Back to work: the productive and sustainable office

This is one of the things that made the pandemic so difficult for so many businesses. The rapid transition to home working meant that pretty much every member of a company’s team was responsible for their own work environment, leaving businesses with precious little influence over things like employee well-being, productivity and even the carbon footprint it leaves behind. But with vaccine rollouts now well underway across much of Europe, governments are now slowly and cautiously beginning to recommend a return to the office, empowering businesses to welcome their teams back after a long hiatus.

If you’re a commercial property owner, or even a business that owns its own office space, what better time to start considering the role your office space plays in employee well-being and productivity, and the influence it has on the environment?

A survey carried out toward the end of 2020, just as roadmaps out of the pandemic started to emerge, found that 49% of corporate real estate directors now place the health and well-being of employees as their top investment priority[1]. That means businesses far and wide are being advised to put employee comfort first, and your office space needs to reflect what that looks like in a post-pandemic world.

Moving away from the ‘traditional’ office

The so-called ‘new normal’ looks different for every business. Some will be looking to downsize and lean into hybrid working, some will be looking to re-invest in their office space to encourage their teams to come back in their droves. Either way, employee well-being, productivity and sustainability are going to be of paramount importance as we adapt to life after the pandemic and face down other challenges, such as climate change. Downsizing or upsizing, retrofitting or fitting out a new space from scratch, the move away from the traditional office will be underpinned by smart technology, and when it comes to daylight management, that starts with Somfy.

Improving comfort and well-being through technology

Employee well-being isn’t defined by a single element; it’s a whole range of factors that must be considered and balanced throughout the working day. Many of these factors are actually external to your building, and occupants often find themselves constantly battling against them, from heat and light from the sun, to the cold and shade in its absence. If the battle for comfort is one that your occupants or employees have to address every day, it can often lead to frustration, poor productivity, absenteeism and more.

If this all sounds painfully familiar, perhaps as a business or commercial property owner, you might be interested to learn about the increasing role of daylight management using dynamic solar shading. The technology is already making a huge difference in office environments to balance the benefits and impacts of the outdoor conditions on the internal environment.

Using automated shading to balance daylight facilitates an indoor climate that optimises employee comfort, from helping to control the temperature to reducing screen glare and so aiding visual comfort. What’s more, because it harnesses the natural heat and light from the sun in the cooler months, and helps to diffuse and deflect it in the warmer months, your office space could reduce its carbon footprint by reducing its dependency on air conditioning and heating.

To learn more about the benefits of dynamic solar shading technology and how to incorporate it as part of your next fit out project, get in touch with us today for some free, no obligation advice.