Workplaces are very different to even a decade ago. Irreversible societal change has altered what we want from our workspaces while technology has given us all the ability to work wherever we want, whenever we want.
As a result, the design and fit out of offices has changed entirely. Go back ten or 20 years and a high-end workplace would feature a luxurious boardroom with polished wooden floors and sleek sliding doors. While elements such as these are still important, they fall far short of what today’s office dwellers require.
The following are three workplace requirements that are now paramount in designers’ and occupiers’ minds. This is where the world of work is heading.
Future-proofed connectivity
Today, connectivity is everything. Fibre-optic cables need to be squirreled away in every wall and floor cavity to ensure that today’s digitally-focused workers can get the job done.
Crucially, both excellent wifi and mobile signal are essential, the latter being more problematic to achieve. Modern buildings are often constructed to be as sustainable and efficient as possible, but the better the building keeps heat in, the more it will keep mobile signal out. Landlords and developers must now consider installing technology to bring that mobile signal inside.
As technology develops, such as the emergence of 5G, this will become more important. Placing connectivity as a paramount concern now will ensure that the building is future-proofed as new ways to communicate emerge.
The domestication of the office
As office technology has crept into the home, driven by our ability to work anywhere, the home is now creeping into the office. A modern workplace would not be complete without comfortable breakout areas such as a fully functioning kitchen, comfortable chairs and generally more space to relax than would have previously been included.
Design elements from the home are also making inroads into the workplace, generally turning them into more hospitable environments. For example, biophilic design brings in a sense of nature that is increasingly recognised as important to our ability to relax.
Presenting choice
Today’s most successful workplaces offer staff choice about where they work. The working day often requires different environments – a place to collaborate, a place to have a formal meeting, a place for concentration.
This type of design is often called agile or activity-based working. It is based on the principle that different people operate best in different settings, so to ensure everyone is as productive as possible they need to be able to choose where they sit.
The best workspaces also provide places for people to engage with each other, to make sure there is enough serendipitous bumping into each other that allows for idea swapping. If communication is improved between people and teams, that’s when the real work can be achieved.