It’s time to think outside the basic cubicle. Most employees spend almost as much time at their workplace as they do at home, so making comfortable, functional workplaces should be a top priority for your company, especially with the rise of popular alternative working arrangements like home offices and coworking spaces.
Current trends in office design revolve around creating inviting, collaborative workspaces that help employees enjoy and feel more comfortable in their work environments, leading to increased productivity and employee satisfaction. If you’re interested in redesigning your office space, here are the latest trends in office furniture and design to help you create a productive, inviting office environment for your employees.
Flexible Workspaces
Office chairs, desks, and spaces are not one size fits all. More and more employees are turning to flexible coworking spaces to fit their unique needs and to foster a sense of well-being in the workplace. Investing in pieces that offer accessibility and support the unique ergonomic and work statement-related needs of your employees is an effective way to make the your office a more positive place to work.
Home-Inspired Pieces
To help your employees feel more comfortable during their time at work, consider creating spaces that feel like a home away from home to promote creativity. Some home-inspired office furniture options include: couches, coffee tables, plants, and natural lighting options.
Private and Collaborative Spaces
Workstyles are individual and vary greatly depending on the individual task and project, with some people preferring open work environments and others doing better with more private, quiet spaces. Create an office environment that offers the best of both worlds. Consider investing in pieces that promote collaborative and private work solutions such as large desks that allow employees to sit and work together, and partitions, chairs, and tables that can be easily moved to create privacy when needed.
Incorporate Technology
Equally trendy and functional, technological integrations are critical to the future of work. As companies and employees become increasingly more reliant on technology such as mobile phones, laptop computers, and technology that needs to be easily moved (instead of the sedentary desktop workspaces of the past), it is important to incorporate technological integrations directly into office furniture, making it easy for employees to charge their electronics, and connect to screens and ports as needed.
Biophilic Design Elements
Gone are the days of beige offices being the norm. More and more employees want to see natural elements in their workspaces, making biophilic design a major trend. Bringing the outdoors into your office with the addition of plants, and focusing on furniture pieces that feature the vibrant colors of nature is a great way to increase employee satisfaction and productivity.