Are Airport Lounges the Ideal Workspace of the Future?
Airport lounges have solved the workspace of the future office design needs. They address the social, collaborative, team and productivity needs not found in the traditional work space nor in the new open office space.
Traditional and open office workspaces are flawed based on the following:
- Open office Is distracting
- Conscious mind is easily distracted
- Isolation limits collaboration
- Collaboration equals better results
- Collaboration needs conflict
- Conflict creates distractions for others
- Productivity needs focus
So, how does the airport lounge environment embody the new workspace of the future?
It’s important to distinguish between productivity and collaboration. While collaboration can sometimes be inefficient and slow, it is truly about creating something that is bigger than an individual while productivity is about time and effort.
Optimal Hybrid workspaces can provide multiple benefits
A hybrid environment incorporating the benefits of both the traditional work space and the new open office space is ideal. Some of the better airport lounges for frequent flyers are good examples of this. They are organized into four areas which create an optimal workspace: group, individual, focus and team.
Open and Traditional Offices don’t cut it anymore
Both workspaces present gaps in structure. The Open Office approach usually only includes two of the above areas – group and team. They have a shared space with lots of noise and another space for team meetings, but they lack quiet spaces. The traditional office also includes two – group and individual, but it lacks the communal area that promotes interaction and collaboration.
Building the perfect workspace
Input from employees is essential to building the workspace they will get the most from. It is key to focus on where work is done, and how it is done and design spaces around those insights. The airport lounge approach is an appealing mix of the areas key to boost productivity and foster collaboration.
