Office Design in the age of #MeToo
August 22, 2018
Unless you’ve been on a remote island or living in a cave for the past few months, you know that there have been 1,000’s of victims of sexual harassment speaking out. This sad phenomenon has impacted all our modern institutions, from media to government to business and even places of worship. It’s also impacts both women and men and everyone from hourly workers to licensed professionals can be a victim.
Did you know that as a Commercial Real Estate decision maker, you can have an impact on both reducing opportunities for bad actions and making the workplace better for those who are suffering from the aftermath of sexual harassment?
Here are five places to look to ensure that your workspace is a healthy one: reducing the opportunity for offenders while creating a feeling of safety for the traumatized.
1) Eliminate dark, scary places. Do you have hallways and stairwells that are poorly lit? Adequate lighting is a deterrent for perpetrators and increases the comfort level of using the space for everyone. If you are keeping the lights off to reduce energy usage, consider installing lights come on in response to motion in the space.
2) Open plan offices had some drawbacks in terms of focus and privacy, but these arrangements are ideal for decreasing opportunities for harassment incidents. Start with an open plan, then add necessary options and design features as needed for maximum productivity for everyone in your workspace.
3) Glass walls are a great design element to add to your office space. In addition to making the space more modern and appealing, it allows privacy for conversations while allowing visual access to what’s happening behind closed doors.
4) Allow your workers choice in where and when to do their jobs. Offering flexible hours and the option of working remotely are both tools that employers use to attract workers and to increase productivity. Offering options can help workers who have suffered from harassment feel safer and keep doing their jobs productively.
5) Create a private meditation/wellness/prayer room. Many businesses of all sizes are incorporating this type of space into their office layout. Doing so can be a triple win by
- providing a peaceful haven for people who are dealing with stress, for those who incorporate spiritual practice into their daily routine or for people who just need a few minutes to detox from sensory overload
- showing all employees that you care about them, not just as cogs in your machine, but as human beings
- previously unused and perhaps unsightly space can be transformed into a simple, peaceful space that enhances the quality of life in your workspace
There is good news in all of this. By taking the time to evaluate your workplace and addressing the issues you find, you will increase morale and productivity. Further, the sooner your weave these concepts into business terms for landlord discussions the better.
If your current lease is expiring soon and you are considering making a change, give us a call to discuss how we can help.
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