Research reveals how DEI design impacts office workers

A new research report reveals that 44 per cent of workers agree their workplace examples diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) but there are still areas for improvement.

The new report by office design, interior fit out and workplace consultancy specialist, Morgan Lovell, entitled ‘Designing workplaces where people belong’ presents detailed insight into the impact that DEI has on office workers and offers business leaders and HR directors food for thought on improving DEI in their own workplace.

The findings come from a pool of 500 UK-based respondents, and looks at the factors beyond a hybrid working strategy that go into designing and creating productive workplaces.

The report explores how employees feel about DEI, how they think their organisation can improve DEI in the workplace and the impact this would have on them at work.

In the survey, employees were asked whether their workplace is a good example of DEI. Optimistically, 44 per cent of respondents agreed but noted there are areas for improvement. However, 18 per cent said their workspace was not at all a good example of DEI and there are noticeable areas that need attention.

Morgan Lovell’s research found that designing workspaces with DEI in mind boosts employee happiness and retention with benefits such as increased team morale and culture, and fostering a sense of belonging. This makes a significant case for putting people at the centre of workplace design to create workspaces rooted in DEI to foster happier and more productive employees.

The report also analyses how the physical workspace impacts employees across age groups, ranging from 18 to 66. Understanding how DEI design affects different generations in your team provides valuable insight for attracting new talent while creating spaces that your existing employees will feel supported by over time.

Paul Dare, Head of Design at Morgan Lovell said: “Our research shows that workplaces that embrace diversity, equity, and inclusion in their design can not only cultivate a more respectful and inclusive culture, but also increase creativity, innovation, and employee satisfaction resulting in a thriving and successful company. This is evolving as a design theme but one that we’re well versed in with a track record for clients like Three UK, KAO and landlord GPE.”

The full research report is available for download here.