The importance of workplace collaboration - and how we do it

In a post-Covid world forever changed – we in the creative industries are revelling in the return of in-person collaboration in the workplace. In the dark days of Covid homeworking, we struggled to replace the way we work together, bounce off each other, and cooperate, in the abundance of online environments. Now fully reintegrated into our spectacular open plan office in East Kilbride, we wanted to talk a little about how we’re celebrating collaboration and how important it is to our creativity and our work.

Flexibility across the floorplan

We know better than anyone the effects that interior design can have on human behaviour, and this is especially true in the case of workplace design. So, it’s only right that our own offices are beacons of best practice when it comes to workplace layout.

Step into our office and you’ll be welcomed by a bright, airy, open plan space – where chatter, ideas, and inspiration flow freely from one team member to another. We also have branch out spaces; private areas where people can go to work quietly when they feel the need. This is based on a well-researched concept – freedom of movement. Having freedom of movement within a workplace (that includes diverse working areas, social areas, and private spaces for the use of all employees) is said to increase productivity by 75% [1] and reduce isolation by a staggering 86%.

We also have areas tailored to socialising – not necessarily related to work. We have a dedicated coffee area, high table, and a lunch area, so that the team can eat together if the notion takes them. Our largest meeting room is in close proximity to the ‘library’ so that we can easily pull-out materials and samples during discussions. We also have installed a large TV which can be used for project review workshops, inspiration and presentations.

We also use the TV and our panoramic video kit for Teams and Zoom meetings. This technology makes it easy for our team to regularly collaborate with our clients and project teams when in the office.

The effects of all of the above? A happy, healthy team whose creativity is free to flow in our flexible and dynamic office.

Being truly collaborative in ways of working

Each week is kick-started by a team meeting, led by our Co-Founder, Dawn. This in-person meeting gives us all a chance to spend some time together, de-brief from the weekend before we start to discuss the week’s priorities, deadlines, and summarise each project and any ideas we’ve had since our last discussion.

This meeting also gives our team a chance to raise any opportunities for collaboration. If someone needs help, wants some additional input, or a brainstorm with the wider team they can then arrange a workshop with their colleagues. These workshops are more project specific. It’s an informal, open environment where there no such thing as a bad idea.

We pride ourselves on having a range of experience and specialisms on the team, and coming together in these meetings and workshops, gives us all the opportunity to truly collaborate and learn from each other.

The business benefits of collaboration

These small ways in which we put collaboration at the forefront of our processes and workspace, bring us an abundance of business benefits. Here are but a few…

Better problem solving: No two people think in exactly the same way. And so, the more brains the better when it comes to solving complex design issues!

Better productivity: Socialising with each other is part and parcel of collaborating. Chatting, getting excited and having open discussion was shown in a recent study [2] as the number #1 reason for employees performing well at work.

Increase in shared learning: We’re dedicated to fostering new design talent at Bell & Swift, so learning from each other is key to that development. But don’t doubt that we all learn from each other – there’s no room for individual egos in an effective team.

More diverse design: As designers, we all soak up inspiration from the world around us. When we come together, the ideas and discussions are brighter and bolder than when we’re working in isolation.

A key element of creativity

Through fostering an environment of collaboration, we as a business, can provide the very best design solutions for our clients, which is important to us. But it’s not always easy to do. We continually practice limitless thinking, acceptance of each other’s ideas and make time for group discussion (which, in projects with tight deadlines, isn’t always simple). It’s a choice to dedicate ourselves to this way of working, one which, in our experience, doesn’t yet have an effective online alternative.

Beyond our output; it’s good for our people. Collaboration is not just great from a creative perspective; it’s makes us happy too. Recent research [3] suggests that 70% of surveyed employees who were “satisfied” with their job, collaborated on a weekly basis. We want that for our team, for ourselves and for anyone we partner with.

If you ever want to discuss the importance of interior design on workplace collaboration and wellbeing, get in touch with our team!

[1] Findings from the Harvard Business Review: https://hbr.org/2014/10/workspaces-that-move-people

[2] TINYpulse Employee Engagement and Organizational Structure Report https://www.tinypulse.com/resources-infographic-what-hr-leaders-need-to-know-about-employee-engagement

[3] WeWork study https://www.wework.com/ideas/professional-development/survey-finds-that-collaboration-is-key-to-employee-happiness