+ 63 % of productivity, + 137% of creativity and a profit of 30 euros per hour per employee: this is the difference between a conventional office and a workplace that favors collaborative working, with the latest standards in efficiency and innovation and fully aligned with the firm’s corporate culture. According to the first quantitative measurements of the management and design impact by CBRE, a regular physical activity, mindfulness courses and changing management training are also key factors to take into account.

In the previous article, we have talked about how CBRE, along with the Japanese University of Keio and the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, has designed the first pilot study for quantifying scientifically the impact of excellent office design in terms of productivity, creativity, and wellbeing. Here we’ll focus on the results.

Productivity (+ 63%) and creativity (+ 137%).

Using several psychological tests in order to measure the memory, concentration and reasoning cognitive skills of the participants, CBRE has calculated an increase of 62,15% of productivity in an excellent design office. While physical and mindfulness exercises and change management training has a slight impact in this kind of office ( +1%), in a conventional office they make the difference (+15%).

The taxonomy of creative thinking, instead, has shown a remarkable +137% of employees’ creativity when all key element, we have considered before, are mixed together. Nevertheless, the research reveals something important: an excellent design, without good changing management training, doesn’t have such a strong impact on creativity.

Wellbeing (+12,3%)

While mindfulness and physical training seems to be more relevant for increasing motivation (+4,59%), an office design that foster good environmental conditions, such as temperature, humidity, air quality, acoustics and lighting, not only improve the employees’ quality of sleep, but also increase their comfort (+12,3%) and their concentration (+12,3%)

So, how convenient is to invest in a collaboration and wellbeing centered office and in physical, mindfulness and changing management training?

Applying this increase calculated on a study group of 14 people to a 70 employees workplace, CBRE has calculated a profit of €30 per hour per employee. A million euro office, which is the investment for creating what we have defined an excellent working environment, generates an income that pays back the 49% of the investment the first year. This means that investment in an excellent office pays for itself in less than two years.

Text by Gabriele Masi.
Pictures from CBRELab report.