Office design trends have gone through a wide range of style updates and changes over the years. With every passing year, shifts in the way we do business are reflected in the way we design offices, with the needs of companies constantly evolving.
In the post-Covid-19 world, we need to consider the impact of the lockdowns and work-at-home protocols on employees and their mindsets. Coming back to the office after two years of working from home is going to have an impact on the company culture and, by extension, the way you choose to fit an office out.
With those things in mind, let us take a look at five of the top office interior design trends today.
1. Collaborative Workspaces
The trend is for offices to move away from individual offices towards more open-plan environments that feature fewer dividers or walls between workstations. The idea behind this is to increase collaboration opportunities and reduce the isolation of employees.
When employees feel isolated in their own private offices, this can lead to them losing touch with the culture of the company and with their place within it. Employees working in silos leads to reduced communication between staff and departments, which can result in inefficiencies and less productivity.
An open plan office becomes a truly collaborative space when you add breakaway spaces throughout where staff can conveniently hold ad hoc meetings and short discussions without needing to always go through the formal process of booking out a boardroom. Breakaway spaces can take many forms, ranging from a collection of bean bags to mini lounge suites or coffee tables with chairs.
2. Flexibility in the Workspace
Traditionally, offices are pretty rigid environments. You have your designated workspace that you inhabit daily, and little ever changes. However, the modern office is starting to embrace a less permanent and more flexible, fluid approach to the way the office is designed.
Ever since Covid-19 forced working from home on so many companies, a rapid shift has occurred in how office spaces are viewed. Even though many companies have long since returned to normal operating conditions and have essentially ended their work-from-home routines, many have chosen to either stick with it or embrace some form of hybrid model.
Modern offices are being fitted out to accommodate such flexibility. This includes the addition of hot desks, which are used by whoever needs them. These temporary workstations are great for accommodating employees who would usually work remotely but need a spot to complete tasks or conduct meetings in the office from time to time.
3. Ergonomic Conscious Design
Ergonomics is all about understanding how human beings interact with their environments and how operating environments can impede or support people in doing their jobs more effectively.
Considering ergonomics is all about understanding what a person needs to function to their full capacity by removing any physical impediments and ensuring maximum comfort is achieved so that distractions caused by ongoing discomfort are minimised.
The latest trend in office design is to include ergonomic design elements and features in the overall office design. This could include things ranging from desk supports that tilt keyboards to reduce strain on a person’s back, to specially designed chairs that provide additional support.
Active options are also increasingly being added to modern offices, such as treadmill desks, ball chairs, standing desks, kneeling chairs and more.
These kinds of design elements can have a significant impact on employee morale and well-being, reducing absenteeism and improving productivity.
4. Pods and Booths rather than Private Offices
Private offices, while still necessary in some cases, are slowly being done away with almost entirely. Previously, private offices were reserved for management. However, increasingly, the trend is towards management working on the floor along with everyone else rather than being sequestered away, isolated from the workers.
The reason for this shift is that it frees up communication opportunities and channels between management and their teams while also boosting morale by creating the perception of a flattened hierarchy and a greater sense of camaraderie.
Naturally, privacy is still sometimes required, and so the trend is towards the inclusion of various pods or booths rather than offices or boardrooms, where meetings can be held, private phone calls can be engaged in, and workers can have peace and quiet if they need it for certain tasks.
5. Lively Walls
Modern offices are steering away from the drab and dreary design of years gone by, opting to rather fill the space with colour and life.
Gone are the whitewashed walls and bland, uninspired decor or complete lack thereof. Rather, the trend is to create lush green living walls filled with plant life or to use cheerful and inspirational imagery to adorn the space and bring a sense of energy and life to the space.
While these images and colours shouldn’t be too overwhelming, there is a lot to be said for adding a bit of excitement to an office. It can go a long way towards boosting staff temperaments and enthusiasm.
For more information on office fit-outs and refurbishments in Brisbane, Gold Coast or Sydney, contact us at Outkast today!
