Some of the trends in office design are responses to changes in our world, and some are fashion-driven, but it’s a sure thing that offices will be changing.

Accepting new workworld realities

For many years, office space was allocated according to title, with more space signaling more importance. Now, with less space available, efficiency is the key. 

Not all workers are physically present in an office, as remote workers become more common and travel becomes more routine, while at the same time a drive to reduce energy use encourages telecommuting. Many workers now need touchdown space more than they need places to store things.

Collaboration is central to modern workflow, at the same time that intellectual property grows in value and security and privacy are on the minds of C-level staff. Workers need to be able not just to talk with one another, but to share screens, so the needs for collaboration space are more complex, even as the need for the old space-hogging board room is questioned.

Diversity is another issue in the modern office. Companies need to be responsive to the needs of people with differing abilities, while at the same time there is growing awareness of the importance of work style and varying strengths.

Add to this the heightened awareness of branding and image, including the widespread desire to be perceived as eco-friendly and high tech, and you’re asking a lot of your furniture. 

Design solutions

Design is the only possible source for solutions to these paradoxes. Sheelin Office Groups design teams start with a company’s office as it is. They work with the company to understand their vision for the future of the space, including the number of people the space will need to hold and the purposes it needs to serve. Legal and Health and Safety Legislative requirements are considered, goals such as LEED certification, and the budget. A company may have an idea of how they want the furniture to work, or they may just have the dimensions of the space they’re moving into. 

Sheelin designers use 3-D rendering software to show clients exactly how their solution will look in the space. The use of CAD (computer assisted design) software is becoming more common in the field of commercial interior design. 

Making it look good

Along with the importance of efficiency comes an increasing focus on aesthetics. In the past, there might be a few spacious front offices that clients would see, with much less attractive workspaces hidden away. 

While some large companies can still take this approach, most companies are finding that their workspaces are more public. The current emphasis on transparency in business spreads this factor even to larger companies. 

Designers who can reduce the amount of space needed for workers without reducing productivity or sacrificing brand image are no longer a luxury. The use of design teams and Furniture Management services is a rising trend for 2011 because it makes the rest of the trends practical.