WORKSPACE DESIGN TRENDS

Zhooshing up the office interior

Now that most employees are back in the office on a regular basis it may be a suitable time to boost the morale by zhooshing up the office interior. According to the company Jay Scotts in South Florida,

USA, small desks and office pods could be considered if many people work independently and collaboration is not a priority. For offices where the community is a bit tighter and people need to share ideas or socialise a lot, they will be more comfortable in a layout with a lounge set-up and comfortable furniture.

Consideration should also be given to colour schemes as studies have shown that exposure to certain colours, for an extended period, can affect your employees. Their reactions will vary but in general the impact of colours have been noted as the following:

� red agitates us, � yellow promotes feelings of joy, and � blue can create a more calming mood.

If you plan to add a wall covering of changing the paint on the walls, be sure to use colours that promote productivity and peace so that the atmosphere will keep people calm but busy!

Jay Scott states that office design trends are always changing, but it’s obviously impractical to redesign your office on a regular basis. It is therefore recommended that you should go with designs that will withstand the test of time.

Some of the current office design trends can include the following features:

• Retro geometric patterns, like chevron and herringbone styles • Neutral colour schemes with pops of bright colours • Arches • Red earth ceramics • Wavy and curved furniture The company has identified five commercial office Design Trends For The 2022 Workplace:

1. Creating dynamic office layouts.

Cubicle farms and rigid partitions are out - modern design elements are beginning to feature more dynamic spaces that can be easily adapted. As workers return to the office and the number of employees in the workforce continues to fluctuate, employees may find themselves without a sense of belonging in their office.

When employees are in the office, they often seek out safe space to work in: this is where pods come in. Pods are small, private spaces with enough room to work alone or with a small group. Most offer soft seating and connectors for laptop charging. Some pods are even soundproof so that employees may hold meetings and talk to one another in a convenient, secure manner.

If pods are unsuitable for your office space, consider adding furniture that can easily adjust to the needs of your workplace. Replace large tables and fixed chairs with smaller tables and chairs with wheels so that they can be pushed together (when people are collaborating) or pulled apart (when people need to work independently).

2. The home away from home.

It has become a trend to add couches and armchairs with throw pillows to lobbies and “green” office spaces to create a sense of home in their work environment. This not only provides some appealing relaxation spaces but will also fill any open space in your office. Depending on your brand identity, you may even consider adding coffee tables and beer fridges alongside your new comfortable furniture!

Another important consideration is exposure to daylight. It has been scientifically proven to increase our wellbeing and mood, it brightens rooms and makes the office feel bigger and more spacious. So, adding more natural light to your building can benefit your office environments tremendously. It is sometimes easy to do – just move furniture away from windows to allow more sunlight in. In commercial spaces, with fewer opportunities to embrace natural lighting, you can use mirrors to create the illusion of natural light.

3. Telling the story of your brand

Companies are all looking for more creative ways to direct their marketing strategies to retain current clients and make an impression on future ones. One way to achieve this is by using your office design to create an overarching theme for your brand.

The story behind every business is different and you will need to choose design elements that tell yours in the best way possible, but here are some ideas to get you started.

One trend that is coming back in style is the wooden office fixtures of the 1960s. Other modern “old” styles include brass, industrial-style metal, and stone. Even if it’s impractical to redesign the entire office from wall to wall, complementing your interior design with some wooden coffee tables or brass art pieces can spark interest in your clients and creativity in your employees for years to come. If you plan to use wall coverings to display the history and culture of their businesses, the finish you use, the colours you select and how you incorporate your logo are all methods to create a space that will make employees and customers feel welcome and comfortable.

4. Technology creates safer environments.

Applying technology to automate light switches and taps in the office was already a key feature of modern office design before the pandemic, but now this technology has become essential for health and safety.

It is important to design your office so that , wherever possible, you are limiting

the number of surfaces that your employees and customers need to touch. The implementation of facial recognition has been met with controversy, but it is a useful tool for reducing the amount of physical contact in the office.

A popular alternative is voice recognition. Imagine: planning meetings and making task lists could be as simple as asking Alexa to do it for you. It can open up many doors for online offices to integrate with offline spaces in a seamless manner through the Internet and other mobile apps.

5. Reconnecting with nature in the office.

A definite trend is the rise in the use of plants because of their positive effects on employee well-being. “The Global Impact of Biophilic Design in the Workplace,” a 2021 study from Human Spaces, found that workers in offices with natural elements, such as greenery and sunlight achieve:

When rooms lack windows or good natural lighting, try introducing greenery to add a touch of nature and bring the outdoors inside. As the world has evolved over the course of the last century, humans have separated themselves from the natural world.

Biophilic design recognizes the detriment this disconnection has to our overall health and aims to reconnect human organisms with surrounding life through direct experiences with nature, including plants, water, animals, natural light, We know now that inauthentic experiences of nature are simply not enough – A painting of a green pasture on the wall will not provide the same benefits that nature has to offer.

Companies are using greenery to improve the health and moods of their employees through plant life and sustainable practices.

Living walls

There are so many benefits to adding green walls to your office space. Indoor plants are scientifically proven to improve air quality and circulation, especially in small spaces, which makes them perfect for offices.

It will also boost the well-being of employees, inspire creativity and productivity, and can help to reduce noise levels in open office spaces. �

6% more productivity 15% more creativity 15% higher levels of well-being

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Jay Scotts Planters

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