4 minute read
The best of both worlds
FUTURE OF WORK | TEXT: DAVID J. CORD
Working from home has changed what people want and need from an office. Framery’s pods bring areas for video calls and quiet work into the dynamic open office plan.
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What kind of office are workers returning to after the pandemic? Maybe a better question is: what kind of workers are returning to the office after the pandemic?
When people worked at home they became accustomed to quiet spaces and video conferencing. Now they are returning to open offices which were not built with the modern working environment in mind. Working methods evolve faster than architecture.
“People are eager to replicate the best work-from-home perks in the workplace,” explains Framery’s Founder & CEO, Samu Hällfors.
Framery is a Tampere, Finland-based company which was founded in 2010. Their idea is to create soundproof office phone booths, pods and private spaces to solve the noise and privacy issues in open offices. This was a great idea when open offices became popular, but it is even a better idea in the post-pandemic working environment.
Creative and dynamic, but loud and chaotic
There are many great things about open offices. They offer more opportunities for communications and creative interactions. Surveys have shown that workers are ready to return to the office after the pandemic and have real-world interactions with their colleagues and customers again. But like everything in business, there are always compromises to be made.
Open offices can be noisy, busy places. Over 50% of people have a hard time concentrating in open-plan offices, according to the University of Sydney. Also, sometimes your conversations shouldn’t be overheard by all of your colleagues.
The challenges of open space offices have become worse after the pandemic. About 40% of people say their ability to concentrate in open offices has significantly worsened after the pandemic, according to a Framery survey of 4,000 white collar workers in America. Additionally, the way of working has changed. Video conferencing is the new normal and will probably increase 500% compared to pre-pandemic levels.
“The majority of companies have already noticed a shortage of places to have video meetings in the office,” says Hällfors. “They are working on solving these needs now.”
Workers need a quiet option
Balance is key. There are great benefits to the open office, but people also need designated quiet spaces. They must have the option to choose the environment they need for a particular task.
Workers are clear that they need such spaces. In the Framery survey 65% say access to designated quiet spaces improves their work life satisfaction, while 57% believe such a space would be the best office perk. However, 51% say their office currently doesn’t have enough designated quiet space. In fact, a whopping 18% claim they don’t have any quiet places at all!
Private, soundproofed and echo-free
Companies are increasingly realising that such designated quiet spaces are a necessary component to the modern office. About 40% of the Forbes 100 companies use Framery solutions, including Microsoft, Puma and Tesla. They make for happier employees, and happier employees are more productive and are less likely to leave for a competitor.
Boosting productivity and retaining key talent makes good business sense.
Framery’s office pods allow peace and quiet for concentrating on work or having private conversations. They range in size from a one-person space to an area big enough for multiple people. Many optionsare available, including furnishings, connectivity and accessibility.
“The future is uncertain, but the need for acoustic pods is clear,” says Hällfors. “Ten years ago we were solving the noise problems of the open office. Today we help companies meet the demand for video conferencing spaces in hybrid offices. Creating happiness is at the core of our business, and our revolutionary pod solutions will precisely do that.” |
Framery product family
Framery One – an adaptable and connected space for one person Framery O – classic phone booth style pod for one Framery Q – for 1-4 people with wide range of options, such as wheelchair access Framery 2Q – a meeting room designed for 4-6 people
Frameryacoustics.com
