Team Performance, Collaboration Spaces
Open can be OK
Open can be OK
Just right? It depends.
A study conducted at the Mayo Clinic confirms the benefits of workstations that support standing, walking, or cycling while working. A team lead by Lopez-Jimenez learned “that active workstations incorporating a walking pad, bike, stepper and/or standing desk are successful strategies for reducing sedentary time and improving mental cognition at work without reducing job performance. . . . Researchers analyzed participants' neurocognitive function based on 11 assessments that evaluated reasoning, short-term memory and concentration. . . .
Research by a Fattahpour-lead team indicates that there are positive implications of nature soundscaping hospital emergency departments. The researchers report that “Nature sound was played for an hour at the commencement and conclusion of each work shift for two months. Subsequently, participants completed the three questionnaires. . . . Introducing nature sounds in the emergency department reduced job stress and increased staff productivity. However, job satisfaction levels did not change significantly. . . .
Location selected, outcomes affected
Different places for different people
Bergefurt and teammates evaluated the implications of at-workplace soundmasking. They report that “To date, most studies on sound masking are short-term laboratory studies. . . . The current study aims to evaluate, using a longitudinal field study . . . at two organizations, whether level-adaptive sound masking could reduce intelligible speech and increase mental health, while being exposed to level-adaptive sound masking for two to three months.
Candido and colleagues report on adaptive workplace design. The team studied Mirvac’s new offices: “An adaptive space allows people to adjust the workspace to suit their needs at a specific point in time, meaning the space is designed with this flexibility in mind. Further, technology allows for seamless integration and use, supporting synchronous and asynchronous interactions. We found when spaces are allowed to be adaptive and supported by the right design, tools and technologies, teams perform successfully and individuals experience a greater sense of connection and bel
Motivating more effort
Fostering excellent outcomes