Homification may be a new word to many; urbandictionary.com defines it as ‘the act of decorating one's office to make it more like home’. Although the word may not be common parlance, the idea of making the office more homely has certainly gained more traction, particularly in recent years. There are a range of factors that have brought homification of the office to the forefront – such as the considerable increase of hybrid working; the recognition of how working environment impacts employee acquisition and retention, and the growing prioritization of employee wellbeing in the workplace. This has resulted in some really creative and effective ways in which businesses are making their workplaces ‘more like home’.
Many businesses now actively encourage their employees to decorate their own work desks as they see fit, helping them to see their workspace as an extension of their home. Even if it’s just a couple of desk ornaments, some photographs of family and friends, a plant or two - giving employees this bit of creative freedom when it comes to their immediate workspace has been proven to boost staff morale and positively impact how they feel towards their workplace.
A key trend in modern workplace design focuses on the enhanced availability of collaborative space, with traditional individual desk/cubicle workplace layouts proving to be very detrimental to overall employee (and therefore business) performance. Research shows how effective it can be to provide opportunities for informal collaboration, with homely features like lounge spaces and even game rooms, becoming much more commonplace in modern offices.
Endless research highlights how basic environmental factors like lighting and heating can have a significant impact on employee morale and productivity. Again giving employees more individual control of these factors can help them feel much more comfortable at the office. Even a small gesture like providing small desk fans/heaters can have a huge impact. Where possible, it’s also a good idea to incorporate as much natural lighting as possible into the workplace.
For many people, the kitchen is the heart of their home. In most cases, the same can’t be said of the workplace. The kitchen can sometimes be the only place where employees from different teams/areas of the businesses interact, therefore it makes sense to exploit the opportunities that a proper communal dining area can provide. Creating a domestic-style kitchen/dining area with a large communal table and chairs is a growing trend in office design. A well designed dining area can provide a great way of encouraging interaction between more team members, bringing the work family together in a more practical way. When employees take the time to congregate in the dining area and socialize with one another, they grow more comfortable with their coworkers, as well as their environment. This leads to significantly reduced stress and anxiety, and, in turn, increased productivity.
