Since the majority of us spend a large proportion of our time in the workplace, good office design plays an integral part in creating an inspiring and comfortable environment for staff. A modern office strives to compete in its business sector, so an ill-thought-out office, cramped and overstocked with tables and equipment can limit motivation and therefore obstruct creativity and hinder overall work performance. It is therefore essential to create conditions for optimum work efficiency.
An office design based on current thinking, orients lifestyles and values of the new generation of people who value freedom with social responsibility and provides a blueprint for the next generation that enter the digital world. In this article, we investigate five popular trends in office design applicable to the new generation in 2022:
1. A Sustainable workplace : Sustainability-oriented office design is currently a hot topic. We have learned that focusing on future success at the expense of the environment leads to an imbalance in society. Modern offices must place sustainability as a high priority by developing business practices that encourage sustainable use of resources. There are many ways we can promote sustainability in our workplace, such as the use of environmentally-friendly materials and a design that supports the use of renewable or natural energy (solar cells, water resource management etc.).
2. An Activity-based Workplace : This is office design that emphasizes facilitating various work activities. Businesses are comprised of many sectors so it is essential to design work spaces that support the variety of activities within. For example, a team brainstorming and sharing ideas should benefit from a space that facilitates the discussions of workers. On the other hand, for work that requires time and a high level of concentration, there should be spaces that provide an environment of peace, privacy and easy access to the necessary equipment.
3. A Green Workplace : This approach to office design provides the benefits of bringing staff closer to nature by providing accessible green spaces such as small gardens or refreshment zones surrounded with all manner of plants. According to scientific research, it has been proven that the color green is essential for an environment of peace, relaxing the mind, reducing stress and helps staff to maintain concentration for longer. This concept in office design is considered advantageous to productivity.
4. A Happy Workplace : This is an office design concept concerned with providing positive mental health benefits to staff. Areas for work and relaxation are provided in equal proportion creating an easy, comfortable and non-stressful environment in which to work. Concentrating on the well-being of employees through office design brings happiness – a core value of the next generation employees.
5. An Innovative Workplace : This office design concept focuses on the use of innovative ideas and building techniques to facilitate efficient work activity with a high level of productivity, today and with the next generation of workplace staff. Any organization can apply this approach to design by implementing the Internet of Things (IoTs) or automation technology in the workplace, making available software or applications to support specific work activity with spaces that enable workers to learn about new technologies.
Many people may view the ‘new generation’ as a group of people with high potential but perhaps low in patience at work, preferring to leave companies and maintain work as freelancers. This in turn affects organizations as they lose opportunities to develop their businesses by creating growth together with this new generation of workers.
In reality, working with new generations is not as difficult as many people might think. Organizations just need to adjust to the needs and life values of a young generation of workers by making them feel that organizations are heedful to their needs and prepared to modernize their work environment. By implementing the principles of office design that focuses on sustainability, comfort at work and the availability of modern facilities, this generates both physical and mental happiness for all employees.