Designing the future workplace: why variety is key to employee success

Since the pandemic fast tracked the shift from office to hybrid working, there has been a growing debate surrounding where the future of work lies. For some organisations, this debate has culminated in employers issuing blanket mandates to support the return to office (RTO). For others, this has led to flexible hybrid work policies. Regardless of the approach, one question remains universal: how can we optimise the workplace for employee success?

This new focus inspired Leesman’s recent report, The Value of Variety, which surveyed 411,275 employees across nearly 1,600 workplaces, uncovering the critical role a diverse mix of workspaces plays in building an office that truly suits an employee’s purpose for commuting in.

The findings were clear: unassigned workplaces with a good variety of spaces consistently outperform assigned workplaces in delivering exceptional employee experiences. Of the offices with diverse options, such as ergonomic desks, cosy couches and soundproof booths, 65% offer an excellent experience to employees per the Leesman Index score (Lmi). Comparatively, just 17% of workplaces with poor variety provide the same experience.

The decision to implement assigned or unassigned workplaces is far from simple. Each approach has distinct advantages, and finding the right balance is important.

Assigned workplaces benefit employees who value personalisation, with 55% expressing satisfaction with their ability to customise their workstations. This feature is particularly important in a hybrid world where employees are used to customising their home offices. But, assigned workplaces tend to see higher in-office attendance: 15% of employees in assigned spaces work full-time in the office, compared to only 5% in unassigned settings.

A well-executed unassigned approach supports a wide range of activities, including private conversations, creative collaboration and relaxation. The data reveals that unassigned workplaces with good variety outperform the average assigned workplace in nearly every metric of employee workplace experience.

The Leesman Index highlights the significant impact of variety in unassigned workplaces. Offices with good variety scored, on average, an impressive 72.8 Lmi, compared to just 63.1 for those with poor variety. Activities like relaxing, private discussions and creative collaboration report gaps of 15 percentage points (pp) or more in employee perceived support between spaces with good variety versus those with poor variety.

This shows the critical importance of designing workplaces that offer diverse, purpose-driven spaces. Organisations considering unassigned seating must ensure that variety is central to their strategy and avoid falling into the one-size-fits-all hot-desking layout approach.

For organisations mandating RTO policies, the focus should not be on how often employees use the office but on ensuring their experience is outstanding when they do. The question to ask is not “How can we increase attendance?” but “How are employees using the office, and does it support their needs?”

The Value of Variety makes one thing clear: whether a workplace opts for assigned or unassigned seating, success depends on the quality and diversity of the spaces provided. Unassigned workplaces with good variety offer the best potential for improving employee experience, but if variety cannot be guaranteed, an assigned approach may be more effective.

As the workplace continues to evolve, organisations that prioritise variety and purpose-driven design will lead the way in supporting employee success. But perhaps, most importantly, understanding what good variety means for your employees and your organisation is crucial to getting it right, as there really is no one-size-fits-all solution to what good variety looks like.