In the early 1900s, the swivel chair became the office equivalent of Henry Ford’s assembly line.
After World War II ended, the first office “break rooms” were added in the hopes of luring and retaining the booming workforce.
The cubicle became the manifesto of Herman Miller designer Robert Propst in the mid ’60s, who famously said, “Today’s office is a wasteland, it saps vitality, blocks talent, frustrates accomplishment.”
The physical evolution of the office space could be a slideshow of modern U.S. history and design. More importantly though, the office today is also a barometer of mental health and a way for employers to show a commitment to employee happiness.
And that commitment is more important than ever. According to the Gallup 2023 report, 52 percent of workers in the United States are “quiet quitting,” or psychologically disengaging from their work. On the flip side, only about a third of workers are considered to be engaged and thriving at work.
Happiness at work can improve retention, and economists at the University of Warwick also found that happiness and productivity go hand in hand. Happy employees were found to be 12 percent more productive than those who had neutral or negative feelings about their work.
Built In spoke with two New York City tech companies that are using office space design to show a commitment to employee happiness.
Overview: monday.com created a workplace operating system to help teams run any process or project
NYC Office Location: 18th and Park, in the heart of Union Square
What are some of the amenities at monday.com that put employees front and center?
monday.com has so many amenities that put our employees front and center — everything from our free meals to our happy hours, massage chairs and arcade.
What I love about our office is that it was curated with our employees in mind. With over 250 people in our space, we have so many personalities and interests but each corner of our office caters to everyone. We have so many different areas that we can go to get work done and collaborate.
I think our office has over 30 different couches ... I am not joking, the comfiest one is on the fifteenth floor. Honestly, we spend a ton of time in our office — not because we have to, but because we love to.
What is your favorite spot in the office and why?
I think my favorite spot in our office is the arcade. During the day, it’s an awesome place to knock out some work while listening to some tunes and sitting on the couch. I love it because it’s a change of scenery and I get to hang out with folx who I typically wouldn’t interact with because they aren’t on my team.
When we’re not working, our employees love to gather in the arcade for an impromptu Thursday night happy hour. So many laughs and great conversations have happened in that space.
Overview: Current is a mobile banking app and Visa debit card that offers online checking accounts with faster direct deposits.
NYC Office Location: Chelsea
What was the intention behind the Current office design?
Our goal when building this space was to provide our employees with everything they could find at home, plus more. When walking in, the first thing to notice is our complimentary espresso bar, which we turn into a wine bar after-hours for folks to kick back and relax.
With a fully stocked kitchen, we provide employees with supplies for all three meals in a day. And when the weather is warm, we open our terrace that is filled with fresh flowers, picnic tables, couches and a community herb garden.
THE IMPORTANCE OF GREENSPACE
The Centre for Conscious Design found that having access to views of nature and greenspaces can lower stress levels significantly. It noted that when employees can simply see a green outside area, even for as little as 40 seconds, it can increase their concentration.
Throughout the space, we have a variety of soft seating and phone booths for when employees need a change of scenery or environment. And for anyone who likes to get a morning workout in, we have our shower room with all the amenities you could need. Our mothers room is a cozy and private space for new moms. And our event space is utilized not only for companywide meetings, but also as a space for people to play video games, ping pong, hang out and connect away from the computers.
What is your favorite spot in the office?
One of my favorite spots in our office is the terrace. I feel very lucky to have a private outdoor space with a variety of seating and constant bloom of fresh flowers that I can access in less than 20 steps from my desk. We utilize the terrace as much as possible, whether it’s to have lunch at the picnic tables, for team meetings, to take personal calls, or for company wide events. The terrace is the backdrop for some of my favorite memories working at Current.
Read More: 35 Tech Companies With Amazing Workspaces and Offices
