Everyone has been on the edge of their seats to return to offices, so it’s crucial as ever to instill creative workplaces that retain and attract talented individuals. A technology PR company is among the many industries that rely on office workspaces for maximum efficiency. COVID-19 has unquestionably impacted the shared workspace landscape, but there is still hope for the future. Modern office architecture alters and evolves to provide to the needs of post-pandemic working conditions. There is a surge in flexible and hybrid offices, community-inspired spaces, and designs that focus on an individual’s health.
Activity-based Working
As a result of activity-based working, your employees will have the opportunity to get a much-needed scenery change during the workday. A whole day spent in one place can be exhausting, as we all know. Offices with stand-up desks, shared desks, privacy booths, and collaboration areas can help enhance employee happiness and productivity by providing various work environments. For example, if a worker needs to perform something requiring concentration, they can move to a quiet and isolated space to prevent distraction. Moreover, suppose an individual is trying to learn a new software application or supervising a potential employee. In that case, they can sit in a conference room, shared desk, or a collaborative booth where they can freely discuss and interact with other co-workers.
Biophilic Design
Right now, biophilic design is a booming idea. When you create a green workspace, you can enhance employee morale, productivity, and well-being. People need to interact with nature, and when they do, they’ll be more productive in terms of work performance, creativity, concentration, and health. According to research studies, nature-inspired designs have been shown to boost cognitive function and reduce heart rate, blood pressure, and stress in the office.
As part of the biophilic design, offices and workplaces can incorporate any of the following aspects to improve health and productivity:
- Natural Light: Glass ceilings, glass doors, glass walls, and high glass windows allow sunshine to flow into your office as part of the biophilic office design. High glass walls greet those that occupy the space in the lobby or at the entry that provides a boosting rejuvenating impact.
- Plants: As well as enhancing the air quality and adding beauty to the room, plants also increase air circulation while reducing toxins in the air. Looking at plants and other greenery is a pleasurable experience that anyone shouldn’t understate.
- Views of Nature: Try to maximize your window area if you have a luscious green space outside to take advantage of the gorgeous views. You can also bring nature indoors with the help of art. Nature-themed prints or paintings are particularly effective. You can also install wooden bridges, flowing water, rocks, trees, and indoor gardens with plants if you have a more expansive space available.
Flexibility in the Workplace
You can customize seating, tables, and desks to meet the changing needs of your employees in a flexible office. For example, conference tables that you can quickly extend to accommodate varied group sizes and tables with wheels for easy rearrangement can be found in a flexible workspace. Expect new teams to be dynamic and more collaboration among employees on both short- and long-term projects.
Having no designated seat also is encouraged in some flexible workspaces. Employees don’t have a particular workstation or desk and have the freedom to choose any place on any given weekday. The current paperless office, where practically computers digitize all knowledge, has given this approach a push. Consequently, the modern office increasingly resembles a keyboard, mouse, monitor, and computer on top of a simple desk with a chair as the only tools required to do the job at hand. Several reasons make non-assigned seating layouts more practical and easy to execute.
Home Away from Home
A significant workplace design concept for 2021 is to create an environment that feels like home. You’ll want to make sure the office includes all the conveniences of home since it’s where your staff has spent for the past year. You can place lounge areas, ping-pong tables, recreational swings, and comfortable sofas to create a stress-free environment for your employees when they move back to the office. Providing them with spaces where they can take brief breaks to refresh their bodies and minds enables them to remain efficient throughout the rest of the day.
Final Thoughts
Working hours are undeniably long; therefore, investing in enjoyable, collaborative, and comfortable workspaces strategically planned is worthwhile. You should constantly consider the impact of office design trends on employee engagement, well-being, and productivity and the expense of integrating those aspects.
