It is hard to ignore the trend that has emerged in recent years: the quality of the workspace plays a key role in the productivity and well-being of workers. It has even become a selection criterion when choosing a job. To attract talent and convince clients, how do you combine a warm atmosphere, quality furniture and a strong identity? Guillaume de Branche, design & build director at Wojo, gives us his advice and takes us on a tour of the premises.
Did you know? Almost one in two employees1 say that their work environment plays a central role in their motivation (43%) and effectiveness (41%). That’s worth looking into.
The basics of a pleasant workspace
This pillar of employee well-being encompasses many notions that every company wishing to attract and retain talent should consider: company premises, geographical location, types of spaces available to workers, and the general culture of the company, which is reflected in the management and life of the company. And what about the decoration? Is it just the icing on the cake or is it more than that? “Decoration is a criterion of demarcation in the service sector. The experience it creates makes people want to come and return and makes them feel good at work,” explains Guillaume de Branche, Design & Build Director at Wojo.
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Company decoration, a challenge for attractiveness and loyalty
Much more than a whim of a general services manager seeking to express his creativity, office decoration plays a role in the image that a company projects. Modern or classic, dull or bold, inspiring or invisible, it says a lot about a company’s philosophy and the importance attached to well-being within its walls. Guillaume de Branche confirms: “Companies choose to set up shop at Wojo because the assertive identity of our spaces is an attractive factor when they are looking to recruit profiles that everyone is looking for, such as developers, for example. »
As a vehicle for employer branding, decoration creates a sense of belonging among employees, who are likely to become ambassadors for the company. It also helps to foster customer relations when they visit the premises. At Wojo, we want to tell a story at each of our sites,” explains Guillaume. We build it according to the area, the history of the site, and then we express it through the decoration and the names of the spaces. Each site has its own identity, which can resonate with those of the companies that set up there. »
For example, in the Wojo site in Paris Madeleine, the Azimut studio imagined a project based on Marcel Proust’s private mansion, which was two numbers away. At the Lille site, the decoration follows the theme of a treasure island, with common areas treated like a lush island, and meeting rooms that pay tribute to the treasures of the region: the bonbons of Cambrai, the chicoré, the Paris Roubaix, etc.
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But isn’t there a risk of getting lost in all this confusion? “We make sure that our members and their visitors always know that they are at Wojo, thanks to identical totems on all sites: our animal murals, our signage, our furniture, etc. “So remember: singularity, yes, but never forget your identity!
Company decoration down to the smallest detail
But be careful not to fall into the trap of appearances: a pleasant working environment is not limited to a striking reception area or atypical meeting rooms. “At Wojo, all the common areas are worked on thoroughly. Corridors, meeting rooms, lively or quiet coworking, tea rooms… Apart from the toilets (because we don’t make them), there are no white walls at Wojo. We work much more on these spaces than our competitors, to catch the eye, arouse attention and encourage memorization. “The meeting rooms, which are numerous in each of the Wojo Corners spaces, make it possible to go even further, such as La Salle de Bains, in Madeleine, tiled from floor to ceiling and decorated with bath ducks and shower heads that serve as coat racks.
A design that breaks with the codes of the tertiary sector
Another way of differentiating the company was to choose furniture that is not found in every corner of open spaces. The challenge for Wojo was to combine the essentials of the working environment (ergonomics, light, space, etc.) with a layout that breaks with the traditional codes of the service industry,” explains Guillaume de Branche. We introduced furniture, coverings and decorative objects borrowed from the world of homes and cafés. This enabled us to offer a variety of spaces with friendly and distinctive atmospheres. “The Wojo table, designed by YAD Space, is the link between all the Wojos. Its unique metal base can be found in all the communal areas, sometimes high, sometimes low, sometimes square or round.
In parallel, Wojo has developed a line of office furniture with the Cocorico workshop. Lamps, coat racks, wardrobes, footstools and so on complete the standard furniture of private offices to reinforce their design and cosy spirit.
A decoration service available to member companies
Because decoration is essential to them, the Wojo teams have developed the “Pimp My desk” offer, intended for large groups, SMEs and VSEs with private offices. “When companies move to Wojo, their workspaces are furnished, but with limited decoration so as not to stifle their identity. We offer them a service to help them personalise these private offices, in order to create a space that reflects their image within the Wojo ecosystem. »
In addition to the furniture, Wojo members can also choose the colours of their private workspace. A choice that should not be taken lightly! Light, cool colours enlarge the room, but touches of colour on certain walls and/or the ceiling add a welcome warmth. Blue tones encourage reflection and concentration, while bright colours stimulate creativity and imagination, especially reds, pinks, yellows and oranges. Finally, if you have trouble choosing, green is calming and encourages decision making!
In conclusion: never without my decor!
Decoration has become a core expectation of our employees. Our standards are rising as the range of products and services expands. People want to work in a space that they find beautiful, stimulating and inspiring, which is a differentiating factor for employers.
Grey carpeting, plain desks and cream-coloured walls are a thing of the past: dare to be original! And if your offices are hopelessly old and ugly, why not pay Wojo a courtesy call and see if private offices might suit you?
