What Is the Benefit of Collaborative Workspaces?
Collaborative workspaces are a groundbreaking solution for the demands of modern work. They provide a place to exchange ideas and work toward a shared goal. By uniting individuals with diverse talents, collaborative workspaces inspire productivity and originality.
Working together at school, work, and in our communities can help us achieve more than we ever could on our own—the real value of collaborative spaces.
But what does a collaborative workspace look like? And how do you create a collaboration space of your own?
If you’re interested in transitioning to this setup, keep reading. We will cover the advantages of these workspaces and how to choose the right collaborative furniture.
What Makes a Workspace Collaborative?
A collaborative workspace encourages interaction, communication, and cooperation among its users. Below are a few specific factors that define this kind of team-oriented environment.
● Open Layout – Collaborative workspaces often have an open layout for easy communication and visibility. These spaces include shared desks or tables, lounge areas, and communal spaces. Check out how Chatham Middle School uses an open layout in its Innovation and STEM Lab. The space used to be tight, with little room to move around. After upgrading to Collab Active Learning Conference Tables, the room opened up! The STEM students now use this extra space to test robots and other projects on the floor. If they need to work on a computer, they have easy access to plenty at nearby desks.
● Comfortable Seating – Nobody wants to sit on a hard, unforgiving chair. Comfortable couches, bean bags, and ergonomic seating attract people to a collaborative space. Stackable chairs and chairs on wheels are also excellent choices for a group space. Because these chairs are mobile, people are able to move them to their preferred location.
● Flexibility – A collaborative space should be flexible and adaptable to the changing needs of the folks who use it. The best way to do this is with high-quality collaborative furniture. A noteworthy illustration of collaborative spaces in schools is the Texas A&M University library. They used Exchange Active Learning desks to transform their library into an adaptive and popular study space.
● Technology – The technology you put in place will affect the success of your collaborative workspace. But how do you power technology without anchoring people to a wall outlet? One solution is to use desks with built-in power outlets. For even greater flexibility, consider a raised access floor system. SMARTflor has interchangeable carpet tiles that let you move power without special tools or labor. Flip-screen and recessed computer monitors are also excellent tech choices, like those on flipIT desks. These desks feature a keyboard tray that, when pulled out, causes the monitor to rotate into a semi-recessed position. Users push the keyboard in to hide the monitor within the desk whenever they need a flat space,
What Is the Benefit of Working With a Collaborative Environment?
Collaboration is an essential part of success in both professional and educational environments. Working together encourages better brainstorming, productivity, and more. Let’s examine a few of those benefits below:
● Improved Problem-Solving – When people with different perspectives work together, they are more likely to find the best solution to a problem. One study investigated this by observing children developing digital game designs in groups. They found that when the children worked as a team, they came up with more creative ideas.
● Clearer Communication – Learning to communicate better is a skill people can improve with practice. One way to sharpen this skill is by working with others as a team. Countless studies have demonstrated that students have improved teamwork and communication when they work together in groups.
● Higher Productivity – Studies show that collaboration positively affects motivation and effort. Collaboration cues activate a sense of social connection and fuel engagement. Working together also allows individuals to share the workload and divide tasks, enhancing productivity.
How Do You Create a Collaborative Workspace? Start With SMARTdesks!
If you want to create a collaborative workspace that inspires productivity and creativity, you need SMARTdesks. SMARTdesks’ innovative and adaptable furniture makes it easy to create a flexible and dynamic space. Even if you’re not sure what you want, our team of designers will walk you through the process.
With over 25 years of experience, we’re experts in bringing together staff, budgeting, IT professionals, and more. No matter what your needs are, we have you covered with solutions like:
– SMARTflor Raised Floor System
– Collaborative desks and tables
– Seamless equipment integration
– Topside power and data connections
Why settle for a traditional setup? Start designing the collaborative space of your dreams!
