“Office design isn’t just about maximising productivity anymore, it’s about maximising wellbeing,” says Michelle Turner of Calibro Workspace

In the ever-evolving industry of office design, workplace culture and wellbeing have become increasingly important to contemporary workers. Where office spaces were once designed with efficiency in mind – getting “more bums on seats” for higher return-on-investment – companies are now prioritising the employee experience – and for good reason. 

A 2024 study from Great Place To Work found that only 55% of UK workers report a high state of wellbeing at work.^[1] A survey by Peldon Rose revealed that over half (56%) of UK employees felt their current office “doesn’t meet their needs,” and 61% desired a better atmosphere in the office. Notably, 56% stated they would work from the office more often if the space were upgraded to better suit their preferences.^[2]

Michelle Turner is from Belfast and works at Calibro Workspace as a senior interior designer. Before joining Calibro, Michelle worked in Australia, designing spaces in the hospitality sector and health and aged care. 

“You’d think working in the health sector would be boring and mean you can’t push boundaries creatively,” explains Michelle, “but you can. Wellbeing was such a strong driver behind the healthcare projects I worked on in Australia, and the focus is transferable to office spaces in all industries.”

“Before you can design an office, however, you need to first understand what the company culture is, and to do this, you need to understand the company. How they work, what their current challenges are, where they’re going, and how they plan to get there” continues Michelle. “Then it’s about consulting the team to understand where they are now, what their needs are and how the workplace can be optimised to support their plans.”

“If the culture is more focused and hierarchical, a closed office space may be appropriate. If you’re establishing a culture of creativity and inclusivity, with lots of brainstorming, consider going open plan, with breakout areas and lots of branding to inspire ideas. A company that focuses on brand application in the workplace, including displaying core values, can really help an employee connect with its purpose and immerse themselves in the company. Establish the culture you want to promote and draw your workplace brief from that.”

Company culture is created and developed through the interplay of a company’s ethos and structure, and the leadership styles of its senior people. Design comes in to represent and embed the culture you’re hoping to achieve, connecting staff to the shared purpose of the business.

According to a survey by Gallup, highly engaged, satisfied employees are 21% more productive and report 37% fewer sick days. One way to engage employees is to invest in a space that inspires people to do great work.

For Michelle, colours and textures are number one when promoting a positive company culture through office design. She explains that natural colours promote creativity, keeping your staff fresh and invigorated whilst bolder, brighter colours can bring energy to the space. Natural light also plays a massive role in productivity and helps foster creativity.

Another key thing to note when building company culture through design is the growing diversity within office spaces. Most companies cater to multi-generational workforces, neurodiverse workers, breastfeeding mothers and more. To build a culture that promotes positivity, wellness and collaboration, it’s important to make relevant accommodations for the needs of your workforce. Michelle suggests wellbeing areas and downtime zones that are different to the usual breakout spaces, stressing the importance of differentiating between these areas. 

She says: “Wellness rooms should be lighter, with more neutral colours and integrated plants and feature lighting and temperature controls. Breakout spaces should be bolder, with funky furniture. It’s important the two spaces aren’t synonymous, as one promotes creativity and collaboration, or socialising with colleagues, while the other is a space for anyone needing some downtime during the workday to relax and recharge. Thoughtful design initiatives such as this one can benefit everyone.”

What would Michelle consider the most important thing to consider when building culture through design?

“Personally, I think it’s in the finishings: colour, lighting and everything that goes into the space furnishing-wise set the tone of the workplace and influences the morale – and ultimately the atmosphere – within your team.”

“You’re more productive when you’re comfortable,” concludes Michelle. “How to achieve comfort for your employees should be informed during an initial, people-centric consultation. It’s all about knowing your employees and their needs – some are more introverted and need more space, and others love to hot desk and collaborate. At the end of the day, it’s not just about maximising productivity anymore, it’s about maximising wellbeing too.

“A good workplace fitout company will know which questions to ask to create an environment that’s best for you and your people. We’re all different, so there’s no one-size-fits-all method of designing a space.”

Calibro Workspace is a leading name in workplace design, with a strong emphasis on employee wellbeing and creating environments that promote productivity and inspire people to do their best work. Based in Co Antrim, with offices in Belfast and Dublin, Calibro has over 16 years’ experience in office design and build.

The company has a host of internal structures in place to foster their own culture of wellbeing, including team breakfasts, walking pads in the office, quarterly wellbeing days and offsite team building days. 

Calibro Workspace also offers weekly and quarterly employee satisfaction surveys as well as an employee nomination scheme that recognises team members each month for their contribution to both work and wellbeing at Calibro. 

Calibro implements this high value on people not only internally, but in the projects carried out for clients.

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