The 7 best office designs that attract employees
Why are office designs so important? (Have you ever thought about the real reason?)
Do you want to attract more powerful employees to your company? Have you found that the talent market for hiring top employees is particularly competitive? Do you want to reduce employee turnover? These are questions that should be on every company’s mind and are as important as you can imagine.
Nowadays, salary or money may not be the only factors influencing employee decisions; more and more employees are demanding office spaces that promote creativity, collaboration, and communication, while also reducing stress and anxiety.
Put employee preferences aside, there is another reason why office designs are such important: it directly affects employee output, which will have a direct impact on business revenue.
With this next article, we’ll give you 7 of the hottest modern office designs trends and concepts around the world right now. When your company is going to be next renovated, you can prioritize the use of these concepts~
01 - Needs-based working
Today’s leading companies are using office designs solution called “needs-based working”, which means that employees can work anywhere in the office that suits them.
For example, if an employee needs to work in a highly focused office, he or she can go to a quiet and isolated area to avoid distractions from co-workers. On the other hand, if an employee needs to collaborate with colleagues, such as learning software or supervising new employees, then they can sit at a traditional desk with adjacent seating and it’s easy for communication.
The following are the various types of “needs-based work style” environments:
Open workspace – This workspace is more traditional since there are no partitions or cubicles to separate employees and everyone shares a long workstation rather than individual workstations.
Open workspace is suitable for work that requires close cooperation, such as the staffs ask questions to colleagues frequently, so it is suitable for sales or marketing type of work. But the disadvantage is the noise and distraction because of the lack of privacy. Employees need privacy not only when they are on private calls, but also when they are communicating with customers on the phone.
Privacy Space – This can be a small, enclosed, soundproof phone room or isolated quiet area that allows employees to communicate confidentially or privately by phone, while such a small phone room can also be used for 2-person meetings.
Meeting space – Such a space allows a group of people to discuss issues and can be an enclosed space or a lounge. Meeting spaces can be of different sizes to accommodate variations in the number of people. Some companies have limited meeting room resources and employees need to go ahead and reserve a meeting room.
Restroom(lounge) – This is a very relaxing and comfortable area, usually with sofas, armchairs, breakout bins, and coffee tables. This area is suitable for different needs, such as temporary meetings, group meetings, work naps, and focused work.
Coffee area – Employees can have lunch or a snack in this area, which is ideal for brainstorming new ideas, discussing the latest projects, bumping into old colleagues and catching up.
Needs-based working is a new trend that solves the traditional open-plan office problem. The open office designs have been operating for decades years, allowing employees to work unobstructed and very closely together, and this is a great solution to the traditional problem of cubicles and individual offices.
02-Flexible workspace
Flexible office space, a new office designs concept is gaining recognition.
It comes with desks, tables, and chairs that can be easily moved and changed in size, whereas traditional offices have tables and chairs that are fixed and unchangeable.
For example, modular conference room tables can be easily and quickly reorganized or disassembled, and these modules can be easily moved because they all have wheels. This allows for short/long term dynamic support for the formation of new work groups and collaboration between colleagues.
Some flexible workspaces also have unfixed workstations, which means that employees are not working in a specific location, but to choose their own seating can be depending on the situation. Unfixed workstation seating is thought to enhance collaboration among employees, and it is also thought to improve overall work performance, as some employees want to work where they can best focus and concentrate on their work.
03- To bring green color into the workspace
One of the most powerful and enduring trends is reconnecting people with nature which are now reshaping the American workplace , this is known as close-to-nature design.
It leads to better health, focus, creativity and performance. The theory behind close-to-nature design is that it improves physical and mental health; in fact, it reduces stress and increases positive energy.
Close-to-nature office designs may use any of the following elements in an office.
(i) Natural light – sunlight and daylight enter the building through large glass windows, glass walls, glass doors and glass ceilings, and natural light is considered healthier than artificial light.
(ii) Running water – including fountains, streams and mini waterfalls. While these examples may be too extravagant for many small offices, they are more appropriate for building lobbies, public areas and large offices.
(iii) Plants – Plants convert carbon dioxide into oxygen, thus improving human health and concentration.
(iv) Natural views – By installing larger and wider windows, you can view the spectacular natural landscape outside.
(v) Natural materials – floors, ceilings, stairs, handrails and other façades can be made of natural materials such as wood or stone.
04-Creating a home-like environment
Home away from home, this is the office design trend sweeping the world.
From comfortable sofas to leisure swings, ping pong tables to breakout areas, this design is designed to make the workplace as relaxing and stress-free as possible as it can.
Providing employees an area where they can take a nap and relax their minds and bodies so they can rejuvenate and keep productive throughout the day.
But comfortable sofas and lounges are not just for a rest; they can also be used efficiently. For example, employees can sit on a comfortable couch or coffee table and work on their laptops.
One reason why home-based design in the workplace is becoming practical is the continued advancement of technology, which allows us to do our work increasingly remotely and portably.
Experts believe that why the trend toward home-based workplaces the reason is from a growing desire to work remotely. However, working remotely from home is against to superior managers’ will.
As a result, many managers are choosing to design their workplaces to be as comfortable as home so that employees will want to stay in the office as long as possible.
Since you can’t really work from home, generally some companies will provide a home-style configuration: sofas, armchairs, pod seats, coffee tables, break areas, casual games and other places.
Can a home-based workplace improve employee performance? The answer is yes. Because the home-like atmosphere is less subtle and less formal than in a traditional office. In a relaxed environment, people can express their ideas freely, which can stimulate brainstorming and creativity.
05 - Industrial style office design
A recent trend that cannot be ignored that is the industrial style office design. This trend has been popular since the new century and continues to be popular till today. Industrial style office design is a pure aesthetic style that is rustic, simple and brash.
The following are some of the most common elements of industrial style office design.
Exposed Ceiling Ventilation Ducts
Exposed ceiling ducts
Exposed ceiling beams
High ceilings
Exposed brick walls
Unfinished interior walls to create more space
Very large windows
Natural wood instead of treated wood
Concrete floors instead of wood or carpet
Suspended light fixtures + exposed light bulbs
As you might expect, factories, warehouses and industrial buildings are better suited for conversion to industrial style offices than traditional office buildings.
From a practical point of view, industrial style office design is usually more cost effective than other styles.
Keep in mind that office design determines the type of employees that are attracted to it. Industrial style office design is more likely to attract a younger people that wants to exercise their creativity and unconventional way of thinking.
06-Ergonomic Workstation
Everyone knows that sitting at a desk for long periods of time can have a negative impact on your health. To solve this problem, today’s offices will incorporate the following new technologies into their workstations.
Ergonomic chairs. This is the office chair that can be adjusted to support your lower back. The seat height should also be adjustable so that the person sitting in the chair can place their feet firmly on the floor, and the height of the armrests should also be adjustable.
Height-adjustable tables. Ideally, people of different body types can adjust the height of the table. Some people also prefer to alternate between sitting and standing while working.
While sit/stand and exercise ball chairs may not be for everyone, ergonomic chairs and height-adjustable tables are generally considered suitable for everyone and are becoming increasingly popular in the workplace.
07-Glass doors, glass walls
Glass walls and glass doors in offices have been hot for many years and they are an important part of modern and cutting-edge office interior design.
(i) Natural light. Glass walls and glass doors allow plenty of sunlight and daylight to shine through the office. This is considered to be healthier than artificial light.
(ii) Transparency. Glass walls and doors increase the transparency of the workplace. Glass walls and doors reduce the feeling of isolation from the rest of the team.
The 7 office interior design trends presented are all aimed at improving the productivity, creativity, collaboration and health of the workforce.
As the competition to attract and retain good candidates, how good the office is becomes an important factor in candidates’ consideration of the company. Even the salary is an important factor, it is not the only one. Today’s workers need flexible, collaborative, stress-relieving and creatively stimulating.