Never before have there been so many stylistic office renovation trends and options on the market as there are in 2023.
As businesses are starting to stabilise, start a new growth cycle and evolve, so too do their workspaces.
To stay ahead of the curve in an ever-changing environment, staying on top of the latest trends is essential. You don’t have to be a savvy interior designer – all it takes is some insight into what modern offices are currently incorporating into their designs and then finding the right people to make it happen!
So here’s what we are looking to achieve in this blog post:
We will explore some of the key trends and ideas that are driving office renovations today from:
Energy-efficient solutions
How to use plants in the workspace - Eco-thinking
Ergonomic Furniture - The benefits
Open-plan layouts
Enhancing team meetings
Although these aren’t the titles of each section, that’s what’s behind them. To help you make smart decisions in making your workspace transformation as productive as possible for your staff but as welcoming and comfortable as possible if you have potential or existing customers coming in.
So let’s jump straight in…
Windows and Mirrors…
Utilising Natural Light
Natural light is always a blessing on any renovation job and is to be utilised as much as possible. It can transform a space and give you a completely different view of a space and what colours or designs to use.
TIP - Not many people know how effective the use of mirrors can be in working together to enhance the effect of natural light in your home or office.
Windows provide the light you need, while mirrors can help reflect and magnify this light, spreading it throughout a room.
With clever placement and consideration, you can utilise natural light to enhance your space.
NOW, you may be thinking, that mirrors in offices seem a bit strange but think about lowering your reduce your energy bills, and potentially lifting the staff's mood or whoever is in an office space that can benefit from the idea.
Reflective Surfaces. Why Not! Does exactly the same thing. So take a good look at each office or area in the workspace that has natural light and talk to a professional as to whether it would be effective.
TIP - Using these ideas will not only help save on energy as you harness the light, but also expensive lighting (gimmicks) that is supposed to do the same thing, but ends up just costing more.
Create a More Eco-Friendly Workspace
The Clever Use of Plants
You constantly hear about sustainability and eco-friendliness they have become buzzwords and are sometimes taken for granted and therefore overlooked.
But 2023 has seen a reversal and has seen many new applications arrive on the scene.
As a result, many businesses have started to look for ways to lessen their ecological footprint.
Plants are a sure way of helping the environment and we are all aware of the visual impact they can have.
However with more contemporary, minimalistic looks hitting both the housing and office renovation market the temptation is to leave them out.
But appearance aside, plants are useful for many reasons aside from brightening up a room:
Office plants improve employees' health and increase attendance
Office plants absorb background noise and toxins
Office plants help reduce stress in different ways…
A UTS study found plants help reduce:
Anxiety
Office Hostility
Chronic Fatigue
Reported Depression Reduction
With most of these statistics reduced in the 40-60% range.
So as you can see they should be a major consideration in any office renovation project this year and 2024.
Ergonomic Furniture
Reduce Workplace Injuries
Again not something that may be at the forefront of your mind when thinking of ‘office renovations’ but there’s a reason this is becoming more of a trend in modern workplaces; injuries.
By providing your employees with chairs, desks, and other furniture that properly support them and recommended posture, you are providing them with the tools to mean less time off work.
As we have all read and noted for many years now if a worker over a medium to long term is working in an unnatural posture they’ll end up with repetitive strain injuries.
In certain cases, they can lead to chronic pain and discomfort for your employees, which as we all know ends up with absenteeism and affects your workflow.
So it's an aspect to look at:
YES they are more expensive BUT are you looking at the medium to long-term growth of your business along with the staff, If so…ask someone who knows.
Open Office Layouts
Plus, Flexible Seating Arrangements
In recent times (and not necessarily COVID related) companies have been getting rid of the traditional cubicle setup in favour of open office layouts and flexible seating arrangements.
Although it may perturb some people who like their own little spaces and not be disturbed, it has led to many reports indicating it leads to better communication between staff and other positive benefits to overall staff productivity.
This shift has been gaining popularity as it encourages collaboration due to fewer physical barriers, employees are more likely to interact with one another and share ideas, resulting in increased productivity and a sense of importance and inclusion that can be missing when people are separated.
Flexible Seating. Flexible seating arrangements provide employees with the freedom to choose where they work, whether it be in a quiet corner or amidst the buzz of their coworkers.
This type of arrangement accommodates different work styles and preferences, the thought behind it is to create a more efficient environment.
These new ideas for older business owners may seem absurd but with Gen Z being a completely different generation to handle, all things should considered.
Collaborative Spaces for Team Meetings
Brainstorming Sessions
With a new work culture in many areas having come in over the past decade the emphasis on teamwork has been a notable change in the workplace. Therefore, traditional meeting spaces are becoming outdated.
So many professional renovators will likely mention collaborative spaces for team meetings and brainstorming sessions.
TIP - It has been proven that they lead to more productive and engaging meetings.
These spaces provide an open, flexible, and comfortable area that can help expressive staff let out some creativity and communication. By encouraging teamwork, collaborative spaces can lead to problem-solving done in minutes rather than hours or days.
Also, these spaces can help bring staff members together whereby they may not have had the chance to share ideas and more. If you have the space to renovate it’s well worth a staff survey to see what they think.
Summary
In 2023 office design has moved on fast. Creating sustainable office renovations and a more eco-friendly and ergonomic workspace is essential for any business looking medium to long-term and not wanting a high staff turnover. From utilising natural light with windows and mirrors to introducing collaborative spaces for team meetings and brainstorming sessions, there are many ways that professional renovators and companies can deliver modern office designs that increase productivity and longevity for staff and an inviting atmosphere for a customer to walk into. There are many options to make changes now that are ahead of other businesses and reap the rewards. Good luck!
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