Designing for Resilience Designing for Resilience, Stress and Burnout, Manage Stress at Work, Stress Management at Work

This experience is best viewed in landscape. Please rotate your device.

Tap anywhere to continue

More on Resilience

Applications

Stress & Resilience

Stress & Burnout

Create spaces that reduce employee stress and help companies build a resilient workforce with the ability to “bounce back” from adverse conditions.

Designing for Resilience

Who is at Risk?

When design and culture align in a workplace that mitigates potential stressors, it benefits both employees and the company.

Stress & Burnout

Stress is the result of any situation that demands more effort and attention from a person than they have readily available to give— hindering their ability to respond.

Resources for Resilience

Creating environments with SPS individuals’ needs in mind can help them—and an organization’s entire workforce—feel more comfortable and less stressed, fostering both well-being and performance.

The short answer is: everyone. But, it’s estimated that up to 30% of people feel stress more acutely than others due to sensory processing sensitivity (SPS).

Who is at Risk?

30%

of people have a level of sensory processing sensitivity

What is SPS?

It is also common in people with conditions such as: • ADHD • anxiety • autism • PTSD Because of their heightened sensitivity to stressors, SPS individuals are at a greater risk for experiencing chronic stress and burnout.

SPS is a personality trait that refers to an individual’s tendency to process stimuli and information on a more intense level.

Sensory Processing Sensitivity

Applications

If workplace resources are lost or lacking, job demands can easily become overwhelming and destructive to well-being and performance. Companies that offer a supportive culture and comfortable spaces with tools and features that help mitigate stressors will be more successful in attracting and retaining an engaged, high-performing, resilient workforce.

Stress occurs when people feel they don’t have the resources they need to overcome incoming stressors and challenges.

Resources for Resilience

Highest Impact Workplace Design Resource Categories

User Control

Adjustable surfaces, chairs, task lighting, vertical screens, speech privacy

User Control

Accessibility of Cowokers

Proximity to coworkers for knowledge sharing and collaboration

Accessibility of Coworkers

Tools & Tech

Task-specific tools and collaborative technology

Tools & Tech

Space Variety

Workpoint choice, access to social, restorative, and collaborative spaces

Space Variety

Ambient Qualitites

Air quality, access to daylight, nature and natural elements, thermal comfort, freedom from noise

Ambient Qualities

Intuitive workspaces and tools, sight lines to coworkers, architectural differentiation for navigation and wayfinding

Legibility

rewatch

Stress & Burnout Who is at Risk? Resources for Resilience

@ 2023 Haworth, Inc.

Cookie Policy

More on Resilience

Applications

Stress & Resilience

Click the + icons to explore

Workplace culture is an important consideration in creating spaces that reduce stress and promote resilience. It is embodied by both social support and space design—communicating what is valued by the organization and supporting people with a variety of resources to help them feel comfortable, experience less stress, and perform successfully. Different culture types value workplace resources differently. Our research identified the top four resources for each culture type—as well as those for off-site workers—that have the most impact on mitigating stress and improving performance.

Culture and Design Resources

Collaborate Culture

Create Culture

Control Culture

Compete Culture

Off-Site

(All Cultures)

Collaborate Culture

Collaborate cultures seek long-term development for lasting results. They tend to be open, friendly, and relationship oriented. Most of their processes happen collaboratively, so they value teamwork, participation, and consensus. • Since knowledge and information sharing is key for the Collaborate culture, it is important to ensure all workers stay connected—physically, digitally, and virtually. • Collaborate teams are highly interruptible, visible, and transparent, so they prefer to have various types of social spaces embedded in their team space for spontaneous interaction and moments of restoration.

Space Variety

A “bar” creates a socializing space for meals and connection with coworkers; it’s also ideal for use as an alternate meeting area for collaborating and sharing.

Space Variety

Comfortable, residential-feeling restorative spaces let people step away from work to relax, unwind, and de-stress.

Ambient Qualities

Large windows adjacent to the workspace provide access to daylight to promote well-being.

Tools & Technology

Collaboration with on-site and off-site colleagues is supported through AV conferencing technology.

More about Collaborate Culture

Team Dynamic Space Preferences Examples

Collaborate Culture

Committed to their community and their work Access to each other in a safe and familiar place Human Resources Training & Development Customer Service Lifestyle Firms (e.g., daycare, exercise facility, caterer) Not for Profits Service Professions (e.g., nursing, counseling, teaching, ministries) Volunteer Groups

Collaborate Create Compete Control Off-Site

Create Culture

Create cultures thrive on brainstorming and developing new ideas to produce innovative solutions. They tend to balance independent work with collaboration, sharing their thoughts— often visually—with one another. These teams tend to value supportive resources the most out of the four culture types. • Create teams often shift between focus work and collaboration, so comfortable, flexible spaces for both are important. • Create teams are interruptible but prefer to work and brainstorm in spaces that are separated from external distractions.

Accessibility of Coworkers

Open spaces with flexible, mobile furnishings make it easy to interact with coworkers for coordinated efforts.

Space Variety

An easily accessible collaborative area features a large digital display for sharing and working with on-site and off-site colleagues, as well as a markerboard for the physical externalization of ideas.

Accessibility of Coworkers

Low individual workstation screens provide some support for focus work, but also allow the ability to easily see coworkers.

Ambient Qualities

Large windows adjacent to the workspace provide views of nature to promote well-being.

More about Create Culture

Team Dynamic Space Preferences Examples

Create Culture

Work together to pursue radical innovation and develop breakthrough ideas Opportunities for displayed thinking and separation from distractions Marketing Strategy New Product Development Media & the Arts Independent Contractors Entrepreneurs

Design Resources

Compete Culture

Compete cultures are made up of highly competitive dealmakers who value being the first to bring a solution to the market. United by a common goal and driven by profitability, teams must work quickly to accomplish results. Interactions are typically brief exchanges of information, knowledge, and updates. • The fast-paced environment of a Compete culture means that focus work, collaboration, and strategizing all happen at the same time, so dedicated spaces are needed for each of these activities. • Compete teams seek spaces for concentration, making acoustical management important, but they also need to be visible and interruptible for quick decisions that impact results.

Legibility

A presentation and collaboration area is clearly identified by design, with tables and seating surrounding a large-screen digital display, tackboard for physical artifacts, and a markerboard for the externalization of ideas.

Accessibility of Coworkers

Benching workstations provide easy access to coworkers to coordinate efforts and share knowledge/ideas.

Legibility

Design visually defines spaces, and architectural elements, such as dropped ceilings and glass walls, provide wayfinding cues.

Accessibility of Coworkers

Low individual workstation screens provide some support for focus work, but also allow the ability to easily see coworkers.

More about Compete Culture

Team Dynamic Space Preferences Examples

Compete Culture

Intensely competitive and motivated toward speedy, profitable outcomes Support for quick conversations while working toward daily objectives Sports Finance Energy & Utilities Brand Management Consumer Products Investment Services Business Development & Sales

Control Culture

The Control culture is all about long-term development, efficiency, and doing things right. Team members are problem solvers driven by data, process, and policies. They follow set rules and standards for accuracy and quality. Control culture teams track their progress through charts and graphs, which they formally share. • Most work is done in individual workstations separated by panels and screens to help block distractions and provide some privacy; proximity to one another—both physically and virtually—enables efficiencies. • Nearby group spaces with AV conferencing technology accommodate scheduled, structured group meetings, while providing private spots for confidential conversations.

Space Variety

Workstations have easy access to resources for focus work, while nearby spots offer choice in individual workpoint with support from collaborative tools, walls for privacy, or just a different perspective.

User Control

Workstation panels and screens block distracting views for focus work, while creating space to display ideas.

Tools & Technology

Collaboration with on-site and off-site colleagues is supported through AV conferencing technology in the meeting area.

User Control

Separate meeting rooms provide greater privacy for in-person, virtual, or phone conversations.

More about Control Culture

Team Dynamic Space Preferences Examples

Control Culture

Thrive on internal processes, seeking stability and mastery in their work Efficient and well organized, in harmony with architectural design = Operations Management Engineering & Sciences Legal Departments Government & Military Medicine Computer & Information Services Construction & Manufacturing

Off-Site Spaces

Regardless of culture, off-site workers have their own specific resource needs. Being remote, they place greater value on connection to their work and team. They also like to be comfortable and in control of their workspace. Here are some ways to help ensure off-site workers’ resource needs are met. • Provide technology tools—software and hardware—that enable easy access and connection to coworkers. • Offer remote workers options for adjustable desks and chairs. Task lighting can also put them in control of their home office space. • Provide guidance on an efficient, comfortable home office setup with ambient qualities to keep workers comfortable and productive.

User Control

Tackbords and screens can keep tools and reference materials handy, while personalizing the workspace.

A height adjustable desk, ergonomic chair, and desktop task light allow people adjust the workspace for their personal comfort throughout the day.

User Control

Accessibility of Coworkers + Tools & Technology

Instant connections and virtual meetings with team members are held using collaborative technology.

Ambient Qualities

For a soothing connection to nature, greenery and natural lighting bring the outdoors in.

Culture Types and Stress

Spaces and resources that align with workplace culture keep people connected to one another and the company’s values to help people feel comfortable and supported at work. Classifying organizations and teams under four main culture types allows us to better understand how they work and which resources are important to them for reducing stress and improving performance. Collaborate: Long-term development – Do things that last Create: Innovation – Do new things Compete: Competition – Do things now Control: Standards and process for quality – Do things right

@ 2023 Haworth, Inc.

Cookie Policy

More on Resilience

Applications

Stress & Resilience

Visit the Resilience landing page at haworth.com for an overview of stress and resilience in the workplace, along with links to research, the eBook, and this presentation. Our research shows that when companies invest in the right resources for their employees, it can reduce stress, enhance performance, and improve the bottom line. Download our Resilience eBook to learn more about building a happy, healthy, high-performing, resilient workforce that’s ready for the future. Read our white paper on resilience to gain a deeper understanding of the effects of stress and burnout in the workplace. Learn more about the six top workplace resources we identified in our research and why they are so important in reducing stress, fostering well-being, and supporting performance. Hear from key members of Haworth’s Workplace Research team in the webinar, who will share their insights on stress and how organizational culture policies, and design can provide workplace resources that individuals and companies need to be more resilient—and successful.

More on Resilience

The Importance of Resilience What Businesses Need to Know Get the Research Designing for Resilience Webinar

How Do You Enhance Resilience in the Workplace? Buffer stress and prevent burnout by design 3 Leadership Priorities to Foster Resilience Help people thrive in the Work from Anywhere ecosystem How Stress Impacts Your Bottom Line and What You Can Do about It Help employees feel safe, comfortable, and supported in the workplace Don’t Let Your Best People Burn Out How culture and workspace design can reduce stress—for everyone

Spark Articles

Culture + Space Presentation Creating Organizational Cultures That Thrive on Change Return to Work(place): Our Point of View