5 office design trends you'll see in 2017

There’s no denying the importance of effective office design. Get the setup of your workspace right and you stand to raise morale among your employees, increase productivity and even reduce absenteeism. A practical and stylish space could also help you recruit and retain the best workers. Highlighting this fact, in a global study of nearly 8,000 workers conducted on behalf of Robertson Cooper, a third of respondents revealed that the design of an office would influence whether they decided to work for a company or not. If you’re determined to get your working environment just right, it pays to keep tabs on the latest office design trends. With this in mind, here are five key approaches to watch out for in 2017.

A move away from ultra-open plan

In some big offices, expect to see a move away from vast open plan spaces populated by very large numbers of workstations. This impersonal, trading floor style of space can certainly help companies to make the most of their square footage, but it’s also associated with a range of potential problems, from excessive noise and a lack of privacy to increased stress levels. Open plan as a design concept looks set to stay, but sprawling work areas are losing favour. Instead, companies are increasingly opting to divide large areas into zones where smaller clusters of people are grouped together. For example, one sizeable space may be divided into four or five subsections. These areas tend not to be separated by walls or large dividers, but they are clearly differentiated to create quieter and more intimate spaces. Low-level office screens and carefully positioned plants and cabinets can be used to create subtle but important divides between different sections within the same large space. This approach can still represent an extremely efficient use of space and it ensures rooms don’t lose their big, open and airy feel.

More imaginative, flexible layouts

Thanks to WiFi and mobile devices, many workers are no longer tied to their desks for the duration of the working day - and this fact is set to become even more apparent this year. A rising number of businesses look set to shift towards more imaginative and flexible layouts that give their employees greater control over their environments during the working day. Forward-looking companies are seizing on this idea to create a variety of zones that cater to different needs. From breakout areas with special seating that is designed to facilitate group discussions to secluded, quiet spaces intended to promote concentration, offices can include a number of very different areas that serve distinct purposes.

Greater use of responsive tech

Expect to see more responsive technology being integrated into workplaces too. The advanced solutions now available to companies are transforming the office environment as we know it. From lighting and heating systems that adjust automatically according to individuals’ preferences to desks that wirelessly recharge mobile phones, a host of innovative solutions are slowly but surely creeping into our work areas. The Edge office building in Amsterdam is at the vanguard of this trend. Among its many high-tech solutions are sensors positioned in LED lighting panels that report detailed data on humidity and temperature in a bid to perfect indoor climate control. The office also features big flatscreens that can be wirelessly synced with any laptop or phone, and it even has espresso machines that remember how individual workers like their coffee. The Edge may be ahead of its time, but many other companies are starting to follow suit in terms of incorporating responsive tech into their offices.

More of a nod to the natural world

Pantone has made a ‘tangy yellow-green” its colour of the year, saying the hue symbolises the connection people seek with nature. Whether this particular paint is an interior design hit this year remains to be seen, but green will certainly be a big feature of many workspaces in the form of plants. Sometimes called biophilic design, incorporating more greenery into offices is known to have a positive impact on employees’ morale. It can also improve air quality, and when done well it makes an impressive style statement. An abundance of pot plants may spring up in offices this year, and watch out for the inclusion of living walls too. These vertical hydroponic systems feature plants contained in discrete panels. They can be neatly manicured or left to grow to create a wilder look. Living walls offer a relatively simple yet highly effective way to inject added vibrancy and life to a range of work areas, from meeting rooms to atriums.

More on-site gyms and standing desks

With many people working long hours and growing concern over the impact of prolonged periods of inactivity on health, more bosses may be set to adapt their offices in a bid to promote employee wellbeing. For example, a greater number of workspaces may be set to get on-site gyms. In the past, these facilities were considered a luxury and they tended to be seen only in big workspaces. Now though, even small companies with limited space are switching onto the benefits of giving their personnel a place to exercise before or after work, or on lunch breaks.
Standing desks will continue to grow in popularity too. These adjustable work surfaces are increasingly being seen as a necessity rather than an extravagance and many workers now expect to be offered these innovative furnishings.
With trends like this to look out for, you should have lots of inspiration if you’re keen to overhaul your office this year and create a more appealing, dynamic and effective space.

March 9, 2017 | View: 328 | Categories: ROOT