How to Build Community at Work

With the rise of technology, there has been much debate around the “workplace” of the future. Namely, building community has become harder and harder as technology continues to proliferate our day to day lives.

Human beings, as technology focused as we are, still prioritize communicating face to face. As a result, people come to work for an experience and for human connection. The more we get sucked into the digital world, the more we crave human connection, and the more important it is to create conscious solutions to that encourage community.

Start with these ideas.

1) Enhance the workplace experience

Leading businesses offer a range of perks. They use these to attract top talent, putting “user experience” at the forefront of their workplace strategy. As a result, offices with amenities are becoming increasingly common as firms compete for top talent.

Giving employees choice and flexibility over where they work is becoming a top priority. With this in mind, consider outfitting your offices with a variety of spaces to work in.

2) Experiment with co-working

Corporations are seeing the benefits of inviting startups and other businesses to work alongside their own staff.  For this reason, coworking is quickly establishing itself as an exciting alternative to corporate office environments. 

To illustrate, coworking can provide innovation, energy and shared ideas. Consider setting aside space for coworking to spur engagement and innovation.

3) Bring authenticity into the workplace

Technology-free activities can help forge deeper human experiences and create connection. It can be something as simple as, for example, board gaming sessions or guided meditations.

4) Reassess flexibility

Over the past 10 years, workers have left their desks. To capitalize on this trend, explore how you can further enhance flexibility. For instance, try to decentralize your office from one head office into various hubs in key locations. By becoming more modular, workplace’s are better suited for cost-effective redesigns in the future. With this in mind, consider renting office furniture so that refits and moves can occur more frequently.

5) Bring the outside in

Incorporating more natural resources into common areas can create a calming environment, and also increase air quality.  Consider adding features such as running water, natural rock and stone, or trees and nature paths.

By creating a community of humans interacting and connecting with each other, productivity, teamwork, and collaboration become easier. With these tools in hand, you can confidently deepen community and build a better workspace.

Like this blog? Read on to learn more about employee experience in the workplace.

5 Ways to Drive Employee Experience

6 Design Elements for a Productive Office

3 Ways You Can Gear Up for the Workspace of the Future

Learn more about the floor space available in Key Tower, Cleveland’s premier office building, as well as get help from our team of experts on how to best use your new space. Fill out the form below to schedule your tour!