FMJ.CO.UK ERGONOMICS FOCUS
NOVEMBER 2021 37
driving force behind the destination
oŽ ice.
THE DESTINATION OFFICE
This term refers to the emerging reality
that workplaces have to become
destinations and oŽ er compelling
reasons to visit – largely by providing
the experiences that people can’t get
working from home. Destination oŽ ices
achieve this by oŽ ering variety in order
to deliver an experience, encourage
innovation, support development, create
a sense of satisfaction, flex as needs
change and support social activity.
For FMs keen to curate desirable and
eŽ icient workplaces that appeal to
our post-COVID behaviours – it pays to
understand and incorporate the eight
key components of the destination
oŽ ice:
Library –The home for an organisation’s
knowledge. This might be physical storage for
reference materials or a quiet place for study.
Forum - A multi-use and adaptable space,
designed to help bring organisations together
as a whole in townhall gatherings, informal
meetings and company social events.
The coffee shop - The convivial social heart of
an organisation - a place to meet and mingle,
forge connections and friendships.
The department store - A resource hub, where
services such as IT, HR and FM are easily
accessed. It can be a place for trouble-shooting
and discussing changing workplace protocols.
Academy – A combination of formal, informal
and tech-rich spaces for learning, coaching and
mentoring.
Park - A space with biophilia, health
and wellbeing at its heart. Whether
inside or outside, these spaces
include gyms, garden terraces and
calming spaces to relax.
Gallery – The showcase space for an
organisation to communicate its
vision, values and purpose to visitors
and co-workers.
Co-working bureau – Shared rather
than owned spaces that support
specific activities (collaboration,
concentrated work) and are flexible,
tech-rich and agile.
There has never been a time where
change has happened so quickly
or when the previously accepted
norms of work have been so totally
transformed. Organisations and their
FMs, can leverage this once in a lifetime
opportunity to reimagine how work gets
done.
To ensure that future workplace
design reflects these changes and oŽ er
an individual and optimum workplace
experience for everyone, organisations
must familiarise themselves with the
expectations of Conor, Irie, Mark and
Shona. This is crucial to support how
work is done, as well as attract and
retain the best talent. Hybrid working is
now a permanent expectation among
the talent pool.
FMs are in a unique position to steer
workplace change. In fact its reinvention
is already underway. The question is
do you have a destination oŽ ice to
meet the needs of Conor, Irie, Mark and
Shona?
workplaces can use these insights to ensure
workplaces oŽ er comfort and eŽ iciency
(beyond basic universal needs such as heat,
light, ventilation), but they must remember
three other factors that will determine
success.
The first is trust. Employees must feel
empowered and trusted to work as they
desire – without it, even the most agile
workspace won’t deliver. The second is
the technology required to enable the
seamless use of a workplace by a transient
population. Digital ways to book meeting
rooms, parking and desks for example, help
to manage the availability of amenity and
anticipate usage.
The third consideration is choice – as
choice underpins comfort. This requires
the provision of various work settings (sofa,
standing desk, private booth, collaboration
kitchen table) to suit diŽ erent tasks and
user preferences, as well as catering for
other comfort needs such as providing
showers and wellbeing facilities, and
ensuring diversity, inclusion, belonging and
equality has informed design.
It’s these changing wants that are the