There is a trend in the workforce to ditch the traditional office setting for an alternative that provides more flexibility and access to new technologies. The modern office has its roots in Silicon Valley, where tech giants like Google and Facebook have been radically changing how people work since the 2000s. On-demand workforces have given rise to more remote workers, and many organisations are now exploring ways to offer a more flexible schedule that expands beyond the 9-to-5 structure. With so many organisations following this trend, it’s no wonder that there are so many tips out there on how best to design your modern office.
We’ve listed out some below:
1. Go for Open Plan Offices
Open plan offices have gained popularity as they allow employees to keep an eye on each other, and also reduces distractions. According to research , open plan spaces are more productive as well. You can even encourage your employees to work in open plan offices with the help of acoustic panelling , which has been found to increase productivity by up to 15% .
2. Ditch The Cubicles For Desks
Cubicles are out for many organisations today, and most have already gone for ample space along with flexible desks where workers can move freely. According to a study, 53% of workers feel that the cubicle system hinders collaboration among employees .
3. Turn The Conference Rooms Into Collaborative Workspaces
With a growth in mobile and remote workers , many organisations have found that face-to-face meetings can now be replaced with online meetings . The next time you make a meeting room, instead of creating separate spaces, make it collaborative. That way, you can get extra space for other purposes as well.
4. Use Modern Desk Chair
The modern office allows workers to feel more comfortable while they work, and that’s why ergonomic chairs and adjustable heights desks are all the rage. A study reports that workers who use ergonomic chairs enjoy reduced back pain by 64% compared to their counterparts working with ordinary chairs.
5. Work With Lighting
Changing lighting conditions at different times of day can help your employees stay healthy and energised as well. According to research , a good mix of bright white light during the day helps keep your employees energetic, while warmer light tones from lamps at night can help them relax.
6. Consider Ergonomic Chair
Plastic chairs are the most common ones, but researchers at the University of Utah found that the least comfortable chairs were those made from plastic. The good news is that there are several other types of ergonomic office chair to choose from , such as leather and mesh.
7. Design Your Meeting Rooms To Support Remote Working
Take note of the meeting room and space available to reserve for a conference room with enough space to accommodate everyone if you have people working remotely. Also, design your meeting rooms to support other collaborative workspace activities such as connecting people, sharing files, and even hanging out together.
8. Plan And Give Out Space For Socialising
A study showed that people in open plan offices tend to socialise with more people, as compared to those in traditional offices. Combine this with the fact that it can be difficult for remote workers to get together for a cup of tea or coffee , and it’s easy to see the need for such spaces .
9. Make Sure Your Workplace Is Designable
This may be your most important tip. If you have a hard time redesigning your office spaces , then you may want to rethink your entire office layout . An ergonomic office layout can even promote collaboration as well.
10. Give Your Employees A Place To Be Creative
You can have a variety of workstations or cubicles that help foster an individual’s creativity . This could be a simple space to have a one-on-one meeting with an employee, a workstation with the perfect view of the outdoors, or any other unique setting .
11. Use Sound To Promote Collaboration
If you want to encourage collaboration between employees , make sure you choose conference room furniture that’s pleasing to the ear as well. A study reports that people are likely to converse with more co-workers in such rooms because they’re comfortable and interactive .
Takeaway
With so many new alternatives out there, it’s no surprise that more and more organisations are moving away from the traditional way of working. With a modern office that’s designed to support collaboration, employee wellness, and above all else, productivity, you can help your business get ahead.
Also read: Here We List Five Benefits of Working in a Coworking Space
