We’re thrilled to announce that our team won the 2024 ONEder Grant! As we wrap up our study, Someplace Like Home: Leveraging the Science of Hominess in Free-Address Environments, we’re excited to share key insights and how they’ll inform our ongoing work
At Perkins Eastman, we are committed to continuous learning, always striving to bridge the gap between theory and practice. Sometimes that means turning to research that already exists and sometimes, it means doing the research ourselves.
This study is a core part of our commitment to beingHuman by Design: using research to inform our practice and enhance the workplace experience. By focusing on environments that foster connection and stability, we’re reimagining the future of the office creating spaces that support employees, whether they’re on-site one day a week or five
If you’re interested in learning more, we encourage you to check out ourmicrosite, where you can explore the full details of the study. You can also listen to our podcast interview to hear directly about what we’ve learned and how we plan to apply these insights moving forward
Here are some highlights:
Physical comfort, privacy, and identity matter:People value comfort, privacy, and the ability to reflect their identity in their workspace more than the type of seating arrangement
“Hominess” can happen anywhere:When certain conditions like comfort, familiarity, trust, and sense of ownership are met, unassigned seating can actually lead to higher satisfaction than working from home.
In addition, we identified four key tensions in free-address, open-plan environments that we’re actively working to address:
Autonomy vs. Conformity:Employees can choose where to sit, but behavioral norms may limit personal expression and autonomy.
Freedom to Choose vs. Time to Settle:The freedom to select a spot is valuable, but adjusting to a new space can hinder immediate comfort and productivity.
Collaboration vs. Privacy:Open-plan spaces encourage collaboration, but the lack of physical barriers can disrupt focused or sensitive work.
Temporality vs. Identity:In free-address environments, employees can temporarily "claim" a space, but time limits make it hard to personalize the space and truly make it their own
To solve a problem, we first have to see it clearly. These tensions are the first step toward understanding how to create more effective, engaging, and comfortable work environments for everyone
We’ve learned a lot through this work, and we’re eager to apply these lessons to help create better and more supportive work environments.
Remember to check out our microsite and listen to our podcast interview for more!
Stay Tuned
We're teaming up with OneWorkplace on a research-informed furniture collaboration designed to make open-plan and free address offices feel more like home.
Read more about the study:perkinseastman.com
See the full details:hominess-at-work.com
Listen to the podcast:ONEder Podcast Episode 67
Download: executive summary
We’d love to connect with you! Contactr.milne@perkinseastman.com to learn more about this and other research our team is working on
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