Workers want their own workspace, reveals Bisley study

A recent wellbeing research commissioned by Corporate Member and Manufacturing Guild Mark holder Bisley showed that people are desperate for their own space in the workplace.

The study of 1000 UK office-based office workers and 50 facilities management experts, which was carried out by an independent research group, identified a clear and consistent link between personal space and wellness at work.

Colleagues encroaching on personal space is the second biggest distraction in the workplace (after the office being too warm), with 34% of respondents struggling with it. Furthermore, storage issues featured five times in the top 15 disruptors, with messy desks, smelly sports kit and food and stationery hunting all featuring.

Many of these issues can be overcome by the appropriate/intelligent use of storage; something which is often forgotten or not considered in the drive towards flexible spaces and accommodating the diversity of working styles.

Bisley believes there are four key areas to be considered by Facilities Managers, Architects and Designers when looking at personal space and storage in the workplace, which fall under the themes of Creating a sense of control, Creating a sense of belonging, Creating a sense of personal security and Reducing disruptive factors

Richard Blackwell, CEO at Bisley, said: “In light of these survey results, we believe that personal storage needs to be moved further up the workplace design agenda. Storage is a critical element of every workplace and without adequate provision, businesses simply can’t function effectively and efficiently. So, when considering wellbeing in the workplace, why not start with looking at storage? Reconfigure it, make it multi-functional, use it to inject some colour into the office or reassign it. Never underestimate the peace of mind and sense of control employees can get from having somewhere to keep their personal items.”

Full explanations of the four themes are available here.