering the ideal amount of time
we can work from home to reach our optimum performance. Too little WFH and we
may lose performance due to too many daily distractions from colleagues. Too
much WFH and we may lose performance due to too few interactions with
colleagues, and other home distractions. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sJ0UHB0IXMo/XrAeM_kdHxI/AAAAAAAACwM/vZYh3RMrkXcPgPIjuQ8gtXRAOr_uZ0jpwCEwYBhgL/s1600/Picture2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="841" data-original-width="1359" height="198" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sJ0UHB0IXMo/XrAeM_kdHxI/AAAAAAAACwM/vZYh3RMrkXcPgPIjuQ8gtXRAOr_uZ0jpwCEwYBhgL/s320/Picture2.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Another relevant psychological theory is Altman’s <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Privacy_regulation_theory" target="_blank">Privacy Regulation Theory</a>. Privacy is often confused with social withdrawal, but Altman argues privacy
is a dynamic boundary regulation process where privacy is our desired level of social
interaction. So, if the achieved level of privacy is more than that desired, we
will feel lonely or isolated. In contrast, if the level of privacy is less than
the desired one, we will feel crowded. Not achieving the desired level of
privacy, either too high or too low, will result in stress and loss of performance.
So, the abscissa of the Yerkes-Dodson chart could be level of interaction
rather than arousal, see Figure 2. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2u8EK84Fbdk/XrAeM5Ev2eI/AAAAAAAACwU/lDdRP8CyfSkChgtsNiC8UurPJtzIEDxkQCEwYBhgL/s1600/Picture3.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="841" data-original-width="1359" height="198" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2u8EK84Fbdk/XrAeM5Ev2eI/AAAAAAAACwU/lDdRP8CyfSkChgtsNiC8UurPJtzIEDxkQCEwYBhgL/s320/Picture3.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Regarding the current situation with Covid-19 and social isolation,
the abscissa could also be viewed as time. There is an optimum amount of time working
from home to reach maximum performance. For example, it may take a few days to settle
into a new routine, adopt new technology or working practices. However, as time
goes on performance may drop due to lack of interaction, management, motivation
and innovation etc. Indeed, my recent research on <a href="https://workplaceinsight.net/why-loneliness-is-a-workplace-issue/" target="_blank">workplace loneliness</a>, found
that long-term home workers have higher levels of loneliness. The trick is to
extend the peak of optimum performance and, borrowing a current analogy, “flatten
the curve” to maintain performance, see Figure 3.</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oYv19kBCvZw/XrQCNfFWjmI/AAAAAAAACxI/8nPH9m1Zy4kTVIWJA8sIUywupiaHMfFDACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Picture1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="841" data-original-width="1359" height="198" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oYv19kBCvZw/XrQCNfFWjmI/AAAAAAAACxI/8nPH9m1Zy4kTVIWJA8sIUywupiaHMfFDACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Picture1.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">As with the classic Arousal-Performance relationship, the Yerkes-Dodson
WFH curve also varies with personality, see Figure 4, and complexity of task.
Personality types such as Introverts are more likely to cope with extended
periods of social isolation, but it may take them more tie to settle into a
routine, their new surroundings and way of working. In contrast, Extroverts are
likely to miss interaction sooner than their Introverted colleagues and may be
more easily distracted by other home activities. Extroverts will require more
interaction via phone and on-line meetings. Clearly home-working is more suited
to tasks requiring focus and concentration, to which Introverts are generally better
suited, and virtual collaboration tools allow controlled interaction, which Introverts
may also prefer. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">As managers it is key to recognise how individual team
members are coping with WFH and provide the appropriate level of support.
Regarding management, some staff will require more on-going objectives setting and
deadlines, whereas others will require more daily (virtual) interaction and
guidance in order to maintain performance through extended periods of isolation. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Think about how you can replicate good management techniques
used in the office in remote working environments. For example, hold regular team
meetings (and even on-line social events), check-in with staff regularly with videoconference
(Zoom or Team) calls, set short-term and long-term deadlines, and monitor work tasks
and performance with appropriate rewards. </span><br />
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span>oselandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02743879390466432468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2443025936337736929.post-32014833936615131332020-03-25T11:33:00.003+00:002020-05-06T15:14:25.944+01:00Virtual Meeting Etiquette<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-20I1HDdlzGw/XntBRXSZjbI/AAAAAAAACtc/UIRTGl-4ugUohCh8ry_Qqpx3unXy8Fr4wCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/Berkhamsted%2BSpeakers.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1046" data-original-width="1597" height="209" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-20I1HDdlzGw/XntBRXSZjbI/AAAAAAAACtc/UIRTGl-4ugUohCh8ry_Qqpx3unXy8Fr4wCPcBGAYYCw/s320/Berkhamsted%2BSpeakers.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">When it comes to virtual meetings at work,
I’ve always been in two minds. On the one hand face-to-face is more dynamic, more
engaging and more responsive. We pick up on non-verbal communication – facial
expressions and other body languages revealing engagement and understanding. We
use body language to emphasise messages and refer to previous shared
experiences – see my </span><a href="https://workplaceunlimited.com/The%20Psychology%20of%20Collaboration%20v1.4.pdf" style="color: #0066cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" target="_blank">collaboration report</a><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> for more detail. I often joke that
I want to smell others in the room not just hear or see them. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span></span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">On the other hand, once
initial contact has been made face-to-face, trust gained and simply “putting a
face to the name”, videoconferencing offers other advantages, such as saving on
time and travel. At the start of the year I had two demanding clients who
expected me to make 3 to 4 hours round trips for 1-hour meetings – not a great
use of time and resource and unnecessary. And of course, on-line meetings
prevent cross-infection! Furthermore, you can also see those on the call and
can tell who is engaged or who is distracted or working on other things. </span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Videoconferencing through
Zoom, Skype (when it works) and Teams helps with the above and is more
preferable to the dreaded teleconference. Have you ever been on a
teleconference with more than three people, or been the one on the call while
others are gathered in a room? People talk over each other (no visual clues) and
there is so much background noise it’s hard to hear what’s going on, and of
course those in a room use body language and completely forget those on the
phone. </span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="background: white; color: black; line-height: 110%;">So, videoconferencing is clearly a step-up from
teleconferencing and helps with non-verbal communication. </span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="background: white; color: black; line-height: 110%;"><span style="background: white; color: black;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="background: white; color: black; line-height: 110%;"><span style="background: white; color: black;">We have rapidly become
more used to on-line meetings, but I’ve noticed some basic mistakes which are
easily rectified. Below are my top tips on business virtual meeting etiquette.</span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<ol>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Like all meetings an invite is required with joining instructions (the Zoom link and passcode etc) and an agenda with timings. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></li>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">A chairperson is also required. They will be responsible for sticking to time but also ensuring all are heard without talking over each other – in virtual meetings they can control the mics of all participants. Some may be new to on-line meetings so the chair should also explain how a virtual meeting works technically, for example muting mics, sharing screens and using the chat. The chair should also let participants know when their mic is in mute when trying to speak and when it should be on mute. Hand signal for “time up”, “can’t hear you” or “all good" may also be agreed, rather than everyone switch their mic on. The chair may assign someone to keep time and use “traffic light” cards to keep speakers on track. Like all meetings, follow an on-line one up with a list of key actions, so also assign a minute taker. To help this some collaboration tools allow you to record the meeting (with permission).</span></li>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span>
<li><div style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Participate in an on-line meeting like you would a normal office meeting. Consider your attire - yes we can dress down when at home but remember some participants may be seeing you for the first time. Also consider your behaviours – if you were in a face-to-face meeting would you be dipping in and out of the room, would you be busy doing emails etc. Saying “I didn’t quite catch that can you repeat it” is a dead giveaway. The agenda should indicate whether you are required or not and if you attend then give the meeting your full attention.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span></li>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span>
<li><div style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Consider the visual environment. Some of us have offices but others may be working from the kitchen table. You wouldn’t attend a physical meeting with your ironing or personal artefacts so clear the background. Some collaboration tools allow you to blur the background or even add a virtual one. Seat yourself and set up your computer so you can be easily seen – check that the lighting or sunlight is not “burning” you out. When speaking look at the camera rather than the screen as this gives you better “eye contact”. I find that if the meeting is a videoconference then the expectation is to have the video switched on. I might be wrong, but I assume that those not using video are engaged in other activities and not fully committed to the meeting. Also, as mentioned, a key advantage of videoconferencing is that it helps with non-verbal communication. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span></li>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span>
<li><div style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The acoustic environment is key. When not speaking put the mic on mute so that others are not distracted by background sound e.g. coughing, sneezing, traffic, washing machines, kettles boiling or flushing toilets (I’ve heard them all). Check your microphone and sound before the meeting rather than hold it up at the start. Choose a quiet place without acoustic or visual distractions. </span></div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Due to Coronavirus many of us have
discovered the benefits of virtual meetings and I suspect that post-Coronavirus
we will continue with them and use them more than before. Just follow my simple
steps above to ensure these meetings are productive.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Any key tips that I have missed?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>Many thanks to <a href="http://berkhamstedspeakers.co.uk/wp/" target="_blank">Berkhamsted Speakers Club</a> for the image and insight.</i></span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></span></span><br />
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"></span>oselandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02743879390466432468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2443025936337736929.post-80280746424349549102019-07-04T16:05:00.000+01:002019-07-08T13:05:19.727+01:00Workstyle #2: I prefer to work locally, so what am I?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nFiF6gP2-W4/XR4YD1azALI/AAAAAAAACoE/aU5sUrt2cgscqgozQ4r54VJ09tK3wGe5ACLcBGAs/s1600/bike.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="753" data-original-width="750" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nFiF6gP2-W4/XR4YD1azALI/AAAAAAAACoE/aU5sUrt2cgscqgozQ4r54VJ09tK3wGe5ACLcBGAs/s320/bike.jpg" width="318" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">My previous blog explained the subtilties between the different type of
modern workplace strategy. This sibling blog focuses on the modern office worker
types or workstyles.</span><br />
<div style="line-height: 110%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Presumably, those who work according to a specific workplace strategy are
deemed a particular style of worker. For example, ‘home-worker’ is a common phrase
to refer to those who regularly or occasionally work from home. ‘Remote worker’
is often used describe those who work outside of the office either at home, in
other places (cafés, library) or travelling on business. Myself and others who
work in garden cabins refer to ourselves as ‘shed workers’, a sub-group of
‘home-worker’. The latest workstyle, ‘co-worker’, refers to a person who has set up their office base
at a co-working hub. The phrases ‘agile worker’, ‘smart worker’ or
‘activity-based worker’ are less commonly used – maybe because they are less
popular choices. </span></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 110%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span></div>
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">A noticeable omission to worker types is a phrase to describe those who
proactively choose to work locally for an organisation in a nearby office,
perhaps for sustainability, economic, wellbeing, health or work-life balance
reasons. The omission of a term for such a worker type may be indicative of how
little credence is placed upon it. Is it as though society and industry leaders
would prefer us to be commuters, travelling in and out of the main cities each
day (with occasional home-working), rather than work locally?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Clearly, there are advantages to organisations being located in the city:
1. arguably a more central point for their staff (so a wider recruitment pool)
and 2. perhaps being near to the client base (presumably others also working in
the city). But there seem to be equal disadvantages: 1. more expensive office
space and 2. Poor access including overcrowded public transport infrastructure,
congested roads and longer travel times. Furthermore, smart working with remote
working options offers a wider employment pool regardless of location and
meetings can be conducted virtually, or perhaps clients may enjoy occasionally
meeting outside of the city.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">There are of course many examples of organisations being established
outside cities. Manufacturing plants are often located in the regions providing
employment for local manual and office workers, or </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">similarly
contact centres are often based in the regions. There are also many small to
medium organisations based on business parks, but there are fewer large HQ offices
based outside of the main cities. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The 'hub and spoke' model describes a common property strategy where the organisation has their main headquarters building in the city along with satellite offices in the regions. The 'reverse hub and spoke' model, one in which the main office is outside the city with a touchdown or client centre in the city, is less popular but has many advantages over more traditional models.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The lack of a phrase for those who choose to work locally smacks of
Orwell’s ‘newspeak’, a means of shrinking vocabularies to eliminate subtleties
and supress ideas. A common usage phrase is required to encourage common adoption
of the workstyle. My initial thought was <i>#proxiworker</i>, but it may be confused
with <i>#proxyworker</i>. So perhaps a simple <i>#localworker</i> suffices or <i>#geoworker</i> as
suggested by a fellow tweeter.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">What is your preferred phrase for these unsung heroes (the employee and
employer) who are quietly promoting a sustainable lifestyle, supporting the
local economy, enhancing their wellbeing and rejecting the drudgery of the city
commute?</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="line-height: 110%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><br /></div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span>oselandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02743879390466432468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2443025936337736929.post-28550616085706573542019-07-04T15:56:00.000+01:002019-07-08T13:03:34.274+01:00Workstyle #1: Am I an agile or flexible worker and does it matter?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AfxkMXLzU9o/XR4U5lh5kVI/AAAAAAAACn4/cXjOWfITMpIf1ANdXIHgfIz4sPDzHc3JACLcBGAs/s1600/agile.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="786" data-original-width="1519" height="206" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AfxkMXLzU9o/XR4U5lh5kVI/AAAAAAAACn4/cXjOWfITMpIf1ANdXIHgfIz4sPDzHc3JACLcBGAs/s400/agile.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I am working with a client at the moment who is moving to a new building
and asked me to review their flexible working policies. Their existing policies
are a direct response to the law regarding the right to request to work
flexibly, first introduced in the <i>Employment Act 2002</i> for those with
dependents, and extended to all employees by the <i>Flexible Working
Regulations 2014</i>. The organisation is implementing desk-sharing in their
new office and already supports home-working. So, I was a little surprised that
their flexible working policies made no reference to 'agile working', 'smart working' or 'activity-based working' – I was even more surprised that they were not familiar
with such terms!</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<div style="line-height: 110%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><br /></div>
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">But, let’s face it, the terminology around 'new ways of working' (a
phrase still used today despite being introduced nearly 30 years agao) is confusing
and ambiguous. The cynical might even say such workplace strategies are all the
same, but the name is just changed occasionally to keep it in vogue. However,
there are some (very) subtle differences:</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<ul>
<li><div style="line-height: 110%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>Flexible working –</i> defined by the Government as “a way of working that suits an employee’s needs, for example having flexible start and finish times, or working from home.” Despite referencing working from home, the emphasis is definitely on working hours and patterns including job-sharing, part-time, compressed hours, flexitime etc.</span></span></span></span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="line-height: 110%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>New Ways of Working (NWoW) –</i> Reportedly, a term coined by DEGW in the 1990s referring to aligning work space to work activities. Apparently, NWoW challenged the assumption that people only work at a desk whereas work is actually carried out across a number of spaces over the course of a day. NWoW looks to understand work patterns and match the space provided to those activities, so very much grounded in workspace solutions.</span></span></span></span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="line-height: 110%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>Activity Based Working (ABW) – </i>According to Wikipedia, “a transformational business strategy that provides people with a choice of settings for a variety of workplace activities. Besides the offices with a fixed setting (everyone has their own desk), ABW-offices gives the personnel an opportunity to choose a place in the office where it is most suitable for them to complete their work tasks. Spaces are designed to create opportunities for a variety of workplace activities from intense and focused work to impromptu and informal meetings or more formal meetings.” This appears to be a newer version of New Ways of Working and the term seems more popular in mainland Europe. It is particularly interesting that the Wikipedia definition highlights “everyone has their own desk” but ABW strategies often include desk-sharing.</span></span></span></span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="line-height: 110%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>Agile Working –</i> Paul Allsopp of the Agile Organisation suggests it is “A way of working in which an organisation empowers its people to work where, when and how they choose – with maximum flexibility and minimum constraints – to optimise their performance and deliver ‘best in class’ value and customer service. It uses communications and information technology to enable people to work in ways which best suit their needs without the traditional limitations of where and when tasks must be performed.” So, there is more emphasis on performance and the enabling technology in the definition and little reference to space, nevertheless the term has been adopted by the workplace industry and often includes desk-sharing (hot-desking) as part of the strategy.</span></span></span></span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="line-height: 110%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>Smart Working –</i> The definition adopted by CIPD, the professional body for HR managers, is “An approach to organising work that aims to drive greater efficiency and effectiveness in achieving job outcomes through a combination of flexibility, autonomy and collaboration, in parallel with optimising tools and working environments for employees.” In contrast to the other strategies, smart working appears to specifically connect performance to work processes and workspace.</span></span></span></span></div>
</li>
</ul>
<div style="line-height: 110%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The above phrases are so ambiguous that an organisation usually defines
what Agile Working etc actually means to them, their work processes, their use
of space and technology. For example, in the past there has been: BP’s
Bluechalk, BT’s Workstyle 2000, HSBC’s OpenWork and IBM’s e-space.</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 110%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 110%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Despite being adopted by the workplace industry as workplace strategies,
the above do not explicitly highlight desk-sharing or remote-working as core
elements; that focus is an adaptation introduced by the workplace industry. And perhaps one that comes with more focus on space saving and cost-cutting than the original intention of improving performance. That may be why workstyle polcies created by HR make no reference to the workplace strategies described above.</span></div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span>oselandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02743879390466432468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2443025936337736929.post-37153886783570088642019-03-23T11:17:00.001+00:002019-03-23T11:23:45.497+00:00Psychologist fest at Workplace Trends<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xXLztq8t6Zc/XJYUFe2aJRI/AAAAAAAACmQ/onyLU0iAFeY70cUbnsgn2NQVdel6o9SIQCLcBGAs/s1600/Nigel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="820" data-original-width="891" height="292" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xXLztq8t6Zc/XJYUFe2aJRI/AAAAAAAACmQ/onyLU0iAFeY70cUbnsgn2NQVdel6o9SIQCLcBGAs/s320/Nigel.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It was a privilege to chair the morning of yesterday’s
<a href="https://workplacetrends.co/research-spring-summit/" target="_blank">Workplace Trends</a> (WT) conference. This WT conference was different to previous
ones as the focus was on new research that will ultimately influence workplace
design, management and use. The researchers submitted abstracts which were scored,
blindly, by myself and Mark Eltringham of <a href="https://workplaceinsight.net/" target="_blank">Workplace Insight</a>. Some nine papers
out of thirty or so were selected for presentation. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"></span><br /></span>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The researchers were joined by an initial keynote address
from Rob Briner. Rob is a psychologist that advises organisations on how to use
evidence to influence decision making. </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span>
<br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Rob told us about the multiple sources of
evidence and the flaws associated with each of them. I initially thought he was
suggesting relying on gut-feeling and experience to make decisions, but it was
more about using gut-feeling and experience to filter and question the
evidence, rather than take every piece of new research, or shock headline on
new research (that usually misinterprets the findings to support a pre-determined
agenda) at face value. Of course, the relevance to the workplace arena is in
adopting, but nevertheless challenging, evidence-based design. </span><br />
<span style="color: black;"></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">There was also an after-lunch debate, by Rob Harris and
Katrina Kostic-Samen (the current BCO president), in which Rob argued that the
workplace community had run out of ideas and is reinventing old ones. However,
my key takeaway was don’t jump on and adopt the latest workplace fads; whilst
we need fads (whacky ideas) to push boundaries, wait for them to be tried and
tested, with some solid evidence. So, we need ongoing new research not to
directly influence our designs and decisions per se, but to add to our
knowledge base and experience to inform our designs and decisions. We are after
all the experts.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I am not going to run through each of the nine
presentations, as they are
outlined on the <a href="https://workplacetrends.co/research-spring-summit/" target="_blank">Workplace Trends website</a> and <a href="https://workplacetrends.co/live-blog-workplace-trends-spring-summit-21-march-2019/" target="_blank">live blogged</a>,
but pick up on five key themes:</span><br />
<ol>
<li><span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Psychologists: </b>They are like buses.<b> </b>Out of yesterday’s 18 presenters, and chairs,
one-third are psychologists. As a psychologist, I hope this is indicative of
the workplace industry finally understanding how psychologists can help with
workplace design and management. Speakers often say that people are the
organisation’s biggest asset (not the space) and the office is there to support
the occupying organisation, and fundamentally the workplace consists of people
and process as well as place. Tamed psychologists have the tools and skills to
help. Before you say there was selection bias, remember all abstracts were
reviewed blind.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Mega d</b><span style="color: black;"><b>ata:</b> It was a research conference so not surprisingly the presentations were data rich. But I was most impressed by the range of data. We had the usual qualitative and quantitative occupant feedback techniques, but the presentations indicated increasing use of cognitive performance tasks and physiological measurements (cortisol levels etc). As well as space data there was also more use of environmental monitoring, in particular CO<sub>2</sub> levels.</span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></li>
<li><span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Tech savvy: </b>The means of collecting the data uses new technology. Sensors are being used more to monitor the environment and occupancy levels. However, apps are being used to collect feedback in real-time at a tracked location, which in turn can be correlated with the conditions being monitored in that place. I have written before on how we will move away from one-off surveys to ongoing live feedback and the apps seem a good way forward. Many cognitive performance tasks and physiological measurements are also available in app form. I was, however, surprised that there was no mention of wearable tech. Many workplace related experiments take place in labs or simulated office environments, but one paper showed how virtual reality can be used to study changing workplace parameters (as well as be used in the design process).</span></li>
<li><span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Productivity: </b>I often say that when two or more workplace consultants gather in one place they shall discuss productivity. Not surprising then that much of the research was on how to improve wellbeing and performance, and elements of it, like job satisfaction, motivation, multi-tasking and creativity. The relationship between performance and various environmental factors was clear – do interrogate it but the evidence-base is building and convincing.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></li>
<li><span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Demographics:</b> There were middle aged men in suits on stage (I was one of them), but I was really impressed by the mix of age groups, gender and countries represented at this year’s conference. It’s not all about the millennials, but it was particularly refreshing to see younger researchers and the new intake of workplace consultants presenting their findings.</span></li>
</ol>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1sr8FYvuYJg/XJYVlGh7pDI/AAAAAAAACmc/gN84IfRNL2sPWQL7bVQNkCaRipndr7hvwCLcBGAs/s1600/neil.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="982" data-original-width="1600" height="196" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1sr8FYvuYJg/XJYVlGh7pDI/AAAAAAAACmc/gN84IfRNL2sPWQL7bVQNkCaRipndr7hvwCLcBGAs/s320/neil.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Okay I will focus on one paper. The day was completed by
Neil Usher’s (<a href="http://workessence.com/" target="_blank">Workessence</a>) presentation on his <i>Eight Workplace Laws</i>. Laws not
rules because they are not meant to be broken, are fundamental and are relevant
across all scenarios. I will take up the challenge of finding another pertinent
law of identifying one that doesn’t work, but I have to say that on face value
Neil has got it spot on (again). Neil’s laws seem grounded in Greek philosophy,
and another reminder that a lot of what we discuss in the workplace community
has gone before. Be careful though as the fall of Ancient Greece was partly due
to not being sufficiently flexible or agile to defeat the Roman army. Fortunately,
Neil’s first law is flux, the workplace is in continuous change, and his second
law is that the workplace is an ever-evolving beta version. So, we need new
research, we need evidence, but we also need to question and challenge them, we
need change, to move forward, and we need to not forget those less interesting
but fundamental workplace factors.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The ongoing debate of open plan versus enclosed offices was
raised by a couple of presenters. I am looking further into why some of us are less
in favour of open plan or agile working then others. Please take my short <a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/OffPref" target="_blank">on-line survey</a> in return for an early copy of the report. </span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />oselandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02743879390466432468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2443025936337736929.post-73575423146183994072019-01-21T16:39:00.004+00:002019-01-24T10:51:18.457+00:00Top Tips for Terrific Technical Talks<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-asBse4gGUzg/XEXzpC7T8_I/AAAAAAAACkk/EnI6aa3Ix2EGbtqhQzv_994-hxzKuLt3ACLcBGAs/s1600/Oftheunicorn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="454" data-original-width="598" height="242" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-asBse4gGUzg/XEXzpC7T8_I/AAAAAAAACkk/EnI6aa3Ix2EGbtqhQzv_994-hxzKuLt3ACLcBGAs/s320/Oftheunicorn.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I love going to conferences, dare I say I am a conference
junkie, hence I attend and speak at around 10 conferences each year. The
conferences I go to are usually academic or technical in nature where the
speakers present their latest research, ideas and innovations. I also help
organise the biannual <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="https://workplacetrends.co/workplace-trends/" target="_blank">Workplace Trends</a></i>
and annual <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="https://workplacetrends.co/learningenvironments2019/" target="_blank">Learning Environments</a></i>
conferences for which I select the speakers, and also receive feedback from the
audience on the speakers. </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">After attending 100s of conferences across the globe over
the years I have concluded that, in general, there are two types of technical speaker:
1. those with fantastic content but have poor delivery, and 2. those that
present well but have poor content. Speakers with good content who can also
communicate in an interesting and engaging manner are the <i>unicorns</i> of the
conference circuit – that is they are rare and magical beasts. It always seems
a shame to me that the years of hard graft conducting original and valuable
research is ultimately lost amidst a poorly constructed and delivered
presentation. So here are my <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">top tips for
a terrific technical talk</i>. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
</div>
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">1. Start with a bang: </b></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Conferences,
especially technical or academic ones, can be quite busy with delegates moving
between sessions or discussing previous speakers. So, hook your audience from
the start and grab their attention and make them want to stay and listen. Try opening
your presentation with a provocative statement (ideally relating to your
research or the conference theme), or perhaps pose a question to the audience,
or offer an amusing anecdote. Above all, be confident, be bold, be passionate
and be audible – project your voice to attract attention. First impressions
count, so don’t mumble or apologise or make some private joke that only a few privy
parties understand. </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Remember to introduce yourself, your credentials, and your
interests/purpose. Quite often the audience do not catch the introduction by
the chair or, at larger conferences they confuse speakers and their subject, so
display your contact details on screen (at the start and end of your speech). Also,
if relevant, briefly introduce your fellow researchers and department, without
overtly boasting or making it a sales pitch. Use the first minute to share your
passion and personality to gain the audience’s trust. Also introduce your
presentation and tell the audience what you will be speaking on and why they
will want to hear it.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Psychologists have demonstrated the “serial position effect”
in which people tend to recall better the first and last thing they hear/see.
So, also end on a high. Let the audience know that you have finished by summing
up, ending with a poignant quote or leaving them with a call to action. Practice
your speech, and most importantly practice your opening and ending.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><br /></b></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">2. Stand out from the
crowd:</b> </span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Most technical conferences will have at least 10, or if parallel
sessions possibly 30, or more speakers on one day. After lunch and towards the
end of the day, the audience will be flagging. The opening to your speech will
attract their attention, but to maintain it you will need to be engaging,
inspiring and entertaining.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Inject energy through your passion for the subject, consider
your vocal variety changing the volume and pitch. Humour will help keep your
audience engaged – but offer amusing anecdotes or observations relevant to your
topic rather than random jokes. Likewise, offer strong opinions and the
occasional provocative comment, rather than play safe and sit on the fence. </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Also, don’t hide behind the lectern but come forward and use
the stage area. Consider your body language, eye contact and movement across
the stage which can all help with audience engagement. If you are confident,
and have time, then ask questions of the audience or perhaps ask them to
discuss an issue in pairs or even complete a short task/puzzle/quiz.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><br /></b></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">3. Pitch it right: </b></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Know
your audience by listening to previous presentations or find out more about
participants from the conference website or organisers. This will enable you to
pitch the right level of technical detail and understanding – not too little so
you lose credibility but not too much so that you lose the audience or appear
arrogant. When presenting data, don’t get too bogged down by all the details
and caveats – you can offer more details in the question and answer session or possibly
refer to your paper, website or blog.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Offer your personal insights on the research, or technical
matter, and your personal experience of it. Try and say something new that is not
in the conference paper, as the delegates may have already read the paper, or
the research/subject may have moved on (some conferences require papers
submitted 12 months ahead of the event). Refer to previous speakers and links
between your research/subject and theirs – don’t just fly in and present your
work in isolation.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><br /></b></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">4. Present it perfect:</b></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In
my opinion there are two main speakers’ crimes at technical conferences. Firstly,
an over-use and over-reliance of tables and charts. Speakers present figures
that cannot be easily read, I often hear speakers say “you can’t read this
table but …” – no buts, just don’t show it or show the relevant part only. Often
the charts are complicated but due to lack of time, the speaker does not explain
the axis or the data points and the information is lost. Similarly, avoid
slides and definitely avoid slides of bullet points. Try to simplify your
slides, just present the relevant material to your point, and always leave the
audience wanting more.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cVhwUJnrpMA/XEX0-yyqsII/AAAAAAAACkw/wzdwTEZHCPQIznqr2HVLhgBIovJJAViCwCLcBGAs/s1600/Picture1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="627" data-original-width="819" height="244" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cVhwUJnrpMA/XEX0-yyqsII/AAAAAAAACkw/wzdwTEZHCPQIznqr2HVLhgBIovJJAViCwCLcBGAs/s320/Picture1.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Secondly, don’t turn your back to audience and read off the
projection. Ideally, there will be a monitor in front of you which you can
refer to if needed, or even better, practice and know your presentation off by
heart. But the worst crime is presenters reading their speeches, or even worse
reading their papers. This is no fun for anyone, and certainly not interesting.
I appreciate for some presenters, English (or the conference language) will be
their second language – if so then the answer is to practice more. Audiences do
not like being read to, and would prefer to read the paper by themselves. It
also indicates lack of practice which may be interpreted as lack of respect for
the conference participants. Likewise, do not read your slides, especially bullet
points. Some of us find it insulting as people can usually read quicker than
someone can speak and if we read the slides then what is the point of the
presenter being there! If you do use bullet points, then attempt to make each one
a memorable phrase or a soundbite. The audience may include the press or
tweeters who are looking for choice phrases to broadcast beyond the conference. </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><br /></b></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">5. Set it up:</span> </b></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Quite
often speakers turn up minutes before their presentation. As a consequence,
they may not know how to use the audio-visual technology and spend their all-important
opening asking the chair or the AV technician how to advance slides. You will
also miss out on being fitted with a lapel mic and so be tethered to the
lectern. If travelling overseas, then ideally arrive the evening before to
avoid any travel delays.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So, arrive a little early and speak to the technician and
the chair. Ideally you will have confirmed the timing in advance of the
conference but double-check with the chair as programmes change/slip. Remember
to leave time for questions and establish whether that is within or outside
your time allowance. It is always worthwhile giving the chair a question, as
the audience usually require a question before warming up and it can be
embarrassing if the chair wraps up before a question is asked. Also provide the
chair with some interesting information they can use in an introduction – many
will simply read your official bio so offer them a hook.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">There is an old speakers’ adage “it’s not what you say but what
the audience remembers that counts”. Practice the above pointers to gain
confidence in speaking and ensure your audience enjoy and remembers you, your presentation
and your research. Follow my tips and become a conference unicorn! Or for even more tips and practice, contact <a href="mailto:oseland@workplaceunlimited.com" target="_blank">me</a> about running an in-house half-day course for your team.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">This blog was first created for Toastmasters International, see their <a href="http://d91toastmasters.org.uk/press-room/" target="_blank">website</a> for similar articles on creating great speeches and presentations. </span></div>
oselandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02743879390466432468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2443025936337736929.post-89825811039531702622018-12-18T17:57:00.004+00:002018-12-19T11:16:53.879+00:00Merry Biophilic Christmas<div style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-myzWe6b-yPI/XBkxSTssLhI/AAAAAAAACiM/XtgIuZkWX3w2XCIIffsammbOaOszqvZKACEwYBhgL/s1600/viking.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="960" height="200" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-myzWe6b-yPI/XBkxSTssLhI/AAAAAAAACiM/XtgIuZkWX3w2XCIIffsammbOaOszqvZKACEwYBhgL/s200/viking.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Last month I sat on a panel discussing the <a href="https://www.aligngb.com/blog/2018/7/2/7eij8gbb19ce2xiu0d9hdcqy24nuyv-4j9ks-cxrak-5jwwt" target="_blank">business case for workplace wellbeing</a>, of which one is slowly emerging. That along with Christmas
and my Viking<span style="font-size: x-small;">*</span> heritage got me pondering on the true origins of biophilic design. <span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"> </span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Biophilia, a term coined by <a href="http://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?content=reviews&isbn=9780674074422" target="_blank">Edward O Wilson</a>, is basically our innate affinity to nature. Biophilic design tends to focus on introducing
plants into the workplace but, as explained in a <a href="http://workplaceunlimited.blogspot.com/2018/07/biophilic-design-is-so-much-more-than.html" target="_blank">previous blog</a>, it is so much more and taps into our
base (evolutionary psychology) needs. Biophilia includes daylight, views, fluctuating
temperature, sound-scaping, natural ventilation, natural materials, social spaces, refuge etc –
see Bill Browning’s excellent work for a full explanation of <a href="https://www.terrapinbrightgreen.com/reports/14-patterns/" target="_blank">biophilic design principles</a>. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">But bringing nature indoors has been going on for some time, especially around this time of year …</span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The modern Christmas tree, decorated with baubles and
candles, is said to have originated in Germany in the 16th-century with links
to protestant reformer Martin Luther. However, <span style="line-height: 17.33px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">the first evidence of decorated
trees associated with Christmas Day were those in Livonian guildhalls, where the tress were adorned with sweets for the apprentices and local children. The trend for Christmas
trees is relatively recent in Britain, made popular by Queen Victoria who was
made aware of the custom by her German husband and relatives.</span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Bringing nature indoors dates back much further than the Early Renaissance. The
Vikings and Saxons worshiped trees, but as I have said enough already about Germans I'll focus here on my Scandinavian ancestors. The Vikings celebrated Jól, Yule, for 12 days from the winter
solstice (21<sup>st</sup></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> December) and clearly, <span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">since the 800s and the later years of Danelaw, </span>some of their traditions have been passed down across the generations. I am particularly interested in the traditions related to indoor greenery:</span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></span></span>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cvhRW9z0pPA/XBk15v-0KLI/AAAAAAAACiY/UFAD50BBgxoEjQVI9ZOzZP6b5BAK3T0DwCEwYBhgL/s1600/tree.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="544" data-original-width="358" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cvhRW9z0pPA/XBk15v-0KLI/AAAAAAAACiY/UFAD50BBgxoEjQVI9ZOzZP6b5BAK3T0DwCEwYBhgL/s320/tree.jpg" width="210" /></a></div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Christmas Tree –</b> The evergreen trees of the Scandinavian
forests, which looked healthy and green in winter compared to other plants, were
a potent symbol of life for the Vikings. They represented the promise of life even
in the midst of winter and long dark Northern nights. As the trees were so revered,
they would be decorated with small carvings and gifts for the spirits of the
trees to encourage them to return and start the new spring. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></span></span>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Holly Wreath –</b> Furthermore, Vikings would shape holly
leaves into circular wreaths to decorate their homesteads during Yuletide. Like
the coniferous trees, holly is also evergreen and also represented continuing life.
The circular wreath illustrated the yearly cycle with winter flowing in to
summer and back to winter. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></span></span>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Yule Log – </b>Before it was chocolate cake, the Yule Log was a
special log, cut from fir or yew trees, which was carved with runes then burned
during the cold winter months to protect the household from evil spirits and misfortune. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></span></span>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Mistletoe –</b> Vikings also believed mistletoe to have mythical
importance. Apparently, Balder the god of light was slain by an arrow of
mistletoe. However, Norse legend tells that he was resurrected when his
mother’s tears turned the berries red. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">S</span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">o, maybe, just maybe, Vikings and Christmas sowed the seed
for biophilic design. It certainly appears that biophilia is as central to Scandinavian
design as those other sensible Nordic concepts we occasionally borrow when creating
trendy modern workplaces, such as <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="https://www.visitdenmark.co.uk/en-gb/denmark-hygge" target="_blank">hygge</a></i><span style="color: black;">, </span><span style="color: black;"><i><a href="http://fameiva.com/arbejdsglaede/" target="_blank">arbejdsglæde</a></i>, </span><span style="color: black;">a</span>nd <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="http://www.swedishfood.com/fika" target="_blank">fika</a></i>.</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">There are many demonstrable benefits to biophilic design, to
bringing nature into the office. If you are not convinced, now is a great
time of year to bring a little bit of nature into your office, and home, and give it a go. </span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Thanks for your support this year and have a Merry Biophilic Christmas.</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">(<span style="font-size: x-small;">*</span> and yes I know Vikings didn't actually wear horned helmets)</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";"></span><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">With special thanks to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_tree" target="_blank"><i>Wikipedia</i></a>, <a href="https://www.vikingslots.com/magazine/yule-viking-christmas/" target="_blank"><i>Viking Slots</i></a> and <i><a href="https://thelincolnite.co.uk/2015/12/a-story-yule-love-how-the-vikings-invented-christmas/" target="_blank">The Licolnite</a></i> for inspiration.</span></div>
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<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span><br />oselandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02743879390466432468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2443025936337736929.post-36896939209164624482018-11-25T15:06:00.003+00:002018-11-28T16:22:36.822+00:00Happy Season's Meetings<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jivffAfntzM/W_q5dmdVcjI/AAAAAAAACgI/6PYPvsMLxqA9Vb0HhQWVsTAi6g2xQnygQCEwYBhgL/s1600/Fotolia_164449269_M.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jivffAfntzM/W_q5dmdVcjI/AAAAAAAACgI/6PYPvsMLxqA9Vb0HhQWVsTAi6g2xQnygQCEwYBhgL/s320/Fotolia_164449269_M.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This is my penultimate blog of 2018; throughout the year I
have attempted to offer blogs on work as well as workplace, in particular how
to improve your performance. With the Christmas holidays looming, and my
clients trying to tidy up loose ends, I have noticed a rapid increase in the
number of meetings I have been invited to. Meetings can be great, a productive
way to move things forward, but we have also all attended those that we thought
a complete and utter waste of time. So here are my thoughts on how you can
master meetings.</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span></div>
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Firstly, recognise that meetings are held for a number of
reasons, namely:</span><br />
<ul>
<li><div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Sharing information – New information needs to be passed on to colleagues, the information may be new and complex or an update of previous information. </span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Making decisions – The key aim of some meetings is to draw a conclusion and sign-off an agreed set of actions or outcome. </span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Generating ideas – Groups may meet to brainstorm solutions to existing problems or generate ideas for new products and services. </span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Resolving problems – This generally relates to resolving personnel issues and grievances. </span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Socialising – It is acknowledged that meetings, albeit informal, are held for celebration or simply to catch up on non-work matters.</span></div>
</li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Depending on the type and nature of the meeting, different people
will be required to attend. Understand who those key people are and make it
clear who is required to attend versus colleagues just being invited out of courtesy,
or just copied in so they are informed a meeting is taking place. Check the diaries
of key people in advance – don’t just assume they are available then have to
rearrange. The onus is also on those attending to check that they are required
and can contribute to the meeting. The best way to do this is to check the agendas
and any minutes of previous meetings. Sitting in on a meeting in which you have
no interest or can’t contribute is frankly a waste of time, effort and resources
– maybe you can just join the meeting for a specific agenda item. </span><br />
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">A key success factor for meetings is having a clear agenda
with timings and nominated speakers. During my years in the corporate world I
took the simple but stringent approach of not attending meetings that did not
issue an agenda – after all how else could I know if I needed to attend. There is
not usually a need to create detailed minutes of all meetings, but actions should
certainly be captured and assigned. The meeting minutes need to be issued within
say 48 hours so those with actions can follow up whilst the meeting is still
fresh in their mind. How many times have you been to a meeting where the actions
were issued a day or so before and, as a consequence, many actions have not been
completed? If chairing, you may wish to remind people of their actions a few days
before the meeting, perhaps attached to the agenda. </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The agenda should clearly state the time and place of the
meeting. Not all meetings need to take place in a formal (enclosed) meeting room.
Consider the reasons for meetings, shown above, and then select the appropriate
place for it. The table below is from an earlier paper (<a href="file:///C:/Users/Oseland/Desktop/2011%20Facilities%20-%20Environments%20for%20Interaction.pdf" target="_blank">Oseland <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">et al</i>, 2011</a>) and shows the spaces best
suited for different types of meeting. For example, more informal, stimulating
spaces or those away from the office may be better for creativity. In contrast,
consider cosy spaces with a domestic feel for personnel and personal 1:1
meetings. The size of the space, furniture within it, equipment and the time the
space is required for will also vary. With the proven benefits of standing at work,
encourage standing (or walking) meetings – they will probably be to the point
and shorter, and possibly more creative and productive.</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Not all meetings need to be an hour or more to be effective.
In terms of focus and concentration, it may be better to have several short
meetings. In his research on energy, <a href="https://hbr.org/2007/10/manage-your-energy-not-your-time" target="_blank">Schwartz and colleagues (2007)</a> proposed we have ultradian
rhythms in which we need a break every 90 minutes to perform to our maximum. So,
for longer meetings schedule breaks or split the meeting. Perhaps arrange an
initial face-to-face meeting followed by short virtual meetings tackling bite-sized
agenda items. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Whatever the duration of the meeting, arriving on time and
starting promptly is important. In many organisations that I have worked with,
it seems it is the cultural norm to start meetings late, usually due to waiting
for a “busy” senior colleague. I have attended a meeting where the 10 staff gathered
waited 15 minutes for the meeting chair person. I estimated that to be
equivalent to 2.5 hours downtime and a cost the company of £375. Okay that’s not
much unless it’s happening regularly – let’s say twice per week totalling £38K
per annum, but I suspect its higher. I appreciate, the downtime can be used to socialise
and catch-up, but that is not the purpose of the meeting or necessarily the
best space for it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Consider leaving time to allow colleagues to travel between
back-to-back meetings and to set-up the room. Another regular cause of downtime
is waiting around for the technology to work, especially it seems for those requiring
video-conference links to other locations. Plug and play is becoming better but
even nowadays I still attend meetings were AV cables or remote controls are
missing, or the participants do not know how to connect a visitor’s laptop or even
how to switch on the system. Sometimes there are not enough seats for those
attending so participants go off in search of chairs, adding more delay.</span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FhJ1kvIaYe8/W_q6JbpzVdI/AAAAAAAACgM/OPCZv66duXgeka_TuGoS1pea4Qki_iF6wCEwYBhgL/s1600/Fotolia_142475162_M.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="781" data-original-width="1600" height="156" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FhJ1kvIaYe8/W_q6JbpzVdI/AAAAAAAACgM/OPCZv66duXgeka_TuGoS1pea4Qki_iF6wCEwYBhgL/s320/Fotolia_142475162_M.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In my research on collaboration, which I conducted with Herman
Miller (<a href="http://workplaceunlimited.com/The%20Psychology%20of%20Collaboration%20Space%20Full%20Paper.pdf" target="_blank">Oseland, 2012</a>), I found that different personality types prefer
different spaces for interaction. For example, those more Agreeable (open to new
ideas) on the OCEAN scale prefer more inclusive larger meetings, whereas those
more Extroverted prefer small group meetings in informal settings like the café
or breakout space. In contrast, those more Conscientious or Neurotic (less
emotionally stable) prefer formal meetings with minutes etc in private spaces
that start promptly and finish in time! On the other hand, the Introverts prefer
to interact via emails than through meetings. So, if possible, consider the personality
profile of those attending and select spaces where they are more comfortable
and perform better. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Finally, think about the meeting etiquette during the actual
meeting. As well as starting on time and good time-keeping, consider the basics
like focussing on the meeting and the speakers – so put away your mobile device
if you are tempted to dip into emails (but of course you may wish to take notes).
Even worse, which I have seen often, do not take a call or leave the room to
take a call, unless you have clearly explained the reasons at the start of the
meeting. Allow other people to speak and voice their opinions before making a
response and then speak up and clearly, especially if people are dialling in.
Start the meeting by making introductions, including any those dialling in, and
outlining the agenda. Finish by summarising the actions and encouraging participants
to complete them. And, of course, tidy up and leave the room as you wish to
find it. </span></div>
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<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I'm keen to hear about how you ensure meetings are
productive and not a waste of valuable time and energy.</span></div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><span style="font-family: "verdana";"></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span>oselandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02743879390466432468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2443025936337736929.post-60030931052316540332018-10-23T10:58:00.001+01:002018-10-23T10:59:10.987+01:00Design Fundamentals for an Attractive City<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gdQU8yEDpE8/W84HSaaknoI/AAAAAAAACfM/10fQuMYIPmosd2Yl_sB_ieb0tk4ukTavACLcBGAs/s1600/Sagrada.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gdQU8yEDpE8/W84HSaaknoI/AAAAAAAACfM/10fQuMYIPmosd2Yl_sB_ieb0tk4ukTavACLcBGAs/s320/Sagrada.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">As part of my day-job is speaking at conferences, I get to visit a lot of wonderful cities around the world. The people and culture are fundamental prerequisites of a
good city, but design and planning also play an important role in creating an
attractive city. In this blog I list the dozen design features that I have
found are indicators of cities that I most prefer – they are also actually my place-making criteria. This blog is also an excuse to share
some of my holiday photos.</span><br />
<a name='more'></a></div>
<ol>
<li><div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Accessible to water – either a river, the sea or a canal system (with obligatory boat tour).</span></div>
</li>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Landmark historic feature – an old town, a castle, a cathedral etc.</span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Public squares and piazzas with outdoor eating and drinking (and the occasional statue or fountain) or at minimum streets with wide pavements facilitating <i>al fresco</i> dining.</span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">A well-connected tram system or maybe a funicular or cable car. </span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Pedestrianised areas – not just for shopping but for exploring, preferably with narrow streets, winding steps, nooks and crannies.</span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The right size – small enough to walk (or cycle) around in one day but large enough to have plenty of places of interest.</span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">A park or ample green spaces for chilling and contemplation, plus tree-lined avenues. </span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">A nearby hill or mountain for exercise, more exploration and vista.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span></span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Craft beer and dedicated craft beer bars (I appreciate this is quite a personal criteria, but it is important to me).</span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Good local cuisine, speciality national dishes and heart-warming comfort food.</span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">A market for food or <i>bric-à-brac</i>, plus independent stalls and shops in the main shopping streets.</span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Interesting museums on local history, culture and artists.</span></div>
</li>
</ol>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Have I missed any key design or planning criteria?</b> You may have noticed (and I was surprised too) that architecture isn't on my list. I'm not at all sure why I did not include it, especially as it's the dominant field that I work in, and as I do believe good architecture definitely affects the attractiveness of a city. It just didn't appear to be one of my main criteria for selecting a city to visit <span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">– <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">m</span></span>aybe I'm more focussed here on the urban landscape and place more than buildings <i>per se</i>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">So, based on my above criteria, my memory and the limited cities that I have
actually visited, my top ten cities are shown in the table below.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Barcelona (please don't call it Barca) hits all the buttons for me. It has fantastic landmarks like the Sagrada Familia (and plenty of other Gaudí architectural masterpieces), access to the beach, several great art galleries (with artists I actually like), Las Ramblas with street stalls and plenty of piazzas with outdoor dining and tapas to easily explore. The craft breweries and bars have also taken off in Barcelona, particular around the university. There is not only a good tram system but you can easily get around by "donkey bike".</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">London is placed mid-table but, whilst that is correct according to my criteria, I would not place it there, I think that is because perception of a place is based on much more than the physical elements. I have already mentioned the people and culture, but here I am referring to the basic environmental psychology (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lewin%27s_equation" target="_blank">Lewinian</a>) principle that our perception is determined by our expectations and experience as well as the physical elements. I visit London regularly to work, I am not just there on holiday or in good weather, and of course familiarity breeds contempt. (Regarding the UK I am more a fan of, and visitor to, the countryside and smaller towns than cities but would opt for Brighton, Bath, Chester or Llangollen over London). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">There are lots of other great cities, including ones I have visited such as Bergen, <span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Helsinki,</span> Munich, Paris, Oslo and Stockholm that just didn't make the cut. So</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> the above are my top ten for now. <b>Have I missed any cities?</b> Perhaps ones you rate highly (using my criteria) that I should visit.</span></div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><br />oselandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02743879390466432468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2443025936337736929.post-27287444531604195912018-09-29T11:00:00.000+01:002018-10-02T11:47:18.776+01:00The Transdisciplinary Workplace <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I was fortunate to present a keynote address at the first <a href="https://www.cfpb.nl/agenda/first-transdisciplinary-conference-on-workplace-research/" target="_blank">Transdisciplinary Workplace Research</a> conference (<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/twr18?src=hash" target="_blank">#TWR18</a>) last week in Tampere. Around fifty researchers,
mostly academic with a few practitioners, gathered to discuss their latest
workplace research on topics such as wellbeing, productivity, change management,
agile working, co-working etc. </span></div>
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<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I can honestly say that TWR18 was the first conference I’ve
been to where every paper was relevant, and interesting. It was great to see
the academic perspective of my favourite topics and, unlike many conference presentations,
the papers were grounded in solid research with evidence-based and people-centred
findings and recommendations. TWR18 created a great community of like-minded people
and I felt very much that I belonged to that community.</span></div>
</div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">So, what exactly is transdisciplinary research (or a transdisciplinary
project) and how does it differ from multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary research?
From what I gathered there are three key elements to transdisciplinary research:</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It is a collaboration between the disciplines with the sharing and application of tools, skills, approaches and philosophies of the different disciplines.</span></div>
</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The research and/or project is organised and coordinated under a real-world theme or problem (e.g. workplace) that benefits from being tackled by multiple disciplines.</span></div>
</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The research/project includes input from stakeholders outside of the academic disciplines, for example sponsors, practitioners, planners and policy makers; this helps prevent groupthink.</span></div>
</div>
</li>
</ol>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">TWR18 ticked all the above boxes but I would have liked to have
seen more practitioners present. I also made the point that the researchers
must publish in the trade journals as well as the peer-reviewed academic ones
that, I suspect, most practitioners do not even see never mind read.</span></div>
</div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">As a psychologist, I feel that it only over the last few
years that we have been considered to have a relevant part to play in workplace
design. When I worked in architecture in the early noughties, I was often asked
why an architectural practice would employ a psychologist. As an environmental psychologist,
I have mostly felt interdisciplinary but falling between and outside of the disciplines
rather than at the intersection.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">With the wellness and wellbeing agenda in full flow, there
is more need than ever for a transdisciplinary approach to workplace, including
architects, engineers, psychologists, biochemists, doctors and other health practitioners
etc. My favourite emerging transdisciplinary field is that of biomimicry – studying
nature's best ideas and imitating them in designs and processes to solve human
problems. For example, the structure of sharkskin has been applied to performance
yachts to improve streamlining, and one university is looking at how spiders’ silk
can be replicated as it is super strong and produced with minimal energy and
waste. I’ve been wondering how to apply biomimicry learnings to the workplace,
which I consider a biological system (see <a href="http://workplaceunlimited.blogspot.com/2018/02/beware-workplace-parasite.html" target="_blank">beware the workplace parasites</a>).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I finished my keynote presentation by applauding the conference
organisers and suggesting they not only invite more practitioners but also the
views of the less obvious disciplines like philosophers and mathematicians. But
most importantly I urged them to continue to build the TWR community. <span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"> </span></span></div>
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<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br />oselandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02743879390466432468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2443025936337736929.post-51491673595950197332018-08-31T22:06:00.002+01:002018-09-03T16:09:48.674+01:00Open plan v private offices déjà vu<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KWRdgB7yuLg/W4mttVpgi1I/AAAAAAAACdI/HuZa3WHEoEM0nG9-RRhTyhPU1xM2ujTTQCLcBGAs/s1600/Johnson%2Bwax.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="578" data-original-width="780" height="237" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KWRdgB7yuLg/W4mttVpgi1I/AAAAAAAACdI/HuZa3WHEoEM0nG9-RRhTyhPU1xM2ujTTQCLcBGAs/s320/Johnson%2Bwax.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Another round of articles was recently published (mostly by <a href="https://www.inc.com/search?searchkey=open%20plan%20office%20" target="_blank">Inc.</a>) on why private offices are better than open plan, and consequently suggest we should eschew open plan design. D</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">espite the open plan office being described as a management fad by one <a href="https://www.inc.com/geoffrey-james/its-official-open-plan-offices-are-now-dumbest-management-fad-of-all-time.html" target="_blank">journalist</a>, the adoption of open plan dates back to the 1950s<span style="font-size: x-small;">*</span> and the occurrence of such negative articles has been ongoing ever since then. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">However, every five years or so, such articles seem to converge and attract the attention of the mass press. It seems that academics and journalists have a particular dislike for open plan. But open plan is clearly not a “fad” and I suspect it is here to stay, so it is more useful to focus on how to resolve any demonstrated issues with open plan rather than simply say it should be banned. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">T<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">he points I raised in my <span id="goog_1355491940"></span><a href="http://workplaceunlimited.blogspot.com/2013/11/will-demonising-open-plan-lead-to-its.html" target="_blank">blog in 2013</a><span id="goog_1355491941"></span> (also published by <a href="http://workplaceinsight.net/we-shouldnt-be-too-quick-to-demonise-the-open-plan-office/" target="_blank">Workplace Insight</a>) in defence of good open plan design still apply today. My main issue at the time was misinterpretation of the research by the press in order to demonise all, rather than poor, open plan design. In terms of the physical elements, poor open plan tends to be high density with no screens or semi-partitioning and minimal non-desk work settings. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Myself and others within the workplace community, e.g. Neil Usher a.k.a. workessence, are currently frustrated with the mass press view that office design is a simple dichotomy of open plan or private offices – it is not. To illustrate the point, and aid an informed discussion, Neil has created a <a href="http://workessence.com/alltheworkstyleswehaveeverloved/" target="_blank">taxonomy of 13 office typologies</a>. One dimension of office design is how it ranges from the fully enclosed to fully open plan. From my own experience, the solutions and scenarios at extreme ends of a range tend not to be the best. So, a fully open plan environment, with no (semi-)private spaces, or a workspace of just private offices are unlikely to suit the needs of the dynamic modern organisation. </span><br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-V5AozsxvGF8/W4mrKjqLT0I/AAAAAAAACc8/DpY61U2rnc89HhqIA13sELPPifoWxC-BwCLcBGAs/s1600/ILE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="556" data-original-width="700" height="254" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-V5AozsxvGF8/W4mrKjqLT0I/AAAAAAAACc8/DpY61U2rnc89HhqIA13sELPPifoWxC-BwCLcBGAs/s320/ILE.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I recently conducted and presented a <a href="https://www.slideshare.net/maggieprocopi/the-role-of-psychoacoustics-in-designing-learning-environments" target="_blank">literature review of open plan schools</a>, a highly controversial subject in education circles (I aim to publish my report next month). In brief, the research shows that fully enclosed schools do not support modern pedagogic student-centred teaching practices, and neither do the fully open plan ones, due to disruption when conducting contrasting activities in the same space. The researchers acknowledge that school design is on a range (Fisher & Dovey propose five types) and the schools which are mid-range and more successful are termed <a href="http://ile.education.govt.nz/" target="_blank">Innovative learning Environments</a> (ILEs). The best ILEs facilitate the dominant approach to teaching in the school, are well-managed and well-designed with open areas but also easy access to semi-partitioned spaces. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I think it is time that we design Innovative Working Environments (IWEs). The design of such spaces starts by understanding the full range of activities in the space, the current and desired working practices and the existing management style; it continues by incorporating the daily operation of the space and encouraging the preferred behaviours within it. As mentioned previously, high density desking (often implemented as the cheaper solution) is unlikely to support the majority of organisations, but there are nevertheless exceptions such as call centres and trading floors. </span><br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0av830OUBWM/W4mmoR3WdqI/AAAAAAAACco/_un8MwgO8M4lgFwRheBaTz2Gbb-jT8KywCLcBGAs/s1600/Sociometric.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="326" data-original-width="315" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0av830OUBWM/W4mmoR3WdqI/AAAAAAAACco/_un8MwgO8M4lgFwRheBaTz2Gbb-jT8KywCLcBGAs/s320/Sociometric.jpg" width="309" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The recent run of articles criticising open plan are mostly a consequence of recent research published by Bernstein & Turban in the Harvard <a href="file:///C:/Users/Oseland/Desktop/20170239.full.pdf">Business Review (HBR)</a>. The authors found that when moving to open plan “Contrary to common belief, the volume of face-to-face interaction decreased significantly (approx. 70%) … with an associated increase in electronic interaction. In short, rather than prompting increasingly vibrant face-to-face collaboration, open architecture appeared to trigger a natural human response to socially withdraw from officemates and interact instead over email and IM.” To evaluate interaction, the researchers had their participants wear a sociometric badge which included a microphone, infrared sensor, accelerometer and location tracker (see image). </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In psychology, when conducting research it is common best practice to minimise invasiveness and avoid experimental elements that may influence the results, that is to create a “blind” study. For example, the mere presence of the researchers may have affected the results in the famous <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawthorne_effect" target="_blank">Hawthorne Study</a>. It is unlikely that the cumbersome sociometric badge worn by the participants of the HBR study did not affect the results, especially if their colleagues learned there was a microphone attached. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">My second point is that the researchers measured interaction and, despite the title of their paper, not collaboration. In a previous report I explained that collaboration is when two or more people come together and produce something that they could not have created alone. A precursor to collaboration is trust and a precursor to that is social interaction. So, generally all interaction is good but there is a point when interaction becomes a distraction and, for productivity, should be reduced. A fellow workplace strategist, Sam Sahni, pointed out that the researchers reported an average of 5.8 hours of interaction per day prior to the move to open plan, which was reduced to 1.7 hours per day post-move. For most organisations, having their employees engaged in interaction for approximately 75% of their working day is not conducive to productivity – did they really only have circa 2 hours per day to complete focussed work? It could be argued that the new open plan design allowed the occupants to work with less distraction and be more productive. The increase in electronic interaction may have been because the participants learned to respect their colleagues' privacy and reduce distraction and interruption in their new environment. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Another fellow workplace strategist, Andrew Mawson, pointed out the that environments studied were not fully described – no plans or images were provided. We know that in one study the organisation “decided to use the latest open office workstation products to completely transform the wall-bounded workspaces in its headquarters so that one entire floor was open, transparent and boundaryless” and in the second they moved to “assigned seats in an open office design, with large rooms of desks and monitors and no dividers between people’s desks.” I shared early <i>workessence’s</i> taxonomy of open plan design solutions, and I also explained how there is good and poor open plan design. It is not clear from the HBR paper whether the occupants were moved to well- or poorly-designed space. That there were no desk dividers and large boundaryless areas, perhaps with no shared facilities to help break up the space, indicates a poorly designed space. There is also no mention of the design and transition process, for example was there a change management programme to help prepare the staff for their new working environment. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Previous research has indeed shown that it is more difficult to provide privacy and control over noise and temperature in open plan environments, but survey data such as the Leesman Index and case studies also show clear positive benefits. In particular, agile working environments, where the staff have more empowerment over where and when they work, are more successful. Personally, I can’t see the benefit of providing a building in which the workforce are placed in rows of isolated boxes – you may as well send them home. Let’s monitor all working environments (more <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post-occupancy_evaluation" target="_blank">POE</a> please) and take up the challenge of improving them, moving from poor open plan to better Innovative Working Environments. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">* The concept of the open plan offices has been around since the turn of the 20th Century, and Frank Lloyd Wright’s Johnson Wax Headquarters is a fine example of early open plan design. But the uptake was more prevalent in the 1950s-60s with the development of the landscaped office or Bürolandschaft.
</span>oselandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02743879390466432468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2443025936337736929.post-38621804761232158422018-07-24T14:49:00.004+01:002018-07-27T10:36:01.298+01:00Biophilic design is so much more than plants<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pnQhL6S-eEY/W1cr-vJ2TzI/AAAAAAAACcE/ABwWfSbYvDgAapiCF_iSlye57AGBimVogCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0911.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pnQhL6S-eEY/W1cr-vJ2TzI/AAAAAAAACcE/ABwWfSbYvDgAapiCF_iSlye57AGBimVogCLcBGAs/s320/IMG_0911.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Those of you who have seen me present or have read my
<a href="http://workplaceunlimited.blogspot.com/2017/10/designing-workplaces-that-promote.html" target="_blank">previous blogs</a> will know I am a big advocate of Biophilic Design. But I am not impressed by the recent run of blogs and product/service
websites that have reduced Biophilic Design to providing landscaping and plants
in the office, proclaiming they reduce air pollutants and improve productivity.
Just search for ‘Biophilic Design’ on <a href="https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=biophilic+design&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjuvufJ57fcAhUkCsAKHbHdDz8Q_AUICigB&biw=1366&bih=619" target="_blank">Google images</a> as an indicator of the
emphasis on planting. Particularly frustrating are those ‘green wash’ type posts
that imply a potted plant plonked on the desk is the panacea for enhancing wellbeing. My
issue with these articles is two-fold:</span></div>
<ol>
<li><div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">There is so much more to biophilic design than plants, and</span></div>
</li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">There are much more efficient ways of reducing air pollutants than adding potted plants</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">.</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>1. Biophilic Design and plants</b></span><br />
<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nQ-I1keM-W4/W1cn51eGqhI/AAAAAAAACb4/-l0Rkjn_eb8hdPglFHyzPbIiP4IccfDMgCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/Picture1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="345" data-original-width="681" height="162" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nQ-I1keM-W4/W1cn51eGqhI/AAAAAAAACb4/-l0Rkjn_eb8hdPglFHyzPbIiP4IccfDMgCPcBGAYYCw/s320/Picture1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Whilst Biophilic Design has only been used in mainstream design
f</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">or the past </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">few years, the term biophilia was coined by Edward O. Wilson back
in 1984 as the “innate tendency to focus on life and lifelike processes.” Later
Wilson (1993) defined biophilia as “innate emotional affiliation of human
beings to other living organisms”, or more simply put “our affinity to nature”
(<a href="https://www.lbhf.gov.uk/sites/default/files/section_attachments/the_economics_of_biophilia_-_why_designing_with_nature_in_mind_makes_financial_sense.pdf" target="_blank">Browning <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">et al</i>, 2012</a>). So, biophilia
actually refers to all living systems (and nature) rather than simply to planting. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Biophilia as an affiliation to living organisms may explain
the recent trend in allowing pets into the workplace. Said pet is usually a
dog, but I did hear a rumour of one worker bringing his pet snake into the
office. This evoked a sense of biophobia, rather than biophilia, but Wilson
argues that such a response is still an innate connection. (I am not the chap who took his pet snake to the office, but the photo above is of me with my son's two corn snakes.) </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://workplaceinsight.net/an-environmental-psychologists-perspective-on-workplace-design/" target="_blank">Evolutionary psychologists</a> consider biophilia as a broader
‘affinity to nature’ and natural systems. Their view emphasises the innate
preference for natural ventilation, natural light (daylight) and natural soundscapes
(and sound levels similar to outside) along with our affinity to water,
variations in light and seasonal/temperature variation etc which I have covered
in a previous blog. Bill Browning and colleagues’ (2014) excellent design
guide, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="https://www.terrapinbrightgreen.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/14-Patterns-of-Biophilic-Design-Terrapin-2014p.pdf" target="_blank">14 Patterns of Biophilic Design</a></i>,
covers these requirements and much more, such as refuge, prospect and biomorphic
forms.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Browning’s guide, and others, emphasise using natural
materials, including stone and metal as well as wood. Browning also highlights
the merits of using biomorphic forms that represent patterns found in nature,
like waves, helix, fractals and wood grain. However, there is subtle difference
between taking inspiration from nature in design and using artificial
materials, such as the plastic planting often found in offices gathering dust.
I have yet to find a good report comparing the benefits of plants and natural
materials with artificial ones.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>2. Benefits of plants</b></span><br />
<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-i8umgeuLV9k/W1ct_43-t8I/AAAAAAAACcU/wx0A-4wHjygxBcHlPZmMuAYmQOHAAsOGQCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/best-air-filtering-houseplants-nasa-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="880" height="236" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-i8umgeuLV9k/W1ct_43-t8I/AAAAAAAACcU/wx0A-4wHjygxBcHlPZmMuAYmQOHAAsOGQCPcBGAYYCw/s320/best-air-filtering-houseplants-nasa-3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Does a potted plant plonked on the desk really work? The claim
that plants not only convert CO<sub>2</sub> to oxygen but also remove pollutants is well
documented, with certain plants being better at removing particular pollutants.
The seminal research in this area is that of NASA (<a href="https://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/19930072988.pdf" target="_blank">Wolverton, Douglas & Bounds, 1989</a>), but one of the researchers has since claimed it’s impossible to
guess how many plants might be needed but he recommends at least two ‘good
sized’ plants per 10 m<sup>2</sup>. In her review of the NASA study, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3230460/" target="_blank">Claudio (2011)</a>
concluded that plants are capable of removing toxins from the air under
laboratory conditions, but in the real world the notion that incorporating a
few plants can purify the air has little scientific evidence. </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">A fundamental requirement is fresh air and ventilation. Back
in the 1990s when I was a researcher at BRE, one of my colleagues examined the
effect of plants in offices and concluded that the fresh air supply rate
(whether through natural ventilation or a mechanical system) had more impact
than plants <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">per se</i>. So, it is
likely that in a poorly ventilated building plants will have more beneficial
impact. My concern is that the more frugal side of the design and construction
industry may consider replacing good ventilation with a few potted plants. As
mentioned in a <a href="http://workplaceunlimited.blogspot.com/2017/10/designing-workplaces-that-promote.html" target="_blank">previous blog</a>, before considering biophilic design for wellbeing
we need to address the basics like indoor air quality.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Having dissed using potted plants for air filtration, I nevertheless firmly believe they have psychological benefits (tendering to our
innate needs) and they have been shown to improve <a href="http://workplaceunlimited.blogspot.com/2017/03/can-workplace-design-enhance-creativity.html" target="_blank">creativity</a>, problem solving,
and help mitigate <a href="https://www.ecophon.com/globalassets/media/pdf-and-documents/uk/psychoacoustics-guidance-document-small.pdf" target="_blank">noise</a> problems. So, in conclusion, plants have many benefits
and should be definitely be added to offices, but it should be a concerted effort and
implemented at the right scale – let’s not kid ourselves that a few potted
plants will do the whole job or consider them a surrogate for good air quality systems.</span></div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><span style="font-family: "verdana";"></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span>oselandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02743879390466432468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2443025936337736929.post-73266582852940236692018-06-16T12:56:00.000+01:002018-06-22T12:45:08.718+01:00True ABW Environments<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6JRzHU78gmU/WyT1FDykjVI/AAAAAAAACbQ/29lxwlfezkUlnkwv8fbmdymq7kQpxZCQACLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0443%2B%2528002%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6JRzHU78gmU/WyT1FDykjVI/AAAAAAAACbQ/29lxwlfezkUlnkwv8fbmdymq7kQpxZCQACLcBGAs/s320/IMG_0443%2B%2528002%2529.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I was fortunate to speak at the <a href="https://translate.google.co.uk/translate?hl=en&sl=de&u=https://www.curem.uzh.ch/&prev=search" target="_blank">CUREM</a> conference at the University of Zurich a
couple of weeks ago – I love mixing travel with work, perhaps the topic of a
future blog. One of my co-presenters, <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/itaipalti/" target="_blank">Itai Palti</a> of UCL and Hume, made a point
that struck a chord.</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Itai basically said that workplace design is not just about
providing the right spaces to facilitate the required work activities, but also
about providing the right environmental conditions. I immediately thought of <a href="http://workplaceunlimited.blogspot.com/2018/04/where-we-work.html" target="_blank">Activity Based Working</a> (ABW) environments and realised I had not quite appreciated their
design is much broader than the look of the different types of work settings in
the space. And that is despite my research on psychoacoustics, highlighting how
different tasks (and people) require different levels/types of sound.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span></div>
<a name='more'></a><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gyxtweJpSCQ/WyT1EnK2kuI/AAAAAAAACbU/yJbu1u09f5wya8tTK687bGuu_xOP7sceACEwYBhgL/s1600/Picture1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="945" data-original-width="1208" height="249" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gyxtweJpSCQ/WyT1EnK2kuI/AAAAAAAACbU/yJbu1u09f5wya8tTK687bGuu_xOP7sceACEwYBhgL/s320/Picture1.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I have occasionally criticised architects of “designing with
their eyes” and not their ears etc but I have kind of fallen into the “ignoring
the senses” trap myself. Obviously when recommending quiet booths/pods/rooms I
specify that they need to have good acoustic screening, but I had not considered
the other environmental factors. I realised my oversight when Itai suggested
that in the eighties we focussed on providing good artificial light and in the naughties
on natural light (which ties in nicely with the current wellbeing agenda and flooding
offices with daylight), but he suggests in future we will focus on task related
dosage, an alias for activity based dosage. In extreme cases, like air traffic
control, the different light requirement is obvious but what about for more
typical office work with spaces that need to facilitate screen activities versus
more paper-based activities.</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">So, when designing ABW environments we need to provide a range
of spaces to support and promote the required activities in the organisation.
But we also need to ensure they have the appropriate environmental conditions (sound,
light, temperature, air quality, colour etc) as well as looking great and
having the right technology.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In most office feedback surveys, the two biggest causes of dissatisfaction
are <a href="http://workplaceinsight.net/an-environmental-psychologists-perspective-on-workplace-design/" target="_blank">temperature and sound</a> – or more specifically thermal comfort and noise. Rather
than blame the engineers and architects for poor design, I propose that the
real issue is that these two environmental conditions are the two <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/psychological-physiological-factors-office-design-su-butcher/" target="_blank">psychophysical</a>
factors most sensitive to personal differences. The range of preferences by different
occupants is exasperated in poorly designed (i.e. dense/crowded) open </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">plan
environments where there is less individual control. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">As a young researcher I explored adaptive comfort, particularly
in the field of thermal comfort. Part of our innate survival instinct, and one reason
for the success of our species, is that we can adapt to our surroundings or we
can adapt our surroundings to us. For example, regarding thermal comfort, when
too hot and given the choice we may i) change our clothing, ii) change our activities
or reduce their vigour, iii) drink cold fluids, iv) move to a cooler spot, v) use
a fan or window to increase create a breeze, vi) design the building to have cross-ventilation
or passive stack cooling, vii) install or bring in air-conditioning etc. As intelligent
animas, we are less likely to sit still and over-heat, unless of course we are
prevented to implement the previous adaptive options. In and outside the office, we all have our favourite spots, ones that make us feel comfortable as well as supporting our activities and reflecting our mood. Unfortunately in many offices, we do not provide a range of spaces with different environmental parameters but design for the assumed average (often based on flawed data or assumptions) and we do not a</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">llow our workforce to select their workspace based on comfort (and the associated productivity). </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">As </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">mentioned in <a href="http://workplaceunlimited.blogspot.com/2013/11/will-demonising-open-plan-lead-to-its.html" target="_blank">previous blogs</a>, the answer is not to “ban” open
plan because many organisations need to minimise their space costs, especially in central
London and other European cities where the rent is ridiculously high. So, some
quick solutions are as follows:</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<ul>
<li><div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Acknowledge that office occupants have a wide range of comfort requirements and design for that range not the average. </span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Zone the open plan into areas that better support specific activities, this may include areas that are cooler, warmer, quieter, buzzier, lighter, dimmer.</span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Provide the right proportion of spaces (and zones) that support different activities and empower/encourage staff to use those spaces as and when required.</span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Offer some personal control (or rather adaptation), for example headphones for noise and relaxed dress code for thermal comfort.</span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Introduce office protocols around temperature and noise etc, for example how the room temperature is agreed and selected, and acceptable noise levels from colleagues.</span></div>
</li>
</ul>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The last point could be supported through technology. Many
years ago I helped to develop a system, called Democratic User Control of Zonal
Temperature (<a href="https://www.building.co.uk/power-to-the-workers/8385.article" target="_blank">DUCOZT</a>), which determined the right temperature in open plan
offices. Each time one occupant wanted to change the temperature a PC pop-up (dialogue
box) would be sent to their immediate neighbours in that part of the office asking
if they agreed to increasing or decreasing the temperature. If the majority
wanted a change then a signal was automatically sent to the BMS and the temperature
in that area of the building was changed accordingly. The occupants then received
a feedback pop-up on the current and predicted temperature. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Whilst a laudable
idea, we didn’t get much uptake on DUCOZT – maybe the system was too costly and difficult
to implement at the time, or maybe it was just a rubbish acronym! Perhaps it is
time to revisit such a system for sound and light as well as temperature. </span></div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><span style="font-family: "verdana";"></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span>oselandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02743879390466432468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2443025936337736929.post-31501432025349413712018-05-19T14:15:00.001+01:002018-09-28T16:28:51.957+01:00Workplaces for Everyone<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rXY0Ya4mcXw/WwAhm8Ab25I/AAAAAAAACZo/HMvt8edADYIy_SmKHKDJDwpSjXo3Rd3gwCLcBGAs/s1600/Dcl9WUOX4AEQ8xS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="371" data-original-width="1600" height="147" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rXY0Ya4mcXw/WwAhm8Ab25I/AAAAAAAACZo/HMvt8edADYIy_SmKHKDJDwpSjXo3Rd3gwCLcBGAs/s640/Dcl9WUOX4AEQ8xS.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I recently
chaired the <a href="https://workplacetrends.co/workplace-trends-copenhagen/" target="_blank">Workplace Trends</a> (WT) conference in Copenhagen - after 15 years of
running WT, it was the first outside of the UK, so quite a milestone. One of
the recurring themes was around designing for individuals, or specific groups
or types of individuals. The speakers referred to personal factors such as age,
personality and parental status. There was some discussion around whether we
should design for the individual or the organisation. The general consensus
appeared to be that we should design for a majority (perhaps the average ± 1sd)
as we can’t design for everyone. But to achieve this we must offer choice, of a
range of spatial and environmental settings, rather than a one-size-fits-all
solution based on the assumed (or sometimes dictated) average. </span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="margin: 0px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="margin: 0px;"></span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span></span></div>
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">An
environment specifically tailored to each individual is impractical (and probably
unusable by new or replacement staff) but we can design for a number of groups
or typologies of people. We also need to consider the full range of types, and
also check to see whether the population of occupants is skewed towards one end
of that range. This skewness is often considered in specification standards for
specialist environments, such that the design is based on the relevant
anthropometric data for the target occupant e.g. children in schools, but this
is not the case in standard offices. Some individual factors to be aware of are
noted below.</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="margin: 0px;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XOoJRsTNm2Q/WwAiBJ0mdsI/AAAAAAAACZw/-16ZJtDlHpUTrpXJdpHl0yG2HoxWITKOQCLcBGAs/s1600/DbfWySkXkAA_XJ3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XOoJRsTNm2Q/WwAiBJ0mdsI/AAAAAAAACZw/-16ZJtDlHpUTrpXJdpHl0yG2HoxWITKOQCLcBGAs/s320/DbfWySkXkAA_XJ3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="margin: 0px;"></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="margin: 0px;">Personality –</span></b><span style="margin: 0px;"> I have been campaigning for
workplaces that cater for individual differences for some time, in particular
variations in personality types. This was the main theme of my recent <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8eiN0LL9NyE" target="_blank">TEDxTalk</a>. Historic research, along with my own research conducted on behalf of
<a href="http://workplaceunlimited.com/The%20Psychology%20of%20Collaboration%20Space%20Handout.pdf" target="_blank">Herman Miller</a> and <a href="https://www.ecophon.com/globalassets/media/pdf-and-documents/uk/psychoacoustics-guidance-document-small.pdf" target="_blank">Ecophon</a>, shows differences in preferred meeting space and
acceptable sound levels for different personality profiles. For example, the
more introverted and more neurotic personality types cope less well with noisy,
buzzy, busy stimulating environments than their counterparts. This can lead to
stress, absenteeism and reduced performance.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="margin: 0px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="margin: 0px;"></span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="margin: 0px;">Age –</span></b><span style="margin: 0px;"> In my survey research on <a href="http://workplaceunlimited.com/Psychoacoustics%20Final%20Report.pdf" target="_blank">noise in offices</a> conducted on behalf of Ecophon, I unexpectedly found that the older
occupants had less of a problem with noise than their younger colleagues. I
expected younger people (millennials etc) to be more able to adapt to noise,
but that was not the case. The cynics might say that noise is not a problem for
more mature occupants as they can’t hear it – but that is not how the ear works
and the older we are the more difficult it is to hear the speech frequencies
above other sounds. The likely answer is that our older respondents had more
control over when and where they worked – so more able to choose the
environment that suited the task in hand. <a href="https://www.onofficemagazine.com/people/item/794-ageing-demographics-in-the-workplace" target="_blank">Jeremy Myerson</a> pointed out a few
years ago that we need to design for all three generations in the workplace,
and not just focus on millennials. Different age groups may have different
preferences for sound, lighting, layout, furniture, technology and
communication media.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="margin: 0px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="margin: 0px;"></span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="margin: 0px;">Life stage –</span></b><span style="margin: 0px;"> Probably more important than
designing for age <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">per se</i>. Life stage
refers to status in terms of younger single, new couple, married couple, couple
with dependents, couple without dependents, older single. Creating working
environments for those with dependents will help retain experienced, trained
and talented employees. In particular, introducing flexible working hours and
remote working (including home-working will, for example, support parents. The <a href="https://www.ten2two.org/" target="_blank">Ten2Two</a> agency specialises in finding part-time work for mums, who previously
held senior positions but now can’t commit to the 9 til 5 work hours. I once
worked with a business offered very flexible hours to their employees past
retirement age as they wanted to retain them as mentors for their junior staff.
Singles and couples without dependents are more likely to want a more social
workplace than those with dependents. Places for interaction, cafes, bar, gyms
and recreational facilities for appeal to this group.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="margin: 0px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="margin: 0px;"></span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="margin: 0px;">Disabilities –</span></b><span style="margin: 0px;"> We are all familiar with the
term “DDA compliance”, but this is a hangover from the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Disability Discrimination Act 1995</i>, which was superseded by the broader
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Equalities Act 2010</i>. Design
requirements, in particular, access to buildings, for the mobility, visually
and hearing impaired are covered in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/540330/BR_PDF_AD_M1_2015_with_2016_amendments_V3.pdf" target="_blank">Part M of the Building Regulations 2010</a></i>. However, there has been a gradual move
towards <a href="http://universaldesign.ie/What-is-Universal-Design/" target="_blank">universal design</a>, introduced in the 1960s, nowadays referred to as inclusive
design. Universal design is the broader concept of designing all products and
the built environment to be aesthetic and usable to the greatest extent
possible by everyone, regardless of their age, ability, or status in life. It
is indented as the default position, integral and fundamental to building
design, rather than viewed as bolt-on solutions required to convert designs to
ones suitable for minority groups of people. The <a href="http://universaldesign.ie/What-is-Universal-Design/The-7-Principles/" target="_blank">seven key principles of universal design</a>, developed by Ronald Mace, are impressive aspirational and
laudable design guidelines. For example, provide the same means of use for all
users, avoid segregating or stigmatising any users, and make the design
appealing to all users.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="margin: 0px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-w0Pn_jNZxqc/WwAjSC2ktPI/AAAAAAAACZ8/vJUNz3cU6yYEuttC0z_nO6Tf_FN2JL-tgCLcBGAs/s1600/alan_turing_and_binary_code_image_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="769" data-original-width="640" height="200" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-w0Pn_jNZxqc/WwAjSC2ktPI/AAAAAAAACZ8/vJUNz3cU6yYEuttC0z_nO6Tf_FN2JL-tgCLcBGAs/s200/alan_turing_and_binary_code_image_640.jpg" width="166" /></a></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="margin: 0px;"></span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="margin: 0px;">Neurodiversity –</span></b><span style="margin: 0px;"> <a href="https://stevemaslin.wordpress.com/tag/autism/" target="_blank">Steve Maslin</a> is an
evangelist for inclusive design. However, Steve focusses on designing for those
with learning, processing or communicating differences - collectively termed neurodiversity by the British Psychological Society. This includes, those
with congenital conditions such as Asperger’s, autism, dyslexia, dyspraxia and
cerebral palsy etc. It also includes those with acquired conditions such a
mental health issues, dementia, Parkinson’s, multiple sclerosis, stroke etc. Those
with these conditions can find certain designs over-stimulating, confusing and
stressful. Lighting, signage, glass, colour and art etc require additional
consideration for this group of people. I recently heard about a couple of companies
that hire young people on the autism spectrum, as many have high-order numeracy
skills; the companies provided buddies and safe (quiet) areas for such staff. </span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="margin: 0px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="margin: 0px;"></span></span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">As Neil Usher says in his book T<i>he Elemental Workplace</i>: "A fantastic workplace should be fantastic for everyone" and his 10th element is "Inclusion". </span></span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">However, we are a long way off a truly inclusive society with universal design. Nevertheless, do
consider the design of your offices if you wish to attract the full spectrum,
and corresponding wider expertise and skill set, of all types of people. We
often see corporate businesses criticised for having an executive board of
middle aged white men, but I wonder if we are unconsciously only designing for
this group of end-users. Let’s embrace our differences, starting by recognising
them and designing our workplaces to accommodate them.</span></span></div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span>oselandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02743879390466432468noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2443025936337736929.post-81369586848713816212018-04-15T18:13:00.002+01:002018-04-18T13:25:27.390+01:00Where We Work<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TReCCkPEfus/WtOFm7AJIPI/AAAAAAAACWk/jjZ0_qq9qkoJOrE6C1S_JVhXggqDvgBUwCEwYBhgL/s1600/Fotolia_142475162_M.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="781" data-original-width="1600" height="195" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TReCCkPEfus/WtOFm7AJIPI/AAAAAAAACWk/jjZ0_qq9qkoJOrE6C1S_JVhXggqDvgBUwCEwYBhgL/s400/Fotolia_142475162_M.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">n previous blogs, I’ve covered the what, how and who we
work with, so now I want to touch on the where we work – my main area of
expertise. This field is well-reported on by advocates of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Activity-based_working" target="_blank">activity-based working</a> (ABW), agile working or new ways of working (a term still used despite
early adopters like Interpolis and Chiat/Day around 25 years ago).</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span></div>
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The basic premise is that different (work) activities are
performed better in different spaces. This makes good sense, especially at the
macro level. For example, music is better performed and sounds better in a
purpose-built theatre with good acoustics. We wouldn’t dream of performing,
say, outdoors in a muddy field with make-shift acoustics – well not unless the
primary purpose is partying with friends rather than listening intently to
quality music. I digress, generally we have different buildings specifically
designed to support different functions – sports stadiums, churches, art
galleries, shopping malls etc. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">So, it follows that within the office we provide
different spaces specifically designed to foster and facilitate certain work
activities. The desk is clearly not the single design solution for the range of work activities carried out on the modern workplace. Furthermore, surveys repeatedly show that </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">desk utilisation is low, even in those organisations in which you may expect a high level of desk-based work. A good ABW and agile working solution therefore addresses the balance of work settings, replacing empty desks with more useful spaces. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xeEKhriBgQU/WtOFyxXVvwI/AAAAAAAACWo/6lYoTYuoWlct7AzOPlN7qmQnCzj_C0vyACEwYBhgL/s1600/Fotolia_164449269_M.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xeEKhriBgQU/WtOFyxXVvwI/AAAAAAAACWo/6lYoTYuoWlct7AzOPlN7qmQnCzj_C0vyACEwYBhgL/s320/Fotolia_164449269_M.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The first step to designing an ABW environment,
is determining which activities occur and which of those are to be supported. We
can observe the activities currently taking place and then provide spaces to
support them, but a better starting point is to determine the required
activities going forward. We might determine what is core business activity and
non-core activity, which detracts from the primary business purpose, and
therefore might be out-sourced or deterred completely. We may even use Covey’s
<a href="http://workplaceunlimited.blogspot.co.uk/2018/01/make-list-and-have-productive-new-year.html" target="_blank">Time Management Matrix</a> to distinguish which activities are important and urgent
rather than simply urgent. In my consultations, I often hear staff complaining
about the number of meetings they must attend and the futility of them. Just
because lots of meetings take place it doesn’t mean they are all required, or
that all those attending actually need to attend (a subject for another blog).</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In my recent <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8eiN0LL9NyE&t=8s" target="_blank">TEDx Talk</a>, I suggested that many offices are
currently designed for Creativity and Collaboration but sometimes neglect
spaces for Concentration and Confidentiality (and other Cs as <a href="http://workplaceunlimited.blogspot.co.uk/2015/06/over-use-of-c-word-in-workplace.html" target="_blank">highlighted previously</a>).
If the team is predominantly involved in focussed work requiring concentration,
such as analysts, processors or developers, then they will most probably require
a calming, subdued and quiet workspace. In contrast, those involved in high
energy activity, like sales or trading, may benefit from more stimulating,
colourful and buzzy working environments. Whether creating a predominantly
calming or stimulating space, access to the full range of space types supporting
a range of activities will be required at times. Personality also has a large
effect on space requirements and I’ll discuss that in detail another time.</span></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-P2UiGmlaB14/WtOGi0sRqQI/AAAAAAAACW4/2ThTfJLoTRcDTTkqNo_iE4-M3OYC3Nn7QCEwYBhgL/s1600/zones.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="1600" height="162" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-P2UiGmlaB14/WtOGi0sRqQI/AAAAAAAACW4/2ThTfJLoTRcDTTkqNo_iE4-M3OYC3Nn7QCEwYBhgL/s400/zones.png" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For some teams the nature of their work and their associated
activities are clearly defined and limited. However, partly due to technology
and partly due to labour efficiencies, for most the range of work activities
has broadened. Even members of traditional monotask teams will spend time in
solo and group activities and spend time at and away from their desk. Logically,
if we measure the time spent on all the different activities taking place, we
can then estimate the number and type of spaces required to support them. That
is if we take the observed numbers and then extrapolate out for future required
activities – the 'black art', more complex and unknown, element of ABW planning. But even that
doesn’t quite work for two reasons. </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Firstly, whilst some work is planned, daily activities and
routines also change; much work is reactive. People need the option to work in
a range of spaces as and when required, not according to a rigid schedule or calculated
times. They need to know that if they move to an alternative space they can
still return to a familiar desk near their colleagues. So, some flexibility is
required in the planning and a slight over-provision of some spaces is recommended
to ensure choice. Those implementing ABW purely for space efficiency reasons
may be less keen to over-provide, but ample space savings will still be
realised if desk sharing is properly implemented.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Secondly, just providing the right amount of different work
settings doesn’t cause the required activities to actually happen. The change
in activity requires organisational, management and culture changes. Nevertheless,
the right spaces are also required and do nudge the change, plus physically
represent the change like a permanent visual reminder. As Neil Usher
(<a href="https://twitter.com/workessence?lang=en" target="_blank">@workessence</a>) and others have stated, the ‘project’ is actually implementing change with an element of workplace design not vice versa, when managing the change (change management) is often an afterthought in a workplace design and construction project. </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HIuo5fy91LQ/WtOGEqZDJ2I/AAAAAAAACWs/Ie42MRWst_ov4AHWyCavMju55HRjFXc0wCEwYBhgL/s1600/Fotolia_127810400_M.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HIuo5fy91LQ/WtOGEqZDJ2I/AAAAAAAACWs/Ie42MRWst_ov4AHWyCavMju55HRjFXc0wCEwYBhgL/s320/Fotolia_127810400_M.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The next step is designing the spaces to facilitate the
required activities. Quite often I see a focus on the look of the space,
whereas basic requirements like technology (access to power and projection
angles), acoustics, privacy, access, daylight and even appropriate sized space are
overlooked. Seven years ago, I co-conducted research and <a href="http://workplaceunlimited.com/2011%20Facilities%20-%20Environments%20for%20Interaction.pdf" target="_blank">published a paper</a> on
how to create spaces for interaction. We found that meeting room utilisation
correlated with our assessed quality (checklist) of the space. We also
discussed how different types of meeting (knowledge sharing, personal, decision
making and idea generation) required different environments. In particular, designing
for creativity is not quite what we might expect – it’s not all slides and bean
bags and requires solitary and natural spaces, as discussed in my <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8eiN0LL9NyE&t=8s" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0066cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" target="_blank">TEDx Talk</a> and
a <a href="http://workplaceunlimited.blogspot.co.uk/2017/03/can-workplace-design-enhance-creativity.html" target="_blank">recent blog</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">When I speak at conferences, I am often ask where I prefer to work or what is my perfect workspace. The answer is that it depends on what I am doing and what mood I am in. At the moment I am, more than usual, involved in wiring reports and preparing presentations. So I am spending more time than usual in the cabin at the bottom of my garden (I am a <a href="http://workplaceunlimited.blogspot.co.uk/2012/01/the-shed-working-life.html" target="_blank">shed-worker</a>), where I can work without distraction. I still go got offices for meetings and networking, as well as the pub. Back to creativity, I spend the first half-hour of the day compiling my ideas and planning my day <span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">in the shower (and bed)! Most workers are not so mobile, but nonetheless access to a range of quite different settings inside and outside the office will benefit them.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br /></span></span>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pp-FuKS_7oQ/WtRefIsX2vI/AAAAAAAACXA/3ex_B4qsxa8lhpu0ed8M3hge1J2-s6hYwCLcBGAs/s1600/day.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="724" data-original-width="1473" height="196" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pp-FuKS_7oQ/WtRefIsX2vI/AAAAAAAACXA/3ex_B4qsxa8lhpu0ed8M3hge1J2-s6hYwCLcBGAs/s400/day.png" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In conclusion, it is logical in the office to provide a range
of work settings designed to support different work activities. The design of
the base team zone also needs to reflect the primary required activity, not an
assumed one. The design of the workspace can indeed help foster a change in
work activity from those currently common to those actually required. This may
require an over-provision of some spaces, but there will still be ample space savings
by implementing desk sharing and replacing unused desks with more appropriate work settings. Fundamentally, a change to ABW and agile working starts with a need for
it, and willingness by the leadership and staff to adopt it. </span></div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><span style="font-family: "verdana";"></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span>oselandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02743879390466432468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2443025936337736929.post-79258857104604673222018-03-05T12:06:00.003+00:002018-03-10T17:56:33.672+00:00When We Work<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/--ABsQOWlFdo/Wp0uWSneMyI/AAAAAAAACSU/1MpHzTqqR7shs8VBuLoyBHbvzQcI78ePgCLcBGAs/s1600/Clock.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="988" data-original-width="1189" height="265" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/--ABsQOWlFdo/Wp0uWSneMyI/AAAAAAAACSU/1MpHzTqqR7shs8VBuLoyBHbvzQcI78ePgCLcBGAs/s320/Clock.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In recent posts I have focussed on how we can make ourselves
more productive by selecting the <a href="http://workplaceunlimited.blogspot.co.uk/2018/01/make-list-and-have-productive-new-year.html" target="_blank">work we do</a> and choosing <a href="http://workplaceunlimited.blogspot.co.uk/2018/02/beware-workplace-parasite.html" target="_blank">who we work with</a>. I
think the next logical subject, before moving on to where we work, is deciding
on when we work.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Only the other day I was on route to yoga (I’m of that age now) and
planned to be there at 6.30pm. However, I arrived late because I hit the “rush
hour” (or more appropriately “slow three hour”) traffic. Isn’t it bizarre that
in an age when most large businesses have offices across all regions of the
world, and many of us liaise with offices in different time zones, that we
still have the 9 ‘til 5 office hours? One consequence of which is the morning
and evening “rush hours”. I wondered what any aliens observing us would think
when seeing us all queuing, in our cars or at stations, to get to and from work
at exactly the same time as everyone else.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Anyhow my point is that, to be more productive it may be
wiser to start work slightly earlier or later than everyone else, and
correspondingly finish early or late. I appreciate we may go to work to
collaborate with our neighbouring colleagues, but how often does that happen
and does it need to happen at 9 o’clock sharp? There are other factors to
account for, such as families, socialising, machinery and daylight hours, but
do the majority still really need to work the same hours each day? And do they
really need to be in the same location? </span><br />
<br />
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</div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3nZfpa54SF0/Wp0vPdRrdAI/AAAAAAAACSg/v85omz7ADmECv6s5v7fxCavigWhM4dOnQCLcBGAs/s1600/owl.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="977" data-original-width="1184" height="264" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3nZfpa54SF0/Wp0vPdRrdAI/AAAAAAAACSg/v85omz7ADmECv6s5v7fxCavigWhM4dOnQCLcBGAs/s320/owl.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">So, are you a morning or an evening person, are you a lark
or an owl? In scientific terms, what’s your <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chronotype" target="_blank">chronotype</a>? A few years ago, in an
on-line survey, I asked the participants what time of the day they are most
productive? Our sample, a mix of 937 respondents with a high proportion in the
design and construction industry, said they are most productive early morning
before 09.00 (37%) or from 09.00 to 12.30 (41%). It’s interesting that over
one-third are productive before the traditional time of starting work, because
in a <a href="http://workplaceunlimited.com/Psychoacoustics%20Final%20Report.pdf" target="_blank">later survey</a> I found the most common coping strategy for avoiding
distractions was coming into work early (or working late). Regardless of my own data, I know I work better late afternoon to early evening, and occasionally into the wee hours - it takes me a while to get going (especially if writing) but once I do motivation takes over and the time just flies by.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">So, I am not an early riser but caught the 07.00 train the other day to
travel to a breakfast seminar (my worse type of meeting). I sat next to an acquaintance,
who I hadn’t seen for some time. Apparently, he caught that same train each day and
then apologised to me because he wanted to respond to all his emails before
arriving in the office. Is this normal behaviour – responding to emails on the
commute (I assume in his own time) at around 7am? Maybe that is when he was
most productive, or maybe he just didn’t want to speak to me. He did say he
gets home no later than 5pm so I admire his working of non-traditional hours.
However, I wondered whether he expected his colleagues to answer those emails
at that same time. Would they be reading and typing away over breakfast, or are
they also early risers? There is a serious point here – it’s not uncommon for
some people to work unusual or extended hours, late into the night and
weekends. We can argue whether such hours are productive or legal (the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/money/2016/dec/31/french-workers-win-legal-right-to-avoid-checking-work-email-out-of-hours" target="_blank">French appear to think not</a>), but it is certainly not acceptable for said people to
expect their colleagues to work similar hours. It seems such emails are about
creating time rather than for communication. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Using my own <a href="http://workplaceunlimited.com/The%20Psychology%20of%20Collaboration%20v1.4.pdf" target="_blank">survey database</a>, I also examined whether different
personality types, measured using <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Five_personality_traits" target="_blank">OCEAN</a>, considered themselves productive at
different times of the day. I found small, but statistically significant,
differences but not as I expected! The extroverts say they are more productive
in the early morning compared to introverts (<i>p</i>=0.04). Similarly, those more
open (the creatives) appear more productive in the morning compared to their
counterparts (<i>p</i>=0.02). In contrast, the more conscientious rated themselves as more
productive in the evening (<i>p</i>=0.05) – perhaps they work late alone to complete
their tasks. However, overall my data doesn’t suggest a huge impact of
personality on the best time to work. It is more likely to do with other
personal circumstances and preferences. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">One such factor maybe intelligence. Contrary to popular
belief, <a href="https://www.fastcodesign.com/3046391/morning-people-vs-night-people-9-insights-backed-by-science" target="_blank">research</a> has found that night owls outperformed morning larks on most
intelligence measures, in particular working memory and processing speed. Their
results even held up even when the cognitive tests were taken in the morning. In
contrast, other <a href="https://www.fastcodesign.com/3046391/morning-people-vs-night-people-9-insights-backed-by-science" target="_blank">research</a> found that morning people tended to be more agreeable,
conscientious and proactive but procrastinate less. Our preferences have also
been linked to health, sleep patterns, <a href="https://www.livescience.com/53624-morning-person-genetic-influence.html" target="_blank">genetics</a> and circadian rhythms. </span><br />
<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-j7HwyLcmHFU/Wp0vZey9vfI/AAAAAAAACSk/uDITORF9EFE3Hsnd65-gwgolOaXv3QV3gCLcBGAs/s1600/Night.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="826" data-original-width="1418" height="186" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-j7HwyLcmHFU/Wp0vZey9vfI/AAAAAAAACSk/uDITORF9EFE3Hsnd65-gwgolOaXv3QV3gCLcBGAs/s320/Night.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Circadian rhythms relate to the physiological regulation of
sleep patterns etc. As the sunlight declines, melatonin is released by the
pineal gland which in turn lowers the heart rate and blood-pressure preparing
us for sleep. So, from a physiological point of view, night-time is not the
best time for productivity, and not preferred by most anyhow. Despite adapting
to different work patterns, long-term working at night can affect health and
lead to loss of performance as is evident from <a href="https://ergoweb.com/study-night-shift-impacts-on-productivity-and-health/" target="_blank">studies</a> of night-shift workers. But
motivation, interest, deadlines, stress, adrenalin, caffeine and rest can
change all that – at least in the short-term if not the long-term. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">After lunch may not be the most productive time for some –
ever felt a bit drowsy early afternoon? It could be circadian rhythms, or poor
sleep patterns, but there are several other food related views such as energy/blood
being focussed on digesting food, a blood sugar crash, changes in insulin and
serotonin levels etc. There are several solutions to counter post-lunch drowsiness,
for me it’s a walk in fresh air, either or alone or preferably with scintillating conversation. This not only re-energises us but conducting activities with non-taxing involuntary attention in nature also aids <a href="http://workplaceunlimited.blogspot.co.uk/2017/10/designing-workplaces-that-promote.html#more" target="_blank">creativity</a>. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In
contrast, for others a power-nap (the modern-day siesta) may be the solution,
and indeed <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business-to-business/2017/dec/04/clocking-off-the-companies-introducing-nap-time-to-the-workplace" target="_blank">sleep pods</a> seem to be on the increase in the trendier offices. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">A more interesting concept than circadian rhythms is ultradian
rhythms, built upon by Tony Schwarz in his <a href="https://hbr.org/2007/10/manage-your-energy-not-your-time" target="_blank">Energy Project</a>. After studying athletes and sleep cycles,
he discovered that we can only focus, and work at maximum performance, for 90
minutes before requiring a break. He proposes that we work in cycles of 90
minutes full on effort followed by a 20 minutes break. It needs to be a proper
break from work, without feeling guilty. Make it a walk and you will have additional creativity and <a href="http://oem.bmj.com/content/oemed/early/2013/12/02/oemed-2013-101823.full.pdf?keytype=ref&ijkey=fvcEm117fzTcT51" target="_blank">health</a> benefits. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Overtime we can build to four 90
minutes sessions in a day – six hours at maximum performance. I’ve tried it and
it works, but I expect it is easier to achieve when working from home alone than
in a large office surrounded by your colleagues and boss. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In conclusion, we are all different so choose the time to
work that best suits you, the time of day that minimises wasted effort and wasted
time from distractions or just queueing. It’s absurd in an age of global
commerce (with multiple time zones) and a world of 24/7 service to expect everyone to perform
at their best 9 ‘til 5. Also recognise that your colleagues are more productive
at different times of the day and, unless you have an important and urgent
enquiry, respect that timing. </span></div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><span style="font-family: "verdana";"></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span>oselandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02743879390466432468noreply@blogger.com4