As we head into the next decade, modern offices will continue to combat the issues created by the open office, and increase employee incentives like hotdesking and flexible workspaces which increase productivity and positively affect the bottom line. Furthermore, we can expect to see a continued upswing of some environmentally-friendly trends. Trends that will keep wallets fat and office morale up. But those aren’t the only trends we’ll see as we approach 2020. Here’s the top modern office design trends we see for the future. We think these all are good things for the workplace and for those who work there.
Hybrid Spaces
When employees have the ability to move throughout the office, there is a sense of freedom. Which comes through in both attitude and performance. It’s something the Bellevue, Washington office of Sucker Punch Productions understands well. Part concrete physical space where employees can personally see that work is a collaborate effort, and part digital environment where mobility allows workers to choose their best potential workspace. Whether for meetings, phone calls, or teamwork, the hybrid workspace is definitely not a static zone where staff feels caged and underappreciated.
Recharge Spaces
Recharge spaces are important in regaining fruitful energy spent throughout the workday and can include more than a simple quiet office in which to shut the door. Thus, recharge spaces have emerged as one of the top modern office design trends in recent years. Yoga or meditation rooms, and reading nooks are excellent places for one to gather scattered thoughts and take a breather. Science shows that a little downtime, a change of scenery, and some meditation can help us shift perspective. Employeesc come back to a project refreshed and ready to tackle it with a new approach.
Natural Light
Good news for the budget, natural light is cheaper than electric light. Better news for employees, natural light results in less eyestrain, fewer headaches, a reduction in sick time. Natural light can also create an overall feeling of alertness at the end of the workday. Benefits aren’t just physical either. Employees with access to natural light and daylighting techniques (such as skylights, reflective surfaces, and light shelves) report an increase in comfort over poorly lit conditions. Since lighting represents the largest source of electricity consumption in US offices, the savings by the increase in natural light can be significant.
Dedicated Spaces
Changing the environment in which a person works helps them compartmentalize and assimilate information in manageable chunks. By varying their environment at intervals of their choosing, employees are also building mental connections between the information they’re focusing on and their surroundings.
For many US companies that have shifted to the open office design model, millions of dollars have been spent. Now that we’re finding the shortfalls of the open office, these same companies are understandably reluctant to undertake another remodel. Pods are an elegant solution to the need for change in an open office to a more activity-based design without immersing in an expensive, time-consuming refit.
Decorate Using Brand Colors
Modern offices displaying company colors inspire business from many perspectives. If your company logo is bright but you want a sleekly designed modern office, give modest pops of color throughout a more neutral palette, such as on decorative pillows on couches or colored furniture panels and upholstery that complement a more muted color scheme.
When designing office spaces, it’s crucial to keep in mind that an abundance of bold colors might be pleasing for visitors. However, for employees who spend a major portion of their time in the office, these colors can become overwhelming.
Biophilia
Bringing in plants adds unparalleled beauty to an otherwise ho-hum space. With splashes of color, it doesn’t need to cost a lot to transform an ordinary room into an extraordinary one. The perk of nature is that you don’t need to do a whole office redesign to incorporate them. This allows a company on a tight budget to bring plants in one at a time.
Let’s celebrate the new decade and keep our focus on creating a better, more comfortable workplace for all. When we enjoy where we spend most of the week, we do better, we are better, and we work better.
