The Next Big Thing in Office Space

From the tiny four-walled room to glass cubicles, office space has evolved over the past few years. Nowadays, employees do not want to work in the same environment day in and day out. They need flexibility and, at the same time, want their privacy to be maintained.

Thus, companies are faced with the challenge of finding the right office environment that would strike a balance between employee productivity and satisfaction. They want the office space to be stylish and affordable and, at the same time, meet all the requirements of the employees.

Let us have a look at a few of the changes that are taking place and are expected to take place in office space design in the future.

Serviced Office

Leasing office space, doing up the interiors, and building the infrastructure all are cumbersome tasks. This takes up a lot of time, money, and energy on the part of the employer. A solution for this is the service offices.

A serviced office is an office building that is managed by a facility management company. This company offers fully furnished individual offices on rent with Wi-Fi, phone line and other shared services. All the offices in the serviced office building commonly share reception, business machines, and other facility like a pantry.

The main advantage of a serviced office is flexibility. It is cost-effective, especially for new companies that cannot afford to have a fully equipped office.

Co-working Space

These are fully furnished office space with wifi, phone line, and other infrastructural facilities. Co-working spaces are best suited for freelancers or start-up companies that cannot afford to have separate office space. Co-working space offers flexibility to the employees, with the option to hire the area on a monthly or a weekly basis.

The main advantage of a co-working space is the ability to network with people of similar interests. This helps in sharing work and improving productivity. Some co-working space is also equipped with a gym, a small play area, and cafeteria, thus enabling the employees to maintain a work-life balance.

For individuals who prefer an open work environment, the co-working space offers an open office layout where there is an opportunity to interact with other co-workers. For those who prefer privacy while working, small office cubicles are also provided. Co-working space offers individuals with all the benefits of an office space without spending a lot of money.

Office Neighborhood 

Not all employees in an office require the same type of office environment. Some might require an open space where they can discuss with their colleagues and brainstorm ideas. For eg; if you are working in the social media field and are entrusted with the task of content generation, you will have to interact with your co-workers to brainstorm ideas. In such a case, you would prefer working in an open space where you could easily access your co-workers and discuss ideas with them.

On the other hand, if you are a creative writer, then you need some privacy to come up with unique content. In such a case, you would prefer a private cubicle where you can concentrate without any disturbance from others.

If you are to accommodate a team consisting of creative writers and social media content developers in your office, what type of office set-up would you need? You need some open space where the content developers can sit and work together and a few cubicles where the creative writers can peacefully work.

An office neighborhood would provide you with precisely the same thing.  Such an office set-up consists of a different office environment where multiple nooks that meet everyone’s requirements are made available. An office neighborhood is an amalgamation of space that meets the needs of all employees of a company. By providing the right environment for the employees, the company can bring out the best from them.

An office neighborhood will not have a uniform look as the layout is designed, keeping in mind the individual requirements of the employees.

Green Office

Companies are now becoming more conscious of the environment. The green protocol is being followed in the design, construction, operation, and maintenance of the office building. Whether it is co-working space, corporate event venues, or serviced office space, going green is the buzz in the office design.

In green offices, energy, water, and other resources are used most efficiently. Solar energy is being used to generate electricity. Pollution and waste reduction measures are taken by reusing and recycling things.

In a green office, the health and wellness of the employees are given due consideration. The quality of indoor air is increased drastically by growing indoor plants. Large office spaces are designed so that the employees walk a long distance to reach the meeting rooms or training rooms. This helps to build a healthy and fit workforce whose productivity will be on the higher side.

Outdoor Office Space

All these years, office designers were bringing nature indoor by incorporating stone, wood, and plant as part of office décor. In the future, you can expect the reverse, i.e., the office space stepping outside the four walls.

Companies with offices in suburban areas are now converting the lawn into office spaces where the employees can discuss the work, catch up over a cup of tea or simply take a break from their screen. In urban areas, the office terrace is being converted into a park-like setting where the employees can have a relaxing time.

The main reason behind this trend is the growing awareness among employers about the health benefits of being in contact with nature. Having a green surrounding can reduce the stress level in employees and stimulate their creativity.

Office spaces are evolving as the demand from millennials is changing. It is now moving away from the conventional cubicle concept to a more open environment that is aimed at improving the productivity of individuals.