Most of us have a favourite colour, aroma, artifact, tune, or book. The list is endless!
Leveraging this concept of ‘favourite’ to create a ‘be-spoke experience’ has numerous benefits and gives us a feeling of being in control. I particularly enjoyed writing this piece because it combines my passion for psychology, HR and people.
A study from the University of Texas found that human beings enjoy personalizing the world around them for two reasons: – 1) They get something tailored exactly to their likes and dislikes and this creates a sense of familiarity 2) It reduces the burden of information overload thanks to today’s digital age which usually presents them exactly with the content they need!
The same argument can be extended to workplace design to help induce a sense of comfort. Statistics report that the average Indian office goer spends over 7 hours every day at work. Thereby, encouraging employees to personalize their space and make it feel like their own will not only impact their experience at work but contribute to their overall well-being.
Here, I am reminded of ‘Design Your EMI’ our newest feature at Godrej Housing Finance, which gives people the opportunity to plan their EMIs their way, personalize their payment plans and own their dream homes! And so, if you can design your EMI, why not design your workspace too?
Interestingly, this also draws an analogy to the evolving role of HR as future marketers. As we see the millennial mindset steadily permeating the workforce, the need for understanding the pulse of the workforce and tailoring personalized experiences has been significantly amplified. This will be a key differentiator for one’s employer brand to break through the clutter.
From office desks to homes, the power to design what feels right for you is what personalization is all about.
Research by the Harvard Business Review has shown time and again that people want their work to have meaning and are generally happier, healthier and more productive when their work zone is splattered with personal mementos. Enabling employees to personalize their work stations can help alleviate some of that fatigue and enhance well-being. The onslaught of the pandemic forced people to work from home and convert certain pockets of their living space into designated work stations. On the bright side, this allowed employees to customize their environment as per their likes and dislikes, right down to the very last detail.
Keeping in mind my central theme for this year ‘Nurture’, I believe that HR teams can help employee’s strike a good work-life balance, encourage them to follow a rhythm that works for them and build a structure to their work day, whether they operate from home, in office or within a hybrid set-up. With the aim of enhancing the employee experience, I would argue we should have employees wholly participate in designing their work space, as it demonstrates trust and motivates them to take complete ownership of both their role and their surroundings.
The business case for workspace personalization
The flexibility to choose accessories in your favourite colours, bring in photos of your pets and loved ones and place a plant or two on your desk are some ways to feel ‘at home’ even in an office set-up. Research indicates that when our work space aligns with our preferences, it improves our sense of belonging and increases feelings of comfort. This would mean of course that office designer would need to create an environment where the differences in employee options both stand out and blend in to create harmony. We can encourage employees to give us a list of what would make their workspace feel personal, be it a cushion with their pets picture, a plant, colorful staplers or books they love. This may need some time and effort but will have a long-lasting positive impact. Bringing in a workplace design specialist to start a conversation with people about personalizing their spaces can help get the ball rolling and serve as an engaging experience for everyone involved.
We could also go one step further and make this into a year-long initiative, with days dedicated to ‘Bring in your favorite artefact and talk about it’ or ‘Bring a pet to work’ or a ‘Family day. In a previous blog, I talked about how nurturing a sense of belonging is paramount. These programs on personalization would help systemically build belongingness and enhance the psychological contract that employees have with the organization. However, one has to be watchful that these initiatives do not end up being events which create a momentary feeling of happiness but are neither impactful nor sustainable. Thereby, before we begin we must have a longer roadmap in place.
And finally when designing a personalized workplace at your organization, do consider allocating different spaces to neuro-diverse employees. Be cognizant and ensure that everyone has access to quiet meeting rooms and as far as possible do consider employee preferences in allocating seating areas.
After all, providing employees this freedom to personalize their surrounding nurtures their creativity and helps create a positive working environment.
I would love to hear about how you’ve personalized your workspace, be it at home or at work!
Ruhie Pande 