Beyond Guesswork: Using Data to Design Workspaces That Actually Work with Adel El-Mawla

Is your office layout sabotaging team productivity and happiness? While many companies enforce return-to-office mandates based on guesswork, a deep science exists that links our physical environment directly to performance, collaboration, and well-being.

In this episode, I sit down with Adel El-Mawla, an engineer and the founder of Workplaced, to define the logic behind optimal workplace strategies. Adel explains how his journey started from a master's program project and evolved into a mission to crack the code of workplace design. He shares the evidence-based frameworks and data-driven methods that can help any organization move beyond assumptions and create a workspace where people genuinely thrive.

This conversation is a must-listen for leaders, HR professionals, and real estate managers who want to make informed decisions that foster a positive, productive, and resilient company culture.

 

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

• The Foundational Frameworks: Discover the key scientific principles and models, including the Big Five personality traits and the Competing Values Framework, that influence modern workplace strategy.  
• Focus vs. Collaboration: Learn the science behind designing layouts that successfully balance the need for deep, focused work with opportunities for spontaneous collaboration.  
• Data Over Guesswork: Why most companies fail at workplace strategy and how to use tools like IoT sensors and observational data to understand true employee behavior and space utilization.    
• The Hybrid Work Debate: A critical look at the research proving the effectiveness of hybrid and remote models, and why so many leaders still demand a full return to the office.  
• Small Changes, Big Impact: How simple environmental factors like indoor temperature, biophilia (plants), and lighting have a measurable impact on our brains, bodies, and productivity.  
• The Future of the Office: A look ahead at how workplace design will continue to evolve with advancements in technology and a growing focus on employee well-being.   🔴 Reach out to Adel on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/adelelmawla/  Or try Workplaced Free Tools https://www.workplaced.com/home