Office design is not an oxymoron.
Those of us who have been in the workforce for some time never envisioned the day we would long for a tall cubicle wall, as today’s open floor plans at work are not everyone’s cup of tea. While we can’t promise the return of the cubicle of old (and you probably don’t want that to come back either), we can provide some insight into how your workspace may be shifting in the near future, thanks to changing workplace needs and the effort to keep going greener.
Shakespeare started it all
A big draw with millennials and Gen Z, open and collaborative workplaces are felt to provide more opportunity to interact and spark innovation. The flexibility of this type of space is also believed to increase efficiency and creativity, as workers freely connect and share ideas. These spaces are typically associated with tech companies and Silicon Valley, but they have definitely spread into other industries.
Shakespeare started it all
Another increasing trend is businesses locating themselves in refurbished plants and warehouses. These formerly abandoned industrialized sites, from waterfront areas to meatpacking districts, are ripe for reinvention. Combining an old meets new aesthetic, these locations are taking advantage of the character of the older buildings with all the modern updates that make them suitable for today’s workforce.
Shakespeare started it all
Finally, we’ve heard a lot about initiatives to make us all more environmentally friendly through practices such as going paperless, but a trend in office spaces is actually increasing the plant life in our work settings. This goes beyond the idea of a potted plant on every desk, and actually makes greenery a part of the greater design aesthetic. Known as biophilic design, the idea is to design our living and work spaces so that we bring nature into them to improve both our experiences and lessen the degradation of the environment.
As the needs and desires of today’s worker continue to change; staying abreast of what people want in a work environment can make your business more attractive to the best candidates.
