Design-wise, the modern office has undergone a seismic shift over the past couple of decades. Instead of coveted cubicles and personal workstations, the modern work environment could easily be an expanse of foosball tables, flexible multipurpose desks and bean bags across wide and open spaces. These radical changes have encouraged online furniture stores across Melbourne to design innovative solutions that cater to changes in the workforce and in work philosophies.
Today’s employees demand a workplace that stimulates creativity, encourages collaboration and reduces the stress in high pressure environments. According to the Property Council of Australia, companies need to adapt their offices to meet the needs of job-hopping millennials. This can be done by designing an attractive modern workplace where they feel engaged, connected and appreciated.
Now, you might ask: What are modern offices like? Take a look at the concepts that are changing the modern workplace.
Resimercial
Since modern employees spend over 40 hours a week at work, the thinking behind modern office design is to offer them a workplace that looks and feels like home. Resimercial is a combination of residential and commercial, bringing the warm and inviting aspects of home into the contemporary office. It incorporates textures, materials and furnishings that evoke a sense of comfort and familiarity while also helping reduce stress and promote productivity.
If you’re interested in incorporating resimercial design to your office, keep these key design features in mind:
- Flexible spaces
- Comfortable seating
- Soft ambient lighting
- Residential-inspired furnishings such as lamps and rugs
- Durable upholstery
Activity Based Working
In an activity based working setup, employees can work anywhere in the office that’s most suitable to their current activity. For instance, if an employee needs to collaborate with their colleague, they can sit together in a lounge area and exchange ideas. If an employee requires a space where they can concentrate and focus, they can easily move to a quiet area that’s free from distractions.
Here is an extensive list of the different types of areas in an activity based working environment:
- Open office areas – instead of each employee having their own individual desks, they share entire long workbenches. Open office areas are suitable for highly collaborative work activities where people need to frequently ask questions of each other.
- Private areas – these include isolated areas or sound-proof booths where employees can hold meetings and make private phone calls.
- Lounge areas – these are areas with cosy and relaxed seating such as couches, armchairs, coffee tables, bean bags and pod seats.
- Cafe areas – these include the areas where people can sit down to eat lunch or snacks. They’re also ideal places for people to casually discuss the latest project, brainstorm new ideas or catch up on non-work-related matters.
Find Out More About Modern Office Design at Zircon Interiors
There was a time when an office was mainly composed of personal stations and private offices. Today, the work environment looks much different as companies reinvent the corporate atmosphere to support the needs of the modern multi-faceted workforce.
To learn more about modern office design and the impacts of the workplace on employee well-being, head over to our blog. We have several articles that tackle top design trends and how to decorate your office for success.
