By Iramis Luz Audet, NCIDQ | Ci Principal, Director of Interior Design
Companies pride themselves on being an equal opportunity employer and emphasizing diversity, equity and inclusion in mission statements as a pat on the back. Although these principles should be applauded, what happens when the workplace doesn’t reflect the people who use it?
Employers, architects and designers must employ an inclusive design process to ensure everyone using a built space is valued equally. As the workforce evolves, so does the status quo for addressing how people might be excluded or marginalized due to factors such as age, race, color, sex, sexual orientation, physical disability, or mental illness.
Creating a space that is perfect is a herculean task, but inclusive design should value and consider employee well-being, physical limitations, working styles and mental health needs.
Starting at the Drawing Table
Completing tasks during the workday should be easy for all not for some. When workplace design poses obstacles to one employee, it could hinder productivity and cause short- and long-term issues for everyone involved.
In a Deloitte survey of over 1,300 employees, 80 percent said inclusion efforts were an important factor when choosing a company to work for. Diversity, equity and inclusion cannot be an afterthought introduced only during the hiring and recruitment stages. To be inclusive, every voice should be heard throughout the design process. The overall design intent should reflect the majority of a project’s population and the minority of employees who have unique requirements and needs.
A collaborative design process involves employees from the inception of the project by surveying them with questions on necessary accommodation. Some might be sensitive to noise, light and air pollutants. Others might prefer an open and collaborative environment to an isolated and structured one. Inclusive design offers choices rather than prescribing one way of working, or one way of living.
It’s Not Just a “Generational” Thing
The first step in embracing DEI would be to put stereotypical labels of any kind to rest, specifically generational labels. Grouping age cohorts such as Boomer, Gen X, Millennial, Gen Z and soon enough Gen Alphas into prescribed characteristics can be misleading, and often can lead to name-calling and divisiveness in the workplace. In 2021, over 150 demographers and social scientists co-signed an open letter to Pew Research Center in disagreement of how the organization reports on age and mistakenly infers scientific similarities in its generational labels. The letter argued that these designations have no scientific basis, and therefore cannot be used to impose qualities on diverse populations.
Workplaces are becoming increasingly multigenerational as the percentage of workers over 60 has jumped significantly over the past two decades, and in turn the retirement rate has steadily decreased. In recent news, politicians have proposed raising the social security retirement age to adjust for the fact that people are living longer. With workers possibly working longer in their lifetimes, designing inclusive workstations must start with companies introducing age-inclusive policies and accessible technology with readily available training to limit obstacles in employees’ day-to-day experiences.
Inclusive Accessibility
There are key design features that allow spaces to be accessible to everyone, regardless of physical ability or lifestyle diversity. Barrier-free entrances ensure all entry points are accessible with ramps, automatic doors, and wide entryways. Adaptive workstations can accommodate various needs with adjustable desks to switch between sitting and standing, ergonomic desk chairs and modular furniture.
Health and safety are paramount when it comes to designing an inclusive workplace. Multi-sensory safety alarms and large-print instructions for emergencies and safety equipment allow for auditory and visual differences. Textural and different colored walls and surfaces allow visually impaired employees to manage changes in elevations along walkways and corridors. Smart technologies can help staff adjust their ambient environment as per their own personal preferences, such as lighting, heating and glare.
Lifestyle diversities should also be acknowledged. Minimal, private spaces with comfortable seating can accommodate new mothers. Gender neutral toilets can be used by anyone, regardless of gender. These design features are essential in creating a more inclusive environment, and society.
Design for Health, Wealth and Happiness
Diverse workforces bring diverse mental abilities that need to be considered in the workplace. An estimated 15-20 percent of the world's population present some form of neurodivergence, meaning their brain functions, learns and processes information differently to what is considered typical. Inclusive design should empower those with neurodivergence, like attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). These diverse thinkers should not be hindered by their condition but encouraged for their out-of-the-box thinking and creative solutions.
Multifunctional private spaces can be adopted by employees for various tasks, including meditation, prayer or respite. These areas should be minimalist to provide space for mental clarity with soft seating for relaxation and comfort. Acoustic pods, privacy booths and shielded seating offer a step away from noisy and distracting environments. Cafes, lounges and game rooms encourage staff to take pauses from their desks to socialize, refuel and unwind. Modular seating can be reconfigured for the changing needs of employees. Biophilic elements and natural lighting offer exposure to nature and an escape from the traditional workday.
Inclusive design boosts well-being and overall productivity. Companies that want to build a workplace that embraces equity should prioritize the steps needed to accommodate a diverse workforce.