Your office is a reflection of you, your employees, and your company. As your employees and company evolve, so should your office. What might have been the ideal office 15 years ago might be dated and not as practical as what your employees need. Although modern aesthetics and visually appealing furniture might help you create a stunning workspace, there are other reasons to update your traditional office.
The furniture you include in your office design should match your employee’s needs and scope of work. Designing an office while considering functionality as well as aesthetics might seem overwhelming, but following the leading office design trends can help you build the office of your and your employees’ dreams.
The modern office includes design elements that increase job satisfaction, reflect company culture, and improve functionality and performance. The idea of redesigning your office might sound complicated. However, that’s where the StrongProject design team comes in. We don’t only supply modern furniture. We also help throughout the design process. But before you start redesigning your office, you should know why.
In this article, we will cover the top five modern office design trends:
- Culture
- Amenities
- Performance and Functionality
- Employee Well-being
- Artificial Intelligence (AI)
But first, let’s start with:
Why You Should Update Your Office
If you’ve spent any time searching for the perfect office furniture to fit your needs, you’ve probably asked yourself “Why should I update my office?” Maybe you’ve found yourself asking “What furniture should I use to update my office?” There’s a laundry list of reasons, but there are a few important reasons that people often overlook.
Cost
Redesigning your traditional office does require an investment in your company and your employees. However, in the long run, that investment can have a lasting effect on their success. By incorporating modern office furniture into your design, you’re helping employees work more efficiently. The traditional office space wasn’t optimized for employee performance. The capital you spend in your office can help employees work in distraction-free areas and promote collaboration in dedicated spaces.
Aesthetic
A study from the National Library of Medicine talks about how our surroundings impact our mood and performance. Basically, as a team working in a dated office, the negative impact the environment has on employees can affect morale and reduce productivity. Designing an office focused on modern aesthetics can help you create an office space that is more enjoyable to work in. As a result, the transition from a traditional office to a modern office can instantly have an impact on job satisfaction and morale.
Employee Needs
All employees from all industries need a specific set of tools to do their jobs. In an office setting, that set of tools is the furniture. The ideal modern furniture doesn’t only carry a stunning aesthetic, it is also very functional. Without functionality, office furniture is nowhere near as valuable. Regardless, of whether you’ve embraced the hybrid model or you’re employees are fully in-person, modern office furniture needs to serve your employees as their set of tools. From space-saving designs to multifunctional cubicles, StrongProject’s modern office furniture collections can meet all of your employee’s needs.
There are many reasons and pros to updating your office, but aside from the reasons, what trends should you follow when redesigning?
Top 5 Modern Design Trends for Your Modern Office
1. Culture
Your office design says a lot about your company culture. Company culture and office design should go hand in hand. Is your company old and outdated? Probably not. So why would you want your office to look like it?
Reflecting your company culture throughout your office design is a great way to reflect your image to visitors. It also sets the tone and expectations for employees. Does your company promote connectivity? Is your company at the forefront of innovation in your industry? Is your company focused on providing employees with an improved work-life balance? The answer to these questions should be reflected in your office design.
The furniture you incorporate into your modern office design, however, can encourage collaboration and promote socialization in the office. For example, privacy pods where employees can escape from others will help employees avoid mental stressors. Incorporating technology-integrated furniture into your office can help convey an innovative culture.
Additionally, by updating your modern office, you can update your company culture. Reflect on who your employees are through the environment they work in.
2. Amenities
The workplace is constantly evolving. For a while now, the workplace is more than a place to show up, do your job, and go home. Amenities have taken center stage in office design. Similar to amenities that hotels offer, amenities in the office have become a selling point. The modern office is being designed with employee wellbeing and work-life balance in mind.
When we think of the traditional office, grey cubicle farms come to mind. These layouts and furniture pieces that for so long represented the traditional offices have gone by the wayside. Workers became used to tiny breakrooms and the water cooler being the only reprieve from the work day. However, that has changed with the modern office.
From dedicated wellness rooms equipped with nap pods to gyms to promote an active work life, amenities have become commonplace in the modern office. As a result, sprawling breakrooms, wellness rooms, nap pods, and lounge areas have become an integral part of modern office design.
3. Performance and Functionality
Functionality has always been a focus when it comes to office design. However, companies have been limited when it comes to options. The traditional office used to be very binary. But as the versatility of furniture has evolved, so has functionality.
Multi-functional furniture solves many problems. Modular desks that can easily be rearranged, movable partitions, and storage solutions that are seamlessly integrated into furniture design are becoming the standard. These modern furniture solutions are changing office layouts, and office design, and even opening new possibilities when it comes to office space. The space-saving, mobile elements of Stron Project’s furniture greatly change the future of office design.
Multi-functional furniture also increases performance and productivity. By creating one centralized workstation that can easily adapt to varying needs, employees can shift tasks seamlessly. Because of this, employees can collaborate and communicate and quickly shift gears and job duties in one space, making employees more efficient and productive. Our modular workstations and hybrid collections can help you design a highly functioning office that gives employees the workplace they need to succeed.
4. Employee Well-being
Following the pandemic and the temporary adoption of remote and hybrid work, employees have learned a lot about what they need. Employees working from home have found ways to improve their well-being. Whether it’s to improve cognitive function, reduce mental stressors, or have a more active work life, employees find what works for them.
Upon returning to the office, employees have had to sacrifice their well-being. They’ve had to return to an office that can’t accommodate the workstyle they have come to know. When designing a modern office it is important to include elements that improve employee well-being.
StrongProject’s ergonomic furniture is key to updating your modern office to improve mental and physical health. Additionally, our adjustable-height desks can help reduce and prevent health risks associated with sitting for long periods. A study from OSHA outlines the benefits of ergonomic furniture in the workplace. Along with reducing the risk of long-term health effects, ergonomic furniture has been proven to increase productivity and efficiency. Work-Fit wrote an article talking about the direct correlation between ergonomic furniture and how employees work. Consequently, improving employee well-being is one of the main trends in modern office design. Healthy employees are happy employees and creating an environment where they can thrive physically and mentally is one of the most important trends to consider when updating your modern office.
5. Artificial Intelligence (AI)
AI is becoming an integral part of the modern office. From automated utilities to employee monitoring systems, to using AI as a part of office design, AI is changing the way we work. As a result, it is quickly becoming a necessity in office design. By using artificial intelligence in office design, companies can quickly assess needs and implement change in the office.
AI is the perfect tool for analyzing data. The speed and accuracy of AI is used to solve problems and make recommendations throughout the design process. Augmented reality – which allows you to step into the office before it has been built – lets people experience what the office will look like before it has been built. The introduction of AI into office design has solved many problems, but AI as an office design trend doesn’t fully replace the human element of design.
The disconnect between what AI thinks we want and what we want hasn’t been solved. However, AI in office design enhances our ability to incorporate design elements that may have previously gone unnoticed or unconsidered. As we develop the way we use and understand AI as a tool, we will be able to use it throughout the entire office design process.
Is it Time to Update Your Office?
How do you know when it’s time to update your office and embrace a modern office design? Employee productivity and efficiency is a relatively easy metric to measure. A dip in productivity and easily identifiable opportunities is a great indicator that it’s time to update your office. However, when updating to a modern office, one of the most exciting parts is updating your modern aesthetic. If your office is dated and your employee’s needs aren’t being met, it’s more likely to follow these trends and update your modern office.
Looking for more ways to update your modern office? Strong Project can help you design the office of your dreams. Contact us today!
Additionally, if interested in learning more about modern office design and the hybrid model? Check out our comprehensive guide.
