The corporate campuses and offices of old had a simple message: “You go to work, you check off your tasks, you get paid, rinse and repeat.” Today, Corporate offices have a new message that sounds more like “Are you passionate about your job? Are you inspired to do great work? Is this a better place to work than what our competitors provide?”
Needless to say, the corporate world’s shifting mindset has drastically impacted their office design. The questions that companies are asking today are not only better for employee satisfaction and meeting their bottom line, but they’re raising the bar for corporate office design.
Corporate headquarters have a unique opportunity for setting the tone and culture of a brand. How is your corporate offices setting the standard for your company? Here are some corporate workspace trends that are changing the face of corporate offices:
Create highly adaptable workstations
Though it’s difficult to predict the future, one thing that companies know they can expect is that things change, and they can change fast. The problem is that companies don’t rebuild at the speed that technology advances, or to accommodate the changing generations joining the workforce.
This is why modern corporate office design places such an emphasize on adaptable workspaces. Companies want to invest in something that will last as far into the future as possible. This requires creating workspace designs that are flexible, that can adapt to changing business needs as well as support new generations of workers.
The truth is that it’s extremely difficult to predict what the demographic that is in middle school today will need and expect when they join the workforce in 20 yearsmulti-useng yourself room to grow, exploring workstation options beyond the cubicle, and creating multi use spaces, you can better adapt to workplace changes in the future.
Embrace homestyle comfort office design
Seeing the words “homestyle” and “comfort” along with “corporate” and “office” seems like an odd mashup (at first). But there’s a good reason why corporate workspaces are starting to become a lot more “homey.”
The homestyle design is a simple idea of making your office feel more like home. The goal is to create a place where employees are so comfortable, that they feel more refreshed and have no trouble putting in longer hours. One example is MediaCores office design in Victoria, featuring a homestyle kitchen (complete with a subway tile backsplash) and living room style lounge areas.
These features not only attract new people into their corporate teams, but they keep current workers happy for the duration they spend at work.
Companies are exploring work-life balance issues regardless of the scale of their space and introducing a number of features that show employees they are valued. Some examples would be rooms with a circle of comfortable couches instead of a long, lacquered table and executive chairs. This makes the conversation feel more like a group of friends having a pow-wow rather than doing business. Other homey design features can include:
- Living room-style conversation areas
- Outdoor patio furniture lounging and eating spaces
- Break rooms featuring sofas, ottomans, and other varied furniture
- Quiet spaces reminiscent of a home study
- Use lamps to create warm ambiance of lamps for lighting rather than row after row of fluorescent lights
Use digital installations
Interactivity and communication is another big trend in corporate headquarters. The goal is to make workspaces feel more ‘alive’ and immersive for visitors and employees. Screens and interactivity will make your workspace into a communication platforming, pulling everyone into your culture and brand.
Some ideas for using digital installations in the workplace:
- Consider any data that can be visualized to bring your brand to life.
- What do your employees need? Remember design objectives should prioritize those who will use the space
- As more companies produce content for digital channels, use this content in your physical environment so that employees are motivated by the work they’ve accomplished.
By using new and more affordable technologies and smart design, businesses of all sizes can turn their workplace into a dynamic, experiential environment
A smartly designed office interior can reinforce your corporate values and processes while also inspiring the staff. Use these ideas to boost the impact and longevity of your corporate workspace.
