If you are opening or redesigning an office in 2018, there are some new and recurring trends which you may want to follow in order to attract the very best professionals in your field. However, keep in mind that a lot of the young professionals enjoy the amenities that the office provides, but they are much more focused on the general atmosphere in the office.
That means that, whereas office furniture is important, the overall office culture and values tend to be more important. However, this article focuses mainly on office design ideas.
Flexibility Is In: There’s a lot of focus on flexibility in the workplace in the recent years. Companies have come to recognize that not everyone enjoys the same things and cannot simply cram a bunch of people in uniform cubicles and expect them to perform at their best. Sure, some will undoubtedly thrive in this environment, but many others will have issues to adapt and thus not give their best.
In essence, this means that the workers are free to choose where and with whom they will share their workspace by simply moving their desk and other furniture freely around the office with as few restrictions as possible.
Have a Break Area: Nobody can be productive full 8 hours at work, we were simply not built that way. It is particularly true for people who work in offices and who have to deal with more abstract thinking than manual laborers.
Having a break room or area which lets your employees rest a bit, perhaps play some games or take a short nap is a very nice touch which most employees are sure to appreciate. However, what you absolutely need to have are comfortable chairs which don’t look like office chairs, something like these https://www.shoreofficewarehouse.com/product-category/new-lobby-chairs-furniture-san-diego-ca/.
Come to the Light Side: One thing that a lot of workers have complained in the past is the lighting in their offices. Harsh neon light isn’t the best option even though it is cheap. The wavelength of it simply deviates too much from the natural light our eyes have evolved to function in. Instead, consider LED fixtures which are a bit more expensive to buy, but last for much longer and are more energy efficient.
However, the majority of workers would like to have as much natural light in their workplace as possible. If you can install a skylight or wall-to-wall windows, your workers will be more productive and happier overall.
Incorporate Technology: It’s 2018, and smart technologies are no longer science fiction and the technology of the future. Integrating technology into the office can help your office’s productivity and the overall convenience of controlling the air quality, lighting, and a whole slew of other things via the computer or smartphone.
However, the biggest advantage of advanced technology incorporation is the facilitation of collaboration between your workers.
Modular Workspaces: Some people enjoy the privacy of a cubicle, whereas others need other people to bounce ideas off of. There’s no need to hinder ones or the others when designing your office. You can simply buy modular office furniture which enables your employees to set up their own ideal workplace.
Not only are modular workspaces easy to set up, they are also easy to combine and change if there’s a need.
There’s no one-fits-all solution for a successful office design in the modern workplace. Instead, you need to know your employees and listen to them and their needs to find the design and setup which suits your office the best. Still, some trends are here to stay, so adapting to them somewhat is always a good idea.