The pandemic completely changed the conversation about how we work and where we work. Work flexibility is now a priority for employees, and companies that can provide it have an advantage in attracting and retaining talent. According to Prudential’s Pulse of the American Worker Survey, 68% of employees say a hybrid schedule is the ideal workplace model. This is especially true in the tech industry, where Outsystems found that 50% of developers need a better work-life balance.
To create an environment that fosters work flexibility, we renovated our Tel Aviv office, which is in a building designated as a historical landmark. Our most recent internal engagement survey found that our employees are 15 percentage points above the average in Israel and the United States when it comes to happiness and productivity in the office. The data is clear: Our employees genuinely enjoy coming into the office, and those in-person connections are driving innovation and productivity.
As a designer myself, the first hire I made at my company was a designer. We prioritized the design of our platform’s user experience (UX), and we took the same approach with our regional headquarters. How does the UX of a software platform relate to an employee experience in a physical office? These are the critical components that apply to both and inspired our office renovations.
To design your office space while keeping the employee experience in mind, there are three key principles to follow.
First, figure out your ideal customer profile. Just as a successful UX is dependent on understanding your ideal customer profile, designing the ideal workspace should answer the needs of your target audience, which in this case is your employees.
Second, listen to feedback. Improving your UX requires feedback, and the same goes for the employee experience in the office. Take feedback on board and use it to improve the design of your workspace.
Third, own your brand. Your UX is unique to your organization and is directly connected to your brand. Emphasize your brand’s story and legacy in your office design to create an environment that reflects and strengthens it.
Low-touch engagement is a game-changer in both software and office design. By providing everything employees need throughout the day, without overwhelming them with unnecessary gimmicks, we create a flexible workspace that enables them to work effectively and efficiently.
In conclusion, understanding how to improve UX was my guiding force in creating a better employee experience in the office. When redesigning the office space, we were solving the issues that impacted employee efficiency while creating a new environment that truly makes them want to step through our front doors.
