06 Mar Employee Lounges Aren’t Just For Lounging Anymore
There was a time not long ago when staff would be discouraged from being seen near the lounge during working hours. But times have changed…and for the better. Water cooler conversations about last night’s TV shows have now given way to meetings about serious business.
The tech boom saw an onslaught of new companies emerging with younger, sharp entrepreneurs at the helm bursting with new ideas. In an effort to boost morale and foster more fresh ideas in an informal, no pressure setting, these bold leaders began building lounges, break rooms, and surprisingly, game rooms– all with collaboration in mind. Through no coincidence, this transformation occurred simultaneously within the cultural context of cafes, doughnut shops, etc., springing up everywhere redesigned as places to hang, read, hop on the Internet, and share in the experience with others.
The new-found mobility afforded by secure, high speed Internet and mobile technology enabled early visionary trailblazers to flesh out and execute their ideas in more casual settings outside the traditional office space. Companies that still occupied office space began to take notice of the success working in less formal settings, and started following suit. Today, more and more office designs and redesigns include relaxed, collaborative work areas. In fact, those spaces are often the central hubs around which the rest of the office operates.
To see if your company could benefit from a design or redesign to meet this cultural shift, get in touch with our team at RI Group today!
