With 2020 just around the corner, business owners are looking for the latest trends to keep up with the competition. But no need to worry, our Truspace team likes to keep its finger on the pulse of what’s hot and what’s not in the workplace design world. Naturally, we are already looking at various trends we’re expecting to see steal the limelight in 2020, and we’re sharing them all with you!
Adjustability
Research shows that employees feel most productive when they have control over their work environment. No “one-size-fits-all” design can adequately be adjusted to the vast range of employee and working methods out there. Adjustability, therefore, goes a long way toward improving employees’ happiness and productivity. The trend towards adjustability includes everything from standing desks where you can quickly spread out plans or notes and immediately collaborate to tech-enabled spaces that let workers plug and play everywhere from the kitchen to the roof terrace. Internet access everywhere is also essential so that employees can get work done no matter what type of space they’re in.
Variety
Variety is one of the most important trends in office design today. Cupcake vending machines, quiet pods, communal tables, brainstorm islands are just some of the innovative ideas you’ll find in workspaces today, and we predict this trend to gain even more popularity in the coming year. If you’ve ever spent any time in trendy co-working spaces, you might have noticed an interesting phenomenon: the sound-proof phone boxes, cubby holes, and themed meeting rooms are almost always full, and for good reason! With open-plan workspaces, people are actively seeking out cozy, quiet, and distraction-free corners. By offering choice and variety, employees can curate their environment to the specific task they are trying to accomplish.
Mood
It’s important to consider how employees feel about their surroundings. The workspace must be conducive to productivity, and design has a lot to do with that! We really think that mood-setting is going to be one of the major trends in office design for 2020. For example, focus areas need to have that inviting yet comfortable touch. They’re a place to rest and relax, with natural textures allowing spaces to act as an oasis on a busy workday. Plants and natural light should also be included in these areas, as they are proven to generate a sense of calm, helping employees better accomplish their tasks. Shared areas should strive for a coffee shop atmosphere that’s casual, relaxed, and inviting with a diversity of seating arrangements in energetic tones and even music to make it more vibrant and lively. These areas in the workspace are where the high volume of social activity and collaboration should be contained.
Privacy
As more and more offices adopt ‘open-plan’ designs to foster collaborative work within the workspace, private and quiet spaces are often neglected. For 2020, we’re expecting to see more single-occupant facilities such as booths, pods, and high back acoustic furniture appearing as employees long for personal space, low noise levels, individual focus, and confidentiality.
Outdoor Spaces
We talked in previous articles about bringing the greeneries in with biophilic design or using plants inside the office space, and when the weather doesn’t permit it, this is indeed a practical option, but you just can’t beat the real thing. For 2020, we’re predicting that more and more businesses will begin embracing their outdoor surroundings by transforming them into well-equipped, functional work settings.
Sustainability
Sustainable fabric is already popular in the fashion industry, and we’re expecting it to move into the realms of interior office design shortly. We’ll be seeing less machine-made, synthetic materials, in favor of more sustainable, low emission, animal-free fabrics like organic cotton, bamboo, recycled wood, and re-purposed plastics. Fancy testing any of the trends discussed above in your 2020 new office space? Let our Truspace team give you their guidance.
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