Designing Tomorrow's Workspaces: Squaredot's Approach to Engagment and Inclusive Design

In today's dynamic work environment, fostering inclusivity and engagement is not just a priority but a necessity for businesses, organisations, and government agencies aiming to thrive. At Squaredot, as workplace consultants and designers we recognise the pivotal role of the physical environment in shaping organisational culture and employee experience, the need to stay agile and promote continuous learning and innovation to meet the demands of the modern workplace, as well as the balance between science and creativity in design.

We recently worked with a large government agency on a project where current and future ESG (Environment, Social and Governance) standards were a key part of the conversation, particularly when it comes to diversity and inclusivity. This can be a difficult task, as it is certainly not formulaic and each organisation has different factors to consider, however we believe it is one which should be done by all, so today we want to explore some of the key considerations around inclusivity, diversity, and ESG that we take into account with every client we work with.

People, Process, Place – Squaredots 3 P’s

First of all, we want to highlight our approach, and how that shapes every space that we design. Our approach to workspace consultancy and design revolves around three key pillars:

Your People: We engage, listen, and understand the needs of our clients and their employees. By observing how people interact with their environment, we gain valuable insights that inform our design decisions.

Processes and Activities: Understanding the workflows and activities of employees is essential for creating a workspace that supports productivity and collaboration. We analyse existing processes to identify opportunities for optimisation and efficiency improvements.

Place, Building, or Environment: Our designs optimise the physical workspace to meet the needs of the future. Whether it's reconfiguring office layouts or integrating sustainable features, we strive to create environments that inspire and support diverse work styles.

Embracing Enduring Changes

The workplace is undergoing significant transformations, which Sqauredot see as being driven by five enduring changes:

• Hybrid Working: The shift to hybrid work models is here to stay, requiring flexible and adaptable workspace designs that cater to both in-person and remote collaboration.
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: These are not just moral imperatives; they are essential for fostering innovation and creativity. Squaredot’s approach to design prioritises inclusivity, ensuring that every individual feels valued and supported, creating a sense of belonging while being inspired, invigorated and motivated, leading towards being more productive within their work.
• Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG): ESG standards underpin many of our decision-making processes, guiding us to create sustainable and socially responsible workspaces that positively impact both occupants of our work spaces, and the communities surrounding them.
• Close Connectivity with Nature: Biophilic design principles are integrated into our visions, connecting employees with nature to promote well-being, productivity, and creativity.
• The Ever-Evolving Digital Workplace: Technology plays a central role in the modern workplace, facilitating communication, collaboration, and productivity. Our designs seamlessly integrate digital tools and amenities to support the digital-first workforce without losing the human touch.

ESG Standards and Inclusive Design

ESG standards serve as a foundation for our design philosophy, guiding us to create workspaces that align with our clients' values and behaviours. Inclusive design is critical, ensuring that our spaces cater to the diverse needs of all occupants.

Investing money to make positive impact for others is nothing new, over the last 100 years it has been referred to under various names but the idea remains the same. By 2030, 76% of buildings across Europe will be at risk of obsolescence (C&W 2023) driven by new EPC ratings and eventual move to net zero. We must design and adapt buildings for both the occupancy and communities to help prevent this, and so ESG is becoming an increasingly bigger priority for us all, as well as to organisations who want to clearly demonstrate their corporate responsibility, values, and behaviours.

Neurodiversity in the Workplace

We recognise the importance of widening our approach to design to support neurodiverse individuals, and that creating “with and not for” is vital to demonstrate an understanding of trust and need. A common assumption is that neurodiverse individuals only desire calming spaces, when in reality some require more stimulation. By creating a variety of spaces with varying functions, we offer choice and flexibility to accommodate different sensory needs.

Sensory Design Considerations

Our designs evaluate spatial needs and consider the impact on all 8 senses we now recognise (much more than the 5 we were commonly taught in school!), including vision, hearing, smell, taste, touch, balance, temperature, and body awareness. From lighting and acoustics to texture and colour, every design element is carefully curated to create engaging and comfortable spaces.

Considerations based on these 8 sensory needs include:

• Lighting – avoiding direct light sources, ideally indirect light, using adjustable levels and colour temperature, variations to suite settings, considering light reflection and bright white surfaces.
• Acoustics – absorption, soft materials minimising sound reflection, distraction from ambient noise, choice of controlled settings.
• Texture – surfaces and materials that are engaging to touch, hygiene.
• Nature – plants and biophilic design, natural and living, taking design inspiration from natural forms, colours, and textures.
• Space – designing engaging spaces to inspire and support the appropriate needs for all.
• Ordered – Safe, considered, flexible and adaptable with an appropriate choice of settings.
• Personal and comfortable – creating spaces that enable users to feel safe and secure, mitigating the potential stress factors.
• Colour –not defaulting to a uniform bland scheme - variety and choice is key, creating areas that stimulate and perhaps are more vibrant than others that our quiet and calming.

In conclusion, designing tomorrow's workplace requires a holistic approach that considers the evolving needs of people, processes, and the environment, and above all listening to clients and employees. At Squaredot, we are committed to creating engaging, diverse, and inclusive workspaces that inspire creativity, foster collaboration, and promote well-being. Together, we look forward to shaping the future of work one innovative, inclusive design at a time.