How to create a comfortable office for people of different psychological backgrounds

The topic of inclusiveness (from the English. Inclusion — the creation of conditions in which people with different characteristics and preferences can take the same part in work processes), as well as health and well-being, has been discussed in HR communities for a long time. Today it is no longer necessary to prove that a physically and mentally healthy employee is much more profitable for the company than a burnt-out employee with chronic fatigue. This is important not only from an ethical and social point of view, but also from the point of view of involvement in the work of the team: modern companies need a person who is ready to demonstrate high results.

How to create conditions in which employees will feel comfortable? When designing an office space, it is important to take into account several factors.

Firstly, all people are very different, and for some, the office may seem like a «paradise», and for others — a place with unbearable working conditions. For example, a classic open space may not be suitable for employees who prefer to work in solitude and silence. For some, the decisive factor will be the presence of game rooms or recreation areas with table tennis, hammocks or the opportunity to meditate.

It’s hard to please everyone and it’s hardly necessary, but you can try to make sure that each employee can find a place to their liking and feel like part of the team. For example, an office space may include several zones: open space, offices for individual work, recreation areas, meeting rooms of various types (large and spacious for meetings, small and more secluded for discussing confidential issues).

Secondly, details are needed that will help to take into account the preferences and characteristics of each employee. It is important to make sure that the office is easy to get to for employees or guests with disabilities, to equip a room for new mothers, to allocate space where colleagues can dine if they want to bring food with them.

Finally, landscaping and the presence of natural light are extremely important — the latter directly affects our mood and energy levels during the day.

Give colleagues «freedom of movement» around the office

More and more companies are trying to implement the concept of an innovative workspace (WPI — workplace innovation), the main principle of which is that specific jobs are not assigned to employees. Everyone chooses the place that he likes best — in the epicenter of open space or in a closed room.

According to statistics, only 70% of employees are in the office every day — the remaining 30% spend time on business trips, with clients, work remotely or are on sick leave. The WPI approach helps not only to optimize costs, but also to increase the level of employee engagement and bring more flexibility to work processes.

At first glance, the idea sounds revolutionary: not everyone can imagine that, having come to work in the morning, they will find that their place has already been taken by someone. However, in practice, most employees perceive this approach positively: according to a survey conducted after the introduction of WPI, almost 80% do not want to return to the way it was before.

Although there are those who do not like the innovation: they prefer to come early and take their favorite places. It is especially difficult to get used to innovation for people with more conservative views and the need for «their own corner» at work. It is important to understand the reasons for dissatisfaction: it is possible that such an approach does not allow an employee to work effectively with confidential data. Such cases must be taken into account and provide the opportunity for solitary work.

In general, a flexible schedule and the ability to work remotely have a positive effect on employee engagement and productivity — both «larks» and «owls» are satisfied. As a rule, the transition to flexible working hours does not require additional investments from the employer, the main condition is trust in employees.

Pay attention to the psychotypes of employees

Various factors can influence the formation of our preferences: environment and environment, value system, culture and upbringing, as well as our psychological type. Even Carl Jung considered the formation of personality as a result of the dynamic interaction of the four preferences and the environment. Jung developed a method for determining the type of personality with a description of characteristic preferences and behavior patterns. In the future, his theory acquired more applied forms that are now widely used in business (for example, MBTI, Insights Discovery).

Of course, no typology can explain the whole versatility of the human personality. However, knowing different preferences, understanding and accepting them helps us improve our communication skills, build relationships more effectively and better understand the nature of conflicts and the motives of other people’s actions.

In business, preference theory is actively used, for example, when building teams or working with employees on an individual basis, when it is necessary to analyze strengths and potential “blind spots”. Given the characteristics and preferences of a person, you can, for example, choose the right time, place, format of the meeting and the content of the conversation. For some, personal contact is important, while others will be happy to receive a letter without the need for a personal meeting.

On the one hand, knowledge of the characteristics of psychological personality types helps to expand our understanding of the behavior of other people and find an approach to each, on the other hand, it can become a serious limiter in our judgments and conclusions about others in an attempt to “drive” a person into a certain pattern of behavior.

Moreover, according to the behavior of a person, we can incorrectly consider his type. It is known that each of us can develop skills inherent in another type: an introvert can extrovert — and vice versa. As in everything, balance is important: we use, but do not get carried away.

Heterogeneous teams: benefits and effectiveness

Does this mean that in the process of selecting a team, one should strive to bring together professionals with similar preferences in work, ensuring harmony and understanding? There is no single answer to this question. It all depends on the tasks that the company sets for itself.

In homogeneous teams, employees quickly find a common language and common ground than representatives of heterogeneous teams. But if a leader expects innovative ideas, out-of-the-box moves, and the ability to effectively solve complex problems from a team, then teams with more diverse experience, competencies, and approach to work cope with such a task better. And in this case it is necessary to create the most favorable working conditions for each of the participants.

Of course, it is not easy to manage such a team — it is more likely that misunderstandings and conflicts will arise. A heterogeneous team may take longer to overcome internal contradictions before becoming a highly effective group of peers. Perhaps the employees will “finish” the office for themselves. The task of the leader is not only to form such a team by bringing together talented people with diverse backgrounds in one place, but also to create an environment in which such a team can work to the maximum of its capabilities.

Here are some tips on how to succeed when working with a heterogeneous team:

• Create a psychologically supportive environment in which each team member will feel comfortable, even if their point of view differs from that of the leaders or other members of the group. The conditions should be such that a person with an alternative opinion wants to express it and is not afraid to offer ideas.
• Team development is a natural process. However, team leaders can improve it by developing a structured approach to building teamwork. Together with employees, think over a “team development map”, which will include a set of activities. By sharing quality time within the team, the level of trust will increase, people will interact better and form common goals.
• Set ground rules for teamwork. Despite the fact that all participants are different, they must adhere to a single code of conduct.
• Make sure that you have an effective decision-making system and a competent approach to resolving problems and conflicts in your team in your arsenal.
• It is important to know the environment and context in which the team operates and to consider all conditions when developing strategy and setting goals.
• Feel free to ask questions. A proven way to understand the atmosphere within a team is to ask its members about it. Involve them in this process using group techniques that will help you get to know the mood of the team.
• Treat each other well, relax together and celebrate successes.

Do you remember how long we are at work? That is why it should be held in a positive and friendly atmosphere, where people will respect each other and take into account mutual interests. And here, a comfortable workspace plays an important role.