Pods are redefining the workplace culture in Hong Kong
City’s shift towards open-plan offices and large collaborative working spaces has created a need for staff to have access to smaller, private spaces
The thing with open-plan offices is that they’re so – well, open. There’s no longer any door closing for some me-time in this era of over-sharing. If you’ve ever longed for a cosy snug to crawl into during the daily grind, office designers have good news: work lounging pods are becoming a trend.
Australian design firm Bowen Interiors flagged it last year. “Giving employees an area they can sit quietly in a lounging pod and tune out from distractions is becoming a trend,” the Melbourne and Brisbane-based firm wrote in its 2016 forecast. “We expect to see more of these this year, offering an ergonomic seating solution, adjustable lighting, and privacy screens so individuals can maximise their own productivity in a quiet setting.”
John Phillips, director at Bowen Interiors, says the shift towards open-plan offices and large collaborative working spaces creates a need for staff to have access to smaller, private spaces. “The pod is a comfortable, informal space where employees can work independently or hold small impromptu meetings. They provide the right amount of privacy, whilst maintaining the atmosphere of an open plan office.”
In the case of Google’s Sydney office, staff can curl up into cocoon-shaped lounging pods as part of a series of “wellness spaces” scattered throughout. Project designer Angela Ferguson says they allow staff to take a mental break from the demands of working life. “We have found that if people meditate or rest for about 20 minutes – typically when the afternoon slump hits around 2-3pm – they can have more energy and more engagement with what they need to do for the rest of the day,” said Ferguson, managing director at futurespace studio in Sydney.
The move towards open plan offices has created a densification of the space, where people find there is a lack of privacy
These spaces are also about generating ideas, she added. “The best ideas can occur away from the ‘everyday’. A nap pod or wellness space gives people an opportunity to think differently about a problem or issue they may be facing, as well as provide some headspace to allow new ideas or thought patterns to occur.”