Is creating a happy workplace as simple as adding a tree?
Changing workplace culture can be as simple as adding a tree to the staffroom of a busy Brisbane law firm.
Quickly christened the “tree of knowledge”, the mock maple tree has become a gathering point for hardworking employees of Thynne and Macartney on the 32nd floor of the Riverside Centre. “It’s the central point, the focal point of our staffroom,” says general manager Ashley Lamb.
“We have birthday cakes around the tree every month, we have staff drinks in there, it’s right in the centre of the office and it’s a place where everyone congregates.”
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“It’s like the heart of the office,” adds lawyer Bonita Wong.
The firm took the opportunity to overhaul its offices when moving to a larger space last year.
With lawyers spending on average 49 hours a week at work, Lamb says it is important staff feel comfortable and look forward to coming into the office.
“We wanted a space that was much more collaborative for our staff, where they could socialise and work across business lines,” he says.
Enter Apollo Property Group director Leon Bowes, a firm believer in the power of a well-designed office to boost morale and enhance workplace culture. He says office designs are not a case of “one size fits all”.
“There’s certainly different cultures in different organisations, as well as different buildings, different pressure points and different budgets,” he says. “We’ve seen all variety of office fit-outs and it’s quite rewarding to see the effect a new workplace solution has on a business, so it’s something we put a lot of time into.”
He says more workplaces are realising the importance of a functional yet appealing workspace for staff who spent at least a third of their day in the office. “There needs to be flexibility, it has to be practical in every sense and then there’s the normal stuff like natural light, openness, being able to communicate clearly,” Bowes says.
“The days of just everyone being in offices are long gone.”
Among the features now becoming commonplace in workplaces are multipurpose rooms and communal spaces, as well as areas for private meetings and “quiet reflection”.
“There’s not much we haven’t seen from table tennis, putt putt, even beer pong. It really depends on the office culture,” he says.
“Nothing really strikes me as weird these days. We’ve even built stairs that lead to nowhere.” Lamb says having a functional, attractive workplace is not only good for office culture, but also good for maintaining a “competitive edge”.
“(Law) is a very competitive market for us from a client-facing point of view but for good lawyers as well,” he says.
“We want to be a place where people want to come for work, so I hope it does provide some sort of competitive advantage no matter how small that might be.”
Thynne and Macartney associate Jessica Carroll says the new design has created more opportunities for collaboration.
“Previously you’d have lunch downstairs or at your desk,” Carroll says. “Now you can be sitting next to a partner at lunch under the tree of knowledge.”
This article originally appeared on www.theaustralian.com.au/property.
