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Third space: exactly what your office is missing

Posted by Oliver Corrigan on Aug 22, 2017 8:00:00 AM
Oliver Corrigan
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More and more companies are becoming aware of the vast importance of taking care of their employees. The stress and happiness levels of the people who work for you are key, not least because they dictate how productive they will be.

A 2015 study conducted by the Social Market Foundation and the University of Warwick showed that happier workers were, on average, 12% more productive.

Company culture has a big impact on employee happiness and productivity. One of the most obvious ways to start to build a contented workforce is to improve your office space.

This is where third space comes in. Tech companies are leading the way here, with companies such as Social Chain, Adobe and Mother London all boasting impressive examples.

 

But what is third space?

Third space has traditionally been the title given to social spaces outside of the home or office. This usually encompasses less formal locations such as cafes, bars and community spaces.

Your local coffee shop is a great example of a third space. It’s a flexible location where you can meet with friends, relax with the newspaper or even get some work done on a laptop.

Though in the past third space has existed outside of the office, many companies are now coming round to the wisdom of incorporating it. Multinational giants such as Google and Amazon have long understood the importance of this, and now SMEs are starting to pick up on it too (take a look at some of the other things we can learn from inspiring office spaces here).

Adding third space doesn’t have to be complicated. It could be as simple as refurbishing an existing breakout area with attractive design and comfortable seating.

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Why is third space so important?

Not sure why third space is key? Below we’ve listed its main benefits:

 

1. It makes employees happier

It’s not rocket science: the better your office space, the happier your team members will be to spend time in it!

 

2. It boosts productivity

The happier and more engaged your employees are, the more productive they’re likely to be. There is also scientific evidence to suggest that providing a space for employees to take quality breaks in can make them more productive over all, increasing motivation in the workplace.

 

3. It promotes collaboration, innovation and new business

Having a space away from desks where colleagues and associates from different teams can mix, meet and chat with others promotes collaboration and better cross-team communication.

The chance conversations that can happen in this environment often lead to new innovations and better ways of working, and even new business - particularly where third space is shared with other organisations.

 

4. It can encourage creativity 

The Staples 2016 Workplace Index survey reported that only 36% of workers consider their desk the most inspiring place to work. Providing an alternative space could help the other 64% to get the ideas flowing.

 

5. It can attract new talent

The way we work is changing. Millennials in particular generally prefer to work in well-designed flexible spaces. Choosing an office with third space offers more flexible working opportunities and this is likely to attract new talent.

 

6. It can encourage employee loyalty

Not only can a well designed workspace attract new talent, it’s also likely to help you retain the talent you already have.

 

How important is third space at Carrwood Park?

We are big believers in the importance of third space.

Our serviced offices Leeds have the benefit of 4,500 square feet of shared third space. This consists of informal breakout areas designed to be flexible spaces for team members to meet, collaborate and work in.

How would you and your team make use of this space? Come for a visit and find out: we’d love to show you round.

Click here to book a viewing today



Topics: productivity, serviced offices, networking

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