The Importance of Work-Life Balance: How Office Design Affects Employee Well-Being

A healthy work-life balance is not created by office design alone. Workloads, management expectations, working hours and personal circumstances all have a much greater influence on whether employees can switch off at the end of the day.

However, the working environment can still make everyday routines easier or more difficult. A suitable workspace can provide a clearer separation between work and home, support focused tasks and give employees somewhere appropriate to take breaks, meet colleagues and change activities.

For businesses choosing a new office, it is therefore worth considering how the space will feel and function during a normal working week, rather than judging it solely by its appearance.

Create A Clear Boundary Between Work And Home

Home working offers valuable flexibility, but it can also make the beginning and end of the working day less distinct. When a kitchen table, bedroom or living room doubles as an office, work can easily extend into personal time.

Travelling to a dedicated workspace creates a more obvious transition. Arriving at the office marks the start of the working day, while leaving provides a natural point at which to stop checking emails and thinking about unfinished tasks.

This separation may be particularly useful for sole traders, remote workers and employees who do not have a suitable home office. It does not mean that everyone needs to attend an office five days a week. Even occasional access to a professional workspace can provide structure when working from home becomes distracting or isolating.

Enterprise House offers hot desking in Malton for people who need an individual workstation on selected days. Current access hours and availability should be checked when booking.

Choose A Space That Supports Focused Work

A workspace should make it reasonably easy for people to complete the tasks expected of them. Noise, interruptions, unsuitable furniture and a lack of privacy can all make concentration more difficult.

The right environment will depend on the work being carried out. Someone writing reports may value a quiet desk, while a team developing a project together may need space for regular conversation. Employees making confidential calls or handling sensitive information will require greater privacy than those completing general administrative work.

Before choosing an office, consider:

• How much telephone and video-call activity takes place
• Whether employees need extended periods of quiet concentration
• How frequently colleagues work together in person
• Whether confidential conversations are common
• How many people are normally present at the same time
• Whether clients or suppliers regularly visit

A shared co-working area may suit a small collaborative team, while a furnished private office may be more appropriate where privacy and consistency are important. The Enterprise House workspace range includes hot desks, co-working areas, serviced offices and leased offices.

Pay Attention To Workstation Comfort

Employees who regularly use computers need workstations that are suitable for the tasks they perform. Chairs, desks, screens, keyboards and lighting should be arranged to support a comfortable working position.

Employers have responsibilities under display screen equipment regulations. Where employees regularly use display screen equipment as part of their normal work, the workstation should be assessed and any identified risks addressed.

A suitable assessment considers more than the chair alone. It should look at the complete workstation, including:

• The position and height of the screen
• The desk and available working space
• The keyboard and mouse
• The adjustability and support provided by the chair
• Lighting, reflections and glare
• The employee’s normal tasks and working routine
• Any individual requirements or disabilities

Moving into a furnished office does not remove the need to check that each workstation is appropriate for its user. Furniture and equipment may still need adjusting before work begins.

Make Use Of Natural Light Without Creating Glare

Natural light can make an office feel brighter and more pleasant, but windows need to work alongside the positioning of screens and desks.

Placing a computer directly in front of or opposite a bright window can create glare or reflections. Blinds, screen positioning and adjustable lighting may be needed to keep the workstation comfortable throughout the day.

Several of the workspaces shown at Enterprise House have large windows and natural light. Businesses arranging a viewing should visit the specific office they are considering and check how the lighting changes during their expected working hours.

It is also useful to consider whether employees can adjust blinds and artificial lighting themselves, particularly if they carry out detailed screen-based work.

Encourage Breaks Away From The Screen

Taking a break does not always mean leaving work for a long period. Short changes of activity can provide an opportunity to move, rest the eyes and return to a task with renewed attention.

Possible changes might include collecting a drink, speaking to a colleague, making a telephone call away from the screen or completing a different task. Where possible, employees should have some control over when they take these breaks rather than being expected to remain at the screen continuously.

A shared kitchen or informal seating area can give people somewhere to step away from their desk. Enterprise House lists kitchen facilities and soft meeting areas among the facilities available with several workspace types, although access to shared areas may be subject to availability.

Managers also need to support reasonable breaks in practice. Providing an attractive shared area has limited value if workloads or workplace culture make employees feel unable to use it.

Use Meeting Space For The Right Activities

Holding every discussion at someone’s desk can interrupt nearby employees and make confidential conversations difficult. Having access to a suitable meeting area allows teams to separate collaborative work from tasks requiring concentration.

A dedicated room can be useful for:

• Team planning sessions
• Training and presentations
• Private employee conversations
• Client and supplier meetings
• Interviews and recruitment discussions
• Longer video conferences

Smaller businesses may not need to maintain their own meeting room every day. Enterprise House provides a separate conference and meeting suite in Malton that can be hired when required.

Availability, equipment, room capacity and hire charges should be confirmed before arranging a meeting.

Support Different Working Patterns

Employees do not all work effectively in exactly the same way. Some prefer the routine and social contact of attending an office regularly, while others value quiet home-working days for tasks requiring concentration.

A flexible approach may allow a business to combine both. Teams can meet in person when collaboration is useful, while employees work remotely at other times where their role and circumstances allow it.

This should be supported by clear expectations. Employees need to understand when they are expected to attend, how desks or rooms are booked and which tasks are best completed together.

Flexible workspace can provide the physical setting for this arrangement, but employers still need suitable communication, management and workload practices. Simply allowing remote work does not guarantee a healthy balance if employees feel expected to remain available outside their agreed hours.

Consider The Wider Working Day

The location of an office can affect how the working day fits around personal responsibilities. Journey length, parking, public transport and access hours may all influence whether the workspace is practical for employees.

Before choosing a location, consider where staff travel from and when they need to arrive or leave. An office that works well for the business owner may be less convenient for other members of the team.

It is also important to confirm the permitted access times for the particular workspace. Enterprise House currently publishes different hours for some hot-desk, co-working and serviced-office options, so these details should be discussed before committing to a space.

Build Well-Being Into Everyday Working Practices

A well-designed office can support healthier working routines, but it cannot create them by itself. Employers also need to review workloads, communication habits, break arrangements and expectations outside working hours.

Useful steps may include:

• Setting realistic deadlines and workloads
• Avoiding unnecessary messages outside agreed hours
• Allowing reasonable breaks and changes of activity
• Providing suitable equipment and workstation assessments
• Giving employees opportunities to raise workplace concerns
• Reviewing whether hybrid arrangements are working fairly

The most effective workplace is one where the physical space and the organisation’s working practices support each other.

Find A Workspace That Fits Your Team

When viewing an office, think about how employees will use it throughout the day. Look beyond the appearance of the room and consider comfort, privacy, lighting, shared facilities, journey times and opportunities to step away from the desk.

Enterprise House offers flexible and private workspaces for individuals and businesses in Malton. To discuss the available options or arrange a viewing, contact the Enterprise House team.