The tendency accompanying the influx of digital communication tools into the workplace can be to sit back. Emails get bounced off co-workers sharing the same table while SMS or chat messaging substitutes for what once required an in-person interaction. What skills are lost in the absence of face-to-face conversation are compounded by the fact that modern communication tools can have a negative effect on worker stress and productivity, leaving some companies questioning how central a role they should play, or even disallowing them altogether.
While it is unlikely any of these communication tools are going to disappear entirely in the near future, we wanted to know if design can play a central role in getting employees to engage with one another on a personal level. As part of our investigation into workplaces of the future, researchers of PSFK Labs explored the idea of workspaces becoming ‘actively communal.
In this sense, objects and technologies in the office could facilitate how workers collaborate and create shared experience with one another for the purposes of developing stronger office culture. Rather than co-workers sharing ideas through screens on a minute-to-minute basis, design can prompt real life conversations that can lead to more impassioned topics and shared interests.
The concepts outlined below foster a more social environment, offering meeting points that create greater opportunities for collision, conversation and culture:
Coffee for Two:
K-cup machines were created to help individuals get their quick caffeine fix, though they only allow one person to operate them at a time. The Coffee for Two machine concept includes three coffee pod slots and will only start when at least two of them are filled. This requires people to designate a coffee buddy anytime they require a cup. If their teammates are currently busy, they can make the extra cup and deliver it to someone in the office, quickly creating a possibility for an unexpected in-office connection.
PSFK Labs Rationale: Despite the ample time employees spend with their coworkers, it is difficult for employees to get to know those around them outside of their work identity. Creating a shared experience around a social activity that doesn’t revolve around meetings, projects or deadlines allow people to extend conversation beyond small talk and form more personal connections. Incrementally, these relationship builders will transpire into an overall improved work environment.
Office Jukebox:
Music is a ubiquitous part of the modern workplace, whether playing through a sound system or in a pair of headphones. The Office Jukebox lets the entire office equally contribute tunes to one shared, collaborative playlist. Through Bluetooth, each person can load up to eight tracks from their phones or computer to a plastic disc. After placing their disc in the queue, the jukebox will play each disc in the order it was received so everyone has their chance to contribute to the office setting.
PSFK Labs Rationale: Headphones can act as great tools for productive, creative work, but also hinder face-to-face conversations from taking place. By creating a shared playlist, employees are encouraged to remove them when they act as barriers to communication and participate in co-creating a more collaborative environment.
The Black Spot:
Whether it be cleaning lunch dishes in the sink, taking out the garbage or manning the reception desk during a colleague’s break, everyone is responsible for contributing in a small office. The Black Spot, a small puck, is a simple solution to delegating tasks: it sits on the desk of the person in charge of a specific activity at any given time. After they have completed their duty, they can surreptitiously place it on a colleague’s desk to pass along the job.
PSFK Labs Rationale: The Black Spot removes the ambiguity of assigning people to office chores. Rather than a team of people looking to one another for communal participation in otherwise mundane tasks, the Black Spot acts as a playful game to keep the office in order.
Interruptible Headphones:
As aforementioned, wearing headphones in an open office can outwardly signal do not disturb. However, headphones can also act as a personal workspace and fuel more productive work habits. The interruptible headphones can pair with any other headphones and alert co-workers of which one they’re plugged into. A motion sensor at the edge of the listener’s desk will notify them if someone waves to catch their attention. A blue light signifies that the sensor is on and people are welcome to ask questions; alternatively, when the sensor is off, it glows red to allow for completely uninterrupted work time.
PSFK Labs Rationale: Co-workers often create an isolated bubble unintentionally when tuned in. Interruptible headphones enable them to listen to their music, as well as collaborate.
The task of facilitating a successful shared space is not a simple one: it requires a company-wide willingness to interact with our team members or otherwise at various points of the day. These community-building PSFK Labs’ product concepts help teams and offices address their operational challenges, looking at these concepts as a strategic solution to actively communal spaces.
Find more of the innovation work from PSFK Labs here and request a case study document today.
Lead Image: CC0 License
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