At Spacestor we believe that people work where they feel good, and people who feel good do better. Workspace environments should drive employee engagement and build culture while being inspired by their surroundings. Over the last few weeks we have been exploring the most creative and innovative workspaces around the world designed to inspire those who work within the business and encourage a happier, more sociable work environment. Over the years, a workplace has changed to a workspace.  From where everything was standardised and the same, to individuality.  From cold, grey developments, to vibrant, dynamic environments which are a physical extension of the company's brand.  Somewhere you go where you feel good. As explained in an office space article by Entrepreneur reporter, Lana Bortolt; ‘What works, industry experts say, is a space that fosters transparency, offers multiple choices as to how and where to work and an environment that imitates life outside the office.’ Today, there is a better balance between work and home, with furnished open social areas bringing the outside in, such as our Zee bench desk which seamlessly blends nature and design.  Employees can enjoy a better work-life balance, encouraging staff to be more open to group discussions and becoming a network of teams, rather than a pyramid of authority. As explored in an article written by LSM Design firm founder, Debra Lehman Smith for the Guardian, a recent study commissioned by Cabe found that ‘24% of people in the workforce felt that the office environment was responsible for their job satisfaction. In addition, 91% of mid- to senior-level managers believed that layout directly affected staff performance, with those who understood their employer's mission and business aspiration feeling more engaged.’ Companies’ employees should be proud of their work and the brand that they work for which is why we are so passionate about creating a space with innovative products for employees to enjoy what they do and enjoy going to work. Not only does this help retain incredibly talented staff, it may be the missing ingredient in attracting top talent in a highly competitive industry. A study was carried out at the University of Warwick to explore how happiness impacts on a person’s productivity and work ethic. The experiments carried out concluded that happiness made people 12% more productive. Economics Professor, Andrew Oswald explains; “Companies like Google have invested more in employee support and employee satisfaction has risen as a result. For Google, it rose by 37%, they know what they are talking about. Under scientifically controlled conditions, making workers happier really pays off.” -Professor Oswald – University of Warwick. Creative companies such as Lego embrace activity based working meaning employees can work more freely around the office space,with no fixed position or hierarchy in the workspace. From being able to sit at a random desk, to a meeting pod is what makes the well known term 'agile working', which Spacestor encourage in many of our products. Our Railway Carriages give employees a chance to work away from intense boardroom environments and offer a collaborative approach to working, as does our Zee Bench Desk also offering an informal and sociable workspace . In some circumstances, redecorating and updating an entire office may not be the option for you and you may be in an office where desks are assigned to you. There are many ways to improve productivity and employee happiness even if your workspace doesn’t promote agile working. This article from Lifehack.com explains how having personal items on your desk reminds you of your life outside of work which could stimulate happiness, and improve your productivity too. Simple changes such as colour also can have an impact on how employees work. Following from a recent post about the fresh and innovative Microsoft headquarters in Vienna, introducing a cleverly thought out colour scheme in the work place can boost creativity. Green has been said to be the universal colour to improve productivity and also create a calming environment while the colour yellow is known for stimulating creativity and optimism. As more and more people become inspired by creative office environments and procedures, its essential to know that the effect of having the right furniture, design and accessories in your workplace can reward you with the most talented employees at their happiest and thus, their best professionally. Want to know more of how to make your workspace a happier place to be? Click here to get in touch.