Why designing a home-from-home workplace can improve company culture

Flexible working is here to stay, but what makes it so appealing to your employees?

Considering this question can help business leaders determine which characteristics need to be captured and transferred to your workplace, which in turn will help maintain its position as a central hub for both activity and collaboration.

Research shows that creating a “home-from-home” environment could be the key.

Comfort: A big benefit of flexible working

Flexibility is one of the most desired benefits for employees when job hunting, which may explain why only 30% of UK companies have a workforce that operate fully on site today.

This compares to almost 60% before the pandemic.

Employees believe there are lots of benefits to working from home, then, whether that be a better work-life balance or cutting the commute time to the office.

One benefit that may have gone under the radar, however, is the element of comfort and relaxation of being able to work from our own preferred space.

For those businesses that want to see their staff in the office more, even if it’s just an extra day a week, working to replicate this cosiness could be one of the easiest methods to draw employees back.

And for those companies that are simply unable to offer flexible working, showing your team that you still care for their wellbeing and happiness through a workplace redesign could go a long way.

A home-from-home workplace is closer than you think

It’s important to remember that what feels like home for one employee could be different for another.

Whether you opt for a light or luxury feel, one thing is certain; it’s a good idea to move away from the traditional workplace setting with closed offices, traditional desks, and the like.

Bespoke, domestic-style finishes don’t need to blow a hole in your budget, yet they’ll still go a long way to overhauling the atmosphere of your premises.

Let’s consider different rooms of the home when trying to establish how you can transfer such characteristics into your premises.

• Living Room

The living room is where we usually go to relax, so why not ensure your breakout area or staff canteen encompasses the same comfy theme?

Gone are the days when the workforce stayed loyal to the uniformity of uncomfortable tables and chairs for breaks. Now business leaders must think soft touches like sofas, cushions, coffee tables and warmer lighting.

Moreover, consider what you do in the living room and consider some of these amenities when redesigning your workspace.

Whilst the importance of breakout areas was previously squashed in favour of offices and desks, now is the time to reconsider. Sofas and TV’s help encourage employees to relax in their surroundings, which in turn can boost productivity.

This “softer design” is more akin to a living room than an office environment.

• Kitchen

They say the kitchen is the heart of the home. It is also where you go if you want something to eat or drink, so you could use this space for further inspiration.

Large kitchen and dining tables don’t just look smart, they also encourage collaboration amongst colleagues by bringing everyone together, in the same way they do at home during mealtimes.

This doesn’t just have to be in a professional sense, either. It can simply be for moulding friendly relationships on a personal level to help create a stronger working culture.

Then there’s the refreshments themselves. Everyone knows tea and coffee is a staple of the working day, so placing a quality coffee machine in your kitchen or breakout area is a great way to ensure staff remain satisfied.

Nobody wants the kettle anymore when they know coffee outlets in the high street aren’t too far away from work.

Furthermore, providing vending machines for fresh food, snacks, and cold drinks in addition means you are delivering the complete refreshment solution on site.

Why would staff need to head to the supermarket or high street for their breaks, and risk lost work time, when the quality they crave is in their workplace?

How to deliver a home-from-home workplace

Between our Micro Market solution and vending machine services from Coinadrink Limited, we offer more than just refreshments.

We help mould a modern workplace that better meets the demands of your employees, in line with that all important home-from-home workplace.

A fresh bean coffee machine doesn’t just provide much better coffee than the kettle, in less than 60 seconds, it promotes a happier, more engaging break time with colleagues that can ease stress and improve wellness.

Meanwhile, our Express Refreshments Micro Market offers more than just 24/7 refreshments that’s particularly ideal for sites that engage in flexible working. It instead delivers a stunning employee perk that can be further enhanced with cosy amenities.

Especially since the Covid-19 pandemic, we have completed lots of briefs for a total workplace redesign, putting our refreshment services at the heart.

 A suite of vending machines, from snacks to cold drinks, can be housed in grand surrounding complete with your corporate branding and colours.

And the Micro Market can be central to a bespoke breakout area equipped with comfy seating, flat screen TV’s and more.

Because today’s employees more than just simple perks. They require genuine value from their site.

A home-from-home workplace starts here

With 40% of respondents from one survey saying their company has embraced flexible working in the last 12 months, it’s good to see that organisations are listening to requirements outside the workplace.

It’s now time to place more priority on requirements inside the workplace, especially if you want to get your team back to the office that little bit more.

Talk to us to get more advice on the subject, and how our refreshment solutions from a small office coffee machine to a purpose-built Micro Market can be a fantastic starting point.