What will the office of the future be like?

Driven by improvements in technology and changes in people’s working styles and preferences, office design is constantly evolving. So, if you want to future-proof your workspace, it’s wise to pay attention to upcoming trends. In this blog, we explore some of the changes that are likely to take place in our professional environments. A home from home Ping pong tables and games consoles in break rooms may have been considered to be an eccentric addition to offices until recently, but now recreational features like these are an increasingly common sight in the workplaces of forward thinking companies. And the idea of creating homely, enjoyable spaces for staff members to use is rapidly gaining popularity. One expert who’s well aware of this trend is Tanya Wood, director of Soho Works. Speaking to digital publication The Spaces, she suggested that offices will become increasingly comfortable and will be seen as places where people choose to spend time without the formality and pressures of traditional workspaces. She added that a rising number of employees expect to benefit from features such as social areas and gyms. They may even start to expect to have access to bedrooms in their workplaces. Although providing facilities like these costs companies, it could prove to be a savvy business move. By enhancing worker morale, it could boost productivity. In addition, these employee perks could play an important role in enabling organisations to recruit and retain the best workers. More innovative tech Innovative gadgets and IT systems will increasingly dominate work areas. Look out for everything from computers that are simply projections of screens and keyboards onto surfaces to ‘smart glasses’ that overlay useful information onto the real world. You might even see robots moving around offices controlled by employees who are working remotely. This idea may seem outlandish, but it’s actually already being put to use. The company First Light PR recently introduced a robot to its team. The device can move freely around the office on wheels and it features a screen complete with two-way video feed that enables a homeworker to speak to her colleagues face-to-face. Expect an array of apps to make a big impact on the way we design and use our offices too. For example, 3D maps of workspace interiors could be used to help visitors find their way around and to enable colleagues to locate each other more quickly and easily. Meanwhile, Google is testing a GPS-like system for use indoors called the Visual Positioning System. This technology could enable augmented reality apps similar to Pokémon Go, but designed for work. Greater flexibility Flexibility has long been a watchword in office design, and this trend is only set to intensify. In a bid to optimise employee performance, companies will provide more and more highly tailored environments that give people greater choice over how and where they work. Watch out for anything from insulated cocoons designed to provide a calming environment that promotes deep concentration to canteens that are in use around the clock to provide spaces for informal meetings and collaborative work. There will also be more areas designed for virtual meetings with people located anywhere around the world. These could be accessorised with gadgets like virtual reality goggles that make it appear as though all attendees are actually present in the room when the meetings take place. Conventional desk setups where every employee has his or her own designated workspace may eventually be consigned to the history books as they are replaced with more dynamic office designs that reflect the move towards flexible working and represent a more efficient use of space. The types of office furniture that people use will become increasingly varied. For example, a rising number of workers will be able to take their pick from a selection of seating options, including traditional chairs, beanbags, ball chairs, kneelers and perch stools that are designed for use with standing desks. A more communal approach An even more radical shift might see companies share work areas with each other. In other words, businesses may not choose to have dedicated buildings or floors within buildings. Instead, to help them share knowledge and work more closely with each other, businesses may start to use large working areas that cater to a number of different organisations. There is also likely to be greater integration with other services. For example, more offices will share their spaces with the likes of childcare facilities, banks, laundries and hairdressers. This could offer greater convenience to workers. Going greener Going green is nothing new, but expect this trend to accelerate. There will be more of an effort to incorporate greenery within offices using features such as living walls. Businesses will up their efforts to run sustainably too, with a rising number finding ways to access renewable energy. Watch out for more solar panels attached to office buildings, and potentially an increased use of small-scale wind turbines. One example of this approach in action can be found at The Edge office in Amsterdam. Described as the greenest, most intelligent building in the world, it has incorporated solar panels into its design and its owners even persuaded a neighbouring university to install further solar panels on its rooftop in exchange for free use of the spare electricity produced. This highly sustainable and connected approach to design is being used to create so-called ‘smart cities’. It’s impossible to know exactly what the office of the future will look like, but you can be confident that many of these elements will be on display. It’s worth bearing this in mind when you next refit your workspace.