Employers are increasingly spending more time - and money - to develop attractive office fit-outs, with new research showing the design of workplaces not only helps attract and maintain staff, but increases their productivity.

The Workplaces of the Future report, compiled by property and construction consultants Davis Langdon, found office space was progressively being developed to meet the changing expectations and work-life balance demanded by today’s workforce.

The research found some corporations were spending up to $1600 a square metre to develop a workplace that helps attract and keep top quality employees.

According to Davis Langdon national research manager Rachel Kelloway, employers were going above and beyond traditional workplace expectations, considering every detail – from lay-out and design to lighting, aromas and sound.

“This shift in thinking has come at a time when many companies are paying increased attention to the triple bottom line – the financial, social and environmental aspects of their business,” she said.

“From this, a new generation of office designs are evolving that recognise the need for improved environmental performance and respond to emerging workplace and organisational behaviour.

“For example, the impact of lighting is now being recognised as an important issue.

“Light at the blue end of the spectrum increases activity and stimulation, while colours at the warmer end of the spectrum increase concentration, relaxation and help soothe workers.

“Aroma and sound are also being used internationally to enliven, invigorate and reduce stress.”

Ms Kelloway said smart employers were also increasingly recognising the need to adapt and meet the needs of their employees.

“Providing workplace crèches as a part of office fit-outs can set employers apart in attracting working mothers to remain in the workforce,” she said.

“There are also predictions that the aging population will see increased need for people to care for aging relatives at home – which in turn will see more home-based workers.

“In workplaces where long hours are the norm, employers are recognising a ‘rest space’ where employees can intermittently nap can make productivity sense.

“Parents of newborns who have returned to work are better armed to cope with stress and deliver better productivity given the opportunity for a lunchtime rest.”

Offices are also being designed to limit the ‘sick building syndrome’ by, for example, including double glazed skin facades to encourage natural ventilation and a cleaner flow of air, therefore reducing sick days and improving overall productivity.

Open plan offices have also been found to encourage more collaborative environments.

Davis Langdon Cost Management Associate Ben Wise said while the costs of developing such designs may seem exhaustive, employers were reaping the benefits from increased staff performance.

”Typically the cost of providing a workplace is the second largest business cost after employees, so it makes commercial sense to link office design to an organisation’s performance,” he said.

“Improved working efficiencies are being costed to justify increases in fit-out budgets.”

Ms Kelloway said building designers were recognising this and constructing buildings to suit the flexibility desired by prospective tenants and employees.

“Office spaces are being designed to allow for flexibility in case of expansion or contraction of existing space, mobility, communication and environment,” she said.

“With current demand for office space exceeding supply and the imminent introduction of an emissions trading scheme, adding to the cost of conducting business, organisations will be seeking to improve productivity within the constraints of their environment.

“Moving away from the traditional cellular office to open plan systems can achieve a reduction in greenhouse gas output.

“Although current leading environmental rating systems do not credit such initiatives, the financial impact on businesses not utilising their workspace effectively and efficiently will be increasingly burdened by the rising cost of energy.”

Technology has made employees certainly less dependent on the office itself, allowing people to work in a less structured way and become increasingly mobile.

"The role of the office space itself is undergoing its own evolution,” said Ms Kelloway.

"The office has become more of a cultural centre, with workspaces, meeting spaces, private spaces and chill out spaces – everything required for employees to meet and socialise with their associates.

“Futurologists, looking into the nature of employment in 2018, are still predicting an exodus from the traditional workplace.

“However, with offices in most cases being occupied more intensely for longer periods than ever before, it remains to be seen if this is a utopian dream or the future of our workspaces.”

For further information, contact Meaghan Jones at Davis Langdon's Communications Department on +61 3 9933 8800 or email mjones2@davislangdon.com.au