Nowadays, designing office spaces has become an art in itself. Globally, companies are adopting more sustainable work practices that are shaping the way we live and work. Offices are carefully articulated to reflect the core values of an organization and must be adaptable to new ways of working. With rapidly changing technologies, companies are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of investing in office spaces and furniture that is both flexible and progressive to improve employee performance while enhancing the well-being and happiness of the staff. Businesses are going above and beyond to purchase furniture that feels authentic to their brand, is human-centered, and leaves room for future growth.
Below is a highlight of some trends in office design and furniture that are expected to be popular in 2020. As is the norm with trends, they change with time. There are some with more staying power while others fizzle out in the process.
1- Green Space Furniture
As a society, we are increasingly aware of our work practices and how they impact the environment. There is a unanimous agreement that sustainability is the responsible way to go. Though this trend isn’t necessarily new, it’s expected to be embraced by many in 2020. Biophilic designs of incorporating plants into office furniture is a simple way to boost the wellbeing and productivity of employees. Green spaces inspire creativity while reducing stress levels in the workplace. These green spaces are equipped with green furniture that is sustainably sourced from green building material and recycled products. Office furniture design by Vitra is a great source of furniture that places a huge emphasis on technology, environment conservation, and ecological compliance.
2- Furniture Designed With Smart Technology
In the 21st Century, offices are just not your regular boring desk allocation for the employees. Nowadays, office furniture is uniquely designed to improve work efficiency and encourage active working. Modern offices will spot sit-stand desks, occupancy sensors on hot desks, smart booking for boardroom meetings, and wireless charging facilities installed in the furniture. The sit-stand desks, for instance, are designed to send notifications to the employee to remind them to stand up or move around to make sure they are always alert and active during work hours.
3- Furniture For Communal Areas
The recent global economic crisis has transformed practices and meaning of work. Companies as well as individual entrepreneurs are looking for new ways to live a nomadic and precarious work life. Employees get a chance to work in an environment that fosters creativity, increases productivity, and allows for networking. This has given rise to the concept of co-working spaces as people demand more flexibility from their workspace. People yearn for the opportunity to literally work anywhere. The furniture in this co-working space plays a significant part in creating an atmosphere that leads to increased work satisfaction as its multi-purpose in use as well as being able to adapt to different ways of working.
4- Collaborative Furniture
Back in the day, offices used to be such serious places where only work and work alone would be tolerated. The most essential of furniture would be available. luckily, this is no longer the case in present society. Collaborative furniture helps employees communicate and exchange ideas in a shared space. Collaborative furniture designs include collaborative tables and chairs spaced out either in breakout areas or open office designs.
5- Furniture For Quiet Zones
Not long ago, offices featured rows and rows of cubicles filled with tables and desks. The purpose of this was to help employees work in isolation so as to focus with fewer distractions. Times have since changed and the open office plan has become a crucial trend of 2020. Needless to say, the shift from personal space to shared spaces has been a bone of contention over the past few years. Truth be told, some people do struggle to concentrate in open-plan offices while others want a segregated space for private conversations or tasks. This trend was therefore tasked to provide privacy when need be from the open-plan office. This has been achieved through the use of acoustic furniture that creates individual workspaces for small groups that offer shelter for employees from unnecessary noise and disturbances.
6- Comfortable Workspaces Furniture
Gone are the days when employees were forced to sit on uncomfortable and non-ergonomic seats for over eight hours and expected to achieve all the company’s goals. Nowadays, if management wants to create an environment that fosters creativity and increases job satisfaction, they have to make sure the office furniture is conducive, comfortable, and homey. Offices have incorporated seating areas where employees can lounge on sofas and continue to work on their laptops. Other companies have to take this a notch higher by having recreational areas where employees can engage in some indoor games such as ping pong and video games. Having these recreational areas is one of the best ways for companies to encourage teamwork and improve staff morale. It makes work fun and enjoyable to partake.
7- Dark Coloured Office Furniture
In this year’s office furniture trend, we expect to see more darker colored furniture. Not only does dark-colored furniture make a bold statement but makes an office space look more elegant and inviting. Dramatic and dark-colored furniture has become increasingly popular as more and more companies can spot these amazing furniture from conference tables, chairs, bookshelves, and lounge seats. The common colors that are most preferred shift from blacks, dark browns, dark greys all the way to navy blue.
