Modern office design – what are the demands placed on office planning today?
Modern office design is not just a question of aesthetics. It increases employee satisfaction and productivity. The competition for the best talent is getting tougher, skilled workers are becoming increasingly difficult to recruit and the demands on employers are increasing.
The creation of modern office space, the use of the latest technologies and the opportunity to work from home or even mobile work can help to attract and retain top talent.
The office of the future should be designed to encourage collaboration and creativity, with plenty of open workspaces, natural light, and innovative technologies. The office of the future should not only offer a pleasant and productive working environment, but also be very sustainable, with energy-efficient buildings and green spaces. As companies try to stay one step ahead of the competition, the office of the future will become more important.
The requirements for optimal office design have changed significantly in recent years due to new technologies and social change. There are many new trends affecting the work environment. In this blog we will look at some of the latest trends in office design and how they are affecting the work environment.
What does flexible office design mean?
What current trends are there?
How do they influence the design of the working environment? Flexibility and adaptability are important factors to be able to survive successfully even in a difficult business environment. Even the design of the office is no exception. Flexible office design is therefore becoming increasingly important.
Advantages of flexible office design
More and more companies are realizing that a rigid office design is no longer up to date and that it is important to respond to the individual needs of employees. Flexible office design includes the ability to customize workspaces to meet employee needs. This can mean that employees have the option of doing their work standing or sitting, that they can withdraw to be able to concentrate on their work or that they can work from their home office.
History and definition of flexible office design
The term “flexible office design” has its origins in the 1970s, when companies began to break down the rigid and hierarchical structures of their workplaces. Flexible office design refers to a work environment that can adapt to the changing needs of employees.
This means that workplaces are designed to meet different needs, whether through a variety of workspaces or a far-sighted choice of furniture and work tools.
How to implement flexible office design in your office:
- Analysis of employee needs:
Before you start designing your office, you should meet with your employees to determine their needs and requirements. These needs depend heavily on the office concept you want to work with. The office concept answers the question HOW to work. At individual workstations, in group offices or in an open-plan office, at clearly defined workstations or at desk-sharing workstations. - Create the necessary variety of workspaces to meet the diverse needs of employees or teams. Make retreats possible so that you can work in a concentrated manner undisturbed. Create meeting zones and meeting rooms to encourage communication and collaboration without disturbing bystander colleagues.
- Opt for multifunctional furniture:
Invest in furniture that is flexible and multifunctional to easily meet the needs of your employees and your business today and in the future.
Office design for your home office: How flexible workplaces make working from home easier
In times of remote work and home office, flexible office design is becoming increasingly important. It offers workers the opportunity to personalize their work environment and feel more productive in their familiar environment. At the same time, it represents an opportunity for employers to let their employees work in an environment that is optimal for them. Flexible office design can also help employees adapt their working hours to their needs and thus achieve a better work-life balance. Overall, a flexible home office design can help employees be more productive and happier, thereby contributing to a higher quality of work.
Flexible office design for coworking spaces: The ideal working environment for modern workers and companies
Coworking spaces are an excellent example of flexible working environments. The possibility of integrating different forms of work is a great advantage for both employers and employees.
Companies can give their employees the freedom to choose their work style and working hours, while employees can do their work in an inspiring environment.
The various workplaces in the coworking space enable employees to adapt their working methods as required. Whether you want to work in the office, work from home or want to work on the move, the coworking space offers a suitable working environment. The concept of the coworking space is very different from a traditional office, as it promotes contact and exchange between different companies. The different places and forms of work offer a variety of information and contacts that can be valuable for companies and their employees.
What influence does modern technology have on office work?
In the last 10 years, the rapid development of modern technologies has fundamentally changed the way we work in the office. Here are some of the major changes that have occurred during this period:
- Mobile technology: The introduction of smartphones and the diverse possibilities of video conferencing enable users to be reachable anywhere and to ensure meetings quickly, easily and independently of their place of work.
- Cloud Computing: Cloud technology enables access to data and applications from anywhere.
- Social media platforms: social media have become important communication channels to interact with customers and employees.
- Artificial intelligence (AI) will also find its way into the office world in ever more diverse ways. It can contribute enormously to increasing productivity.
For office work and conception, this means that not every employee is necessarily dependent on a permanent workplace in the office. The possibility of working in the home office has become established in many companies. The concept of mobile working goes one step further.
What does mobile working mean?
Mobile working goes even further than working from home. It refers to the ability to work from anywhere without being tied to a fixed workspace. It requires the use of modern technologies such as smartphones, laptops and tablets to access work resources such as email, data and applications.
Mobile working allows workers to be more flexible and do their work from different locations instead of being tied to a fixed workplace. This model is still quite new but is particularly popular with some of the younger generation. It enables the employee to achieve a better work-life balance, and for the company it can attract new employees who could not be recruited without this modern form of work.
Home office and mobile working can also be advantageous for employers, as they can save costs, for example by requiring less office space or by using existing office space more efficiently and more generously for the remaining core workforce. It is worth checking whether the work content is suitable for these forms of work and whether your employees want this.
How to create a good workplace and room concept?
After the question of how to work has been clarified (office concept), step 2 deals with the requirements and the equipment of the individual workplaces and areas (workplace concept) and step 3 with the spatial arrangement (room concept)
- The workplace concept specifies which equipment each individual workplace requires in terms of size and function. Different tasks often necessitate different requirements in terms of technical equipment and furniture. A sufficiently large desk, an ergonomically adjustable office chair and storage space for work documents and personal items are the three most important points for a well-equipped workplace. In addition, there is good lighting, if possible, with daylight.
- In addition to efficient individual work, an important aspect of office design is the opportunity for social interaction. It is important to create an environment that gives employees the opportunity to interact with each other.
- Create common spaces where your employees can meet and exchange ideas: A comfortable seating area and a coffee kitchen or kitchenette with small bistro tables or a long table for get-togethers.
- Team events and joint activities can also help to strengthen the sense of community in the company. This becomes even more important when working from the home office or mobile or when many part-time employees only see each other relatively rarely.
In the room concept you arrange the different functional areas on the surface. A good room concept must consider the requirements for undisturbed work, communication options and social interaction. Take your floor plan to hand and plan the individual areas. Then go through your virtual office and check how well your wishes have been implemented:
- A welcoming entrance/reception
- A good overview
- Disturbance-free work zones
- Sufficient distance between the individual workplaces
- Adequate soundproofing
- Sufficient proximity for teamwork
- Sufficient number and size of meeting and encounter zones
- Retreat rooms for concentrated work
- Sufficient storage space
- Efficient walkways
Design and color for a pleasant working atmosphere and professional appearance
The choice of office furniture influences the appearance and the working atmosphere: design, function and quality are decisive!
The appearance and working atmosphere of your office is also strongly determined by the choice of your office furniture. Design, function, color, and quality are not without effect. Choose office furniture that meets the needs of your company.
If possible, choose furniture that is flexible, versatile, and durable. In this way, your furniture can change with your company and still always retain a uniform and professional overall appearance.
Traditional office furniture is usually strictly white or in light gray tones. In some sectors, the color black dominates. When it comes to new plans, people are often much braver when it comes to using color, so that the premises convey a positive mood and energy and thus create a pleasant working environment.
Natural elements
A trend that has prevailed in office design in recent years is the use of natural elements. Offices are increasingly being designed with plants and natural materials such as wood and stone. These natural elements create a pleasant atmosphere and help reduce employee stress levels. They also improve the air quality in the office and increase employee productivity.
Conclusion
Office design has changed a lot in recent years. It is important to many companies today to create a working environment that promotes the productivity, health and satisfaction of the employees and thus also increases the company’s success.
Implementing good office design is not difficult. We have summarized the most important aspects for you in this checklist.
- Bedarfsanalyse unter Einbeziehung der Mitarbeiter und Kunden
- Clarity about your office concept
- List of all areas that the office should include
- Creation of workplace concepts
- Creation of a room concept
- Choice of office furniture
- Design and decoration of their offices
If you want Flexcube modular furniture for your office, we will be happy to plan your office according to your wishes without obligation and free of charge.
