Whether you realize it or not, your life is affected by design in many ways.
Whether it’s the design of the intersections on your commute to work or the cubicles in your office space, you’re directly impacted by the efficiency, beauty, and thoughtfulness of design in countless ways.
When you’re approaching the work environment, the design doesn’t always get the credit that it’s due because of the fact that many people view design as a superficial element that doesn’t really matter.
However, when a place is visually inspiring and stunning, this can directly impact the way an employee feels when they come to work and the type of work they produce.
If you’d like to transform your workplace into an inspiring zone that facilitates ground-breaking work, consider the implementation of the following design trends.
1. Relaxation Amenities
Think about some of the amenities that make you feel comfortable when you’re away from home.
Most people love a great cup of coffee or tea. If you can hire a barista to prepare delicious drinks for the employees, that’s a great way to get started.
If you’d like a more cost-efficient method, create a small tea and coffee bar with a selection of blends and roasts, creamers, and syrups.
In the afternoon, it’d be nice to provide options like fresh fruit, croissants, and iced drinks.
This is a simple gesture that can make an employee feel more comfortable because their boss cares about making sure they’re nourished and fed.
Relaxation doesn’t just cover whether or not an employee gets food. There are times when an employee might be really exhausted.
When they’re tired, they’re simply wasting company time because they’re unable to produce excellent work.
Instead, consider creating a section of sleep pods. In these pods, employees can privately reserve a specific time to rest and recharge their minds.
In order to maintain some semblance of order, you can create some rules around the sleep pods so that employees don’t sleep their entire workday away.
However, a parent with a restless newborn or a traveler who is feeling the impact of jetlag will both appreciate the convenience of a sleeping pod.
2. Open Floor Plans
Open floor plans allow people to fully enjoy the view of the whole office. Plus, an open floor plan automatically makes a room look much bigger.
If you cut it up into smaller cubicles, yes, you’ll get some privacy.
However, it cuts people off from each other in a way that’s not conducive to team collaboration and efficient workflow.
Instead, consider purchasing large, long tables that employees can meet at for important work meetings.
Don’t abandon cubicles altogether – instead, have smaller workstations tucked away in quiet corners for the times when employees need focus so they can work efficiently.
3. Biophilic Designs
Nature is working its way into interior design, so use it to your advantage.
Start with the creation of a vertical garden. You can use various designs to create a wall that’s filled with potted plants or another plant layout.
Instead of using black-out curtains, allow the sun to shine through the windows. Natural light has a way of boosting a person’s mood.
Instead of using air fresheners, use essential oil diffusers that release a fresh fragrance into the air once or twice an hour.
Incorporate fresh flowers and plants into the different areas of the office. A desk plant or a bouquet of roses can provide a great touch of greenery.
4. Wellness Spaces
So many people are suffering from diseases because of their sedentary lifestyles.
Sedentary lifestyles tend to be supported by the workplace because of the time and energy the workday takes up.
This is why it’s wise to consider the health of your employees.
Many employers are purchasing standing desks to allow employees to do their work on their feet. This encourages circulation, movement, and optimal health.
Turn one of the side rooms of your office into a gym or get a prefab ADU. If you can create a space where employees can get fresh, clean water, a great cardio workout and take care of their health, they’ll be able to provide better services since they’re taking care of themselves.
Once a week, bring in a wellness professional to facilitate a workshop.
The wellness professional can be a yoga instructor who leads a session for an hour or a nutritionist who teaches more about losing weight, healthier snack options, or the energy-boosting alternatives to caffeine.
5. Eco-Friendly Practices
Take a look at the erratic nature of the seasons. It’s clear that Mother Earth is crying out in desperation for help and proper care.
Global warming clearly continues to remain a hot-button topic as there is a constant political argument surrounding the validity of climate change.
As a company, your team can work on providing eco-friendly options to your employees.
Whether it’s through becoming a paperless office or looking for biodegradable ways to serve food in the cafeteria, there are plenty of ways to incorporate eco-friendly practices into the office from a design perspective.
If you own the building, install solar-powered energy sources.
As you become considerate of these factors, your employees will develop this habit, contribute efficiently and sustain a happier workplace.
Eco-friendly practices can also reflect in design by the options you choose for the rugs, desks and more.
If this isn’t your forte, hire a designer who can make suggestions that will be conducive to the eco-friendly changes you’re trying to implement within the office.
Conclusion
As you incorporate these elements into your office space, it’s important to note how much time each idea will take to execute.
Find small ways to gradually transform the office space.
If you have an empty room in the office, start to turn that into a small gym. Add a few dumbbells, yoga mats, and an elliptical machine.
As you gradually build, you’ll become more inspired to make an impact across the entire office building.
