Why the office is essential for collaboration?

The office post-Covid-19

While most people have now returned to work post-Covid, the need for office collaboration is greater than ever.

Over the last two years many of us have successfully transformed parts of our home into temporary offices, however, many have also missed the buzz of the office.

We have all become used to meetings over Zoom or Teams, they have made working from home much easier but simplifying the sharing of documents and projects online.

However, you’d probably agree it doesn’t compare to doing things face-to-face.

The office can play an essential role in influencing and facilitating collaboration and innovation.

It is a place where ideas are shared, solutions found, and relationships are built, which in turn increases productivity, efficiency, motivation, and helps to create a working environment that cannot be replicated at home.

It allows employees to work faster and more effectively, think differently, and learn from others to improve their skills and develop the business.

Let’s look at five key elements behind the office being essential to collaboration.

1. Better together

It’s often said two brains are better than one, and this is never more true when it’s to do with work.

Tricky tasks can be easier to solve together, and creativity can thrive when you’re able to talk directly to someone else who’s working on the same project as you.

It can also save time too, you don’t need to do things by email and the workload can be shared.

2. Enhanced feedback

Collaboration is a two-way process, where both parties can feel comfortable providing feedback to each other, good and bad.

It’s easier to come up with ideas together and it’s easier to give meaningful feedback face-to-face.

Things like body-language, facial expressions, and getting difficult points across can be more successful on a face-to-face basis.

3. Improved (head)space

A lot of offices have spaces designed for face-to-face collaboration.

This might be a meeting room, breakout space, or even a section of the office with sofas or beanbags where you can go and meet someone away from your desk.

Areas like this can make you feel more creative and energised – especially if you grab a coffee at the same time and put you in a different headspace to sitting at your desk.

4. Team building

Another benefit of collaboration in the office is how well it can build teams.

Being in the same location means you can get to know and understand each other well.

Simply seeing and working with someone every day makes forming a relationship much easier, and, of course, team building activities work much better face-to-face in an office than they do online.

5. A shared purpose

Employees who share a workspace often share a sense of place too. Their office is where they feel at home when they’re away from home.

If they share a sense of place, they’re far more likely to have a shared purpose about the work done at that place too, leading to a willingness to collaborate and work together effectively.

So, there you have it. If you want your team to collaborate efficiently, the office really is essential.

St James Business Centre is an 80,000 sq. ft. building offering serviced, conventional, and virtual office space to rent in Warrington town centre, close to train stations and with extensive on-site parking. We also offer co-working space for anyone needing flexible working without the demands of permanent office space.

Our meeting and conferencing facilities, plus spacious internal courtyards in Warrington means your business has access to everything it needs under one roof. Contact us for more information.