Successful businesses integrate digital connectivity with emotional and social connectivity. It's about growing networks through the integration of technology, space and people and it enables your workforce to enjoy a productive and creative work environment.

Your workspace should promote connectivity in all its forms, from offering a range of digital platforms to promoting the face to face communication prized by Generation Z.

Digital connectivity: the right tools
 

Upgrading your technology is an obvious win, but there's no one size fits all solution when it comes to providing the right tools for your employees.

Research by the Association of Intelligent Information Management highlights the ways in which communication is becoming more dynamic in the workplace. 50% of workers are now using three or more communication methods at work, reflecting the connectivity they enjoy in their social lives.

The nature of work is changing and offering multiple platforms is a critical part of that change. A strong BYOD (bring your own device) policy can ensure all workers have access to the same platforms while streamlining the tech they utilise to make workflow and communication more efficient.

Social connectivity: interactive space
 

The evolution of the physical work environment is designed to foster fluid communication through a mix of flexible spaces. A successful office brings together agile, collaborative and social spaces with quiet pods for focused tasks. 

Agile spaces respond to the needs of employees, creating opportunities to work away from the desk and connect with colleagues. Emotionally oriented workers appreciate the possibility to bring projects and people together while ideas oriented workers use the space to energise their teams.

Whether in formal meeting rooms or informal brainstorming areas, collaborative spaces suit all working styles. Data and detail-oriented colleagues appreciate the privacy of the meeting room to engage with structure, analysis and organisation while more open plan spaces allow idea and emotion oriented co-workers to shine.

Social breakout space creates a useful synergy with workplaces, allowing teams to forge strong internal connections. Never underestimate social spaces - they often promote a higher level of idea generation and cross-pollination.

Emotional connectivity: workplace traditions
 

Workplace traditions should be inclusive, reinforcing the emotional connection between company and employees. Bringing teams together for group activities can be genuinely beneficial to morale, wellbeing and productivity.

These events should strengthen the company culture that your office design promotes. They can help onboard new employees, making it easier to buy into company culture or create valuable emotional connections between employees over time.

Companies can grow a positive internal culture through a range of community building events, from yoga sessions to theatre trips and the annual Christmas dinner. If group travel or gym class isn't right for your business, solicit ideas that have employee buy-in for higher levels of engagement.

The fully connected workplace
 

While technology drives digital communication, emotional and social connectivity within teams drives an enduring company culture. Successful workplace design connects emotional and social engagement with well-chosen digital tools in a way that accommodates a range of working styles and creates a good place to work.