Office design trends
The evolution of the office and workplace continues to evolve at a rapid rate. One thing’s for sure, we love how it’s evolving, and that’s because a lot of the changes being made are focused on employee morale and well-being. It’s great to see the recognition across the board that a happy and comfortable team is a productive one.
If you’re considering investing in your office interior and have a budget that will extend past a few office plants and a new air freshener, then it may be worth considering some of the newest office design trends. We’ve outlined five that we think add real value and are here to stay. So here goes…
Biophilic office design
Seeing as we mentioned office plants, let’s start with a design trend that takes the old office plant scenario to another level. This is a trend that’s growing in momentum and can be applied in different ways. It’s about bringing the natural world into the office.
The idea is about connecting your employees with nature and creating a calming and relaxed office environment. On a basic level it is about incorporating natural materials and elements such as wood and stone into office design, and increasing natural light. At more extreme levels it could include living walls made of moss and introducing live plants and trees. We can certainly see the appeal and advantages of bringing the outside in – so long as spiders and insects don’t come along for the ride. That would be very distracting.
Collaborative working
Collaborative workspaces really took off in 2018, and with good reason. They encourage face-to-face interaction, which fosters creativity and the sharing of ideas. They also encourage employees to spend more time with each other, which creates a friendlier and more relaxed working environment.
The other reason for the popularity of collaborative spaces is that they are easily achievable. There are so many furniture options and solutions available to provide even the smallest organisation with a space where colleagues can get together. The important thing is to give serious thought as to how the area might be used. If it’s under-utilised you’ve wasted valuable space and budget. On the other hand, when you get it right, the benefits to your business will deliver immediate return on investment. You can see more office design ideas in our ‘How to create a collaborative workspace’ blog.
Flexible spaces
Flexible spaces are right up there in our favourites list. What’s not to love about a space that can quickly be adapted for different purposes, like these tables and benches designed for dining, breakout or meeting areas. It provides organisations and employees with options as to how they work. This is about adaptable and adjustable office furniture that can easily transform from a quiet corner for concentration to a bustling area for meetings and brainstorming.
There are a whole host of office furniture solutions out there that provide a level of versatility that we couldn’t have even dreamt of just a few years ago. We particularly love this office sofa that can be converted into a bed. We’re not suggesting you go as far as encouraging employees to bring in a pillow, although it’s worth sleeping on the decision, as napping does have its health benefits!
