For those who spend most hours of their day in their place of work, the office sure becomes a home away from home. Over the years, the term office has evolved to mean beyond a mere physical place of work for employers as well as employees. Regardless of the company’s ethos or objectives, creating aesthetically pleasing looks around the office is increasingly crucial to making a lasting impression on clients as well as employees.
In fact, if you look around, offices are now being developed as collaborative spaces to foster productivity through informal settings Why some may wonder? The pandemic has essentially catapulted a shift by ushering in a new era of employee centricity that prioritizes employee development and well being above all. Because of this shift, flex spaces have become a go-to choice for corporates as offices can evade the cost of redesigning offices in the new normal. To cater to this rising demand, the coworking industry is steadily focusing on attuning its spaces to this repositioning in the ecosystem by:
Acing the aesthetic appeal
By enabling minor changes in office designs and aesthetics, companies can embark on the road to success with employee attraction & retention, wellness, operational performance, etc. In the recent past, office design has taken a people-driven approach as they have to ability to affect moods, create atmosphere, and bring vibrancy to office spaces. Diving into the overall office layout; colour scheme updates and ergonomically led furniture not only redefines the look and feel of a space but also changes how employees feel when in the space. A lot of the associations with colours are relevant to employees’ productivity. Cool colours like blue and green represent a calm and focused work environment whereas yellow and red boost the creative energy of a workplace.
Since light has an enormous impact on our physical and mental well-being, workplaces are increasingly raising the need to prioritize spaces with larger windows to make better use of natural lighting. To redesign offices that are more employee-centric and promote workplace ambience, permeating the office spaces with illumination can surely elevate the mood and morale of employees.
While we think of aesthetics, adding greenery can also reflect a trendy office space. While the benefits are far beyond look and feel, it evokes feelings of relaxation, positivity and tranquillity. Finding motivation around walls draped with greenery adds natural elements to workplace success. Although the concept of redesigning an office is a visually pleasing environment, modern workspaces also encompass functional elements. The open floor plans not only give more space and makes the work environment vibrant but also eliminate the barriers in communications amongst the teams and put all team members at the same level, thus fostering a sense of harmony. Additionally, office spaces designed with live cafés and break rooms boost a quick two-communication system amongst the employees..
Integrating technology into our everyday
Several global reports on the future of work have confirmed that comfort and well-being is the foremost driving factor of customer expectations in the new work world. While validating the same, furniture is an integral comfort component of a workspace. Not just that, besides being a utility, whether funky or minimalistic in look, furniture takes the overall aesthetic appeal a notch up. Having furniture with bright colours and movable elements could indicate the flexibility of the space.
Smart office furniture like lounge seating or flexible furniture has long been the preferred choice of employees. To keep employees supported and sitting well throughout the day, the new-age furniture features a broad range of technological innovations. Something as simple as redesigning the seating arrangement with chairs to personalize the recline tension with a simple click or palm seat back to encourage active movement can elevate employees’ everyday experience at work.
Additionally, with safety and hygiene defined the new workspaces, offices and coworking spaces are abreast to accommodate technology from entry to exit points through automated attendance scanners, touchless doors, soap dispensers and faucets, digitalized ventilators, etc.
Many businesses believe that creating unique and artistic offices costs a fortune, but with an aversion to office stereotypes and a passion for individual identity, managed office players like Awfis are providing the option of customizable interiors, which has proved to be budget-friendly.
Revamping the office space with amenities and rejuvenating spaces not only celebrates productivity, health and well-being but also provides the best social experience for clients and employees. As Winston Churchill rightly said, “To improve is to change; to be perfect is to have changed often.” Therefore, as we continue to predict the future of work, the one thing that is constant is the changing needs and preferences of employees which will often impact the design trends of modern and flex workspaces.
This story appeared in the 12 June, 2022 issue of Commercial Design of India and was originally published at: The Design Edge: Redesigning office spaces for a new normal, Commercial Design of India
