Workplace design is no longer one size fits all. Employees’ expectations are changing. Over time workplace design has shifted from space-centric to human-centric, because a company is not defined by its space. It is defined by its people.
Going into the new decade, your workspace should aim to serve the wellbeing and productivity of your employees and create an experience that encourages their engagement and retention. One of the key factors in attracting and retaining workers is workplace design.
Community in a Digital World
With the growing option to work from home, people are now spending less time in traditional workspaces. Though working remotely is beneficial for work-life balance, it diminishes the sense of community that comes with working among co-workers at the office. Without the support of a community, workers may lose motivation, productive engagement, and overall reason to stay with the company.
Resimercial Design is an up-and-coming design style that combines residential and commercial design techniques. It works to make the workspace more comfortable and welcoming. It pays attention to the smaller aesthetic details like fabric and lighting, as well as other design aspects like ergonomics and functionality to make the workplace feel more like home.
With this style of design in mind, workspaces are becoming more hospitable. Many workspaces now resemble small villages, including restaurants, hair salons, fitness rooms, and many more amenities to allow workers enjoy their time working inside the office as much as they do working from home.
Sustainability
Going into 2020, it is important that businesses create eco-friendlier workspaces, not only to support their employees, but also to sustain the planet at large. Being the largest generation in the US labor force, millennials have played a huge role in changing how and where we work. With ideologies of environmental wellness and sustainability, they have also called attention to the relationship between our workspaces and the environment.
Companies are now following the trend of biophilic design. Biophilic design combines the natural world with the modern. It comes from the word biophilia, which is defined as a human’s natural inclination to unite with nature.
To be more sustainable, companies often use recyclable building materials, energy-efficient technology, and other sustainable design practices. Instead using metal and drywall, workspaces feature wood and glass. Greenery is being more widely displayed in workspaces, from the traditional potted plant to the mossy living wall. One of the most unique trends is hanging horticulture. Hanging horticulture allows companies to maximize their space and still put forth sustainable, environmentally friendly image.
Fast-Paced Change
Before you know it, 2020 will have come and gone. So instead of sticking strictly to design trends of the new year, you should redesign your space to be adaptable. Instead of designing with clunky furniture, incorporate moveable, lightweight features. This will not only keep your workspace up to date throughout the decade, but it will allow for your space to be multi-functional, meeting real-time needs.
A great example of how to design a multi-functional space is to use modular walls instead of cubicles. They are lightweight, easy to rearrange, and capable of facilitating both collaboration and solitude. You can redesign your workspace every year with the same materials.
Haworth