This is an appropriate moment to analyze how it has affected the pandemic el office design and where improvements can be made It is clear that, after COVID-19, companies have been forced to modify the design of their offices to meet the safety regulations. Every business depends on their employees being healthy and productive, and given the events of the past year, promoting wellness is more important than ever.

As companies have adapted to the “new normal”, we have also witnessed the   of many of the existing office design trends, especially in relation to the Work practices. Some new trends have also emerged in response to the pandemic, such as the use of dividers and dividers. These are some keys to improve work spaces and make offices efficient and healthy places.

Strengthen meeting areas

Many studies have found that employees find collaboration and synergies between colleagues much more difficult when working from home. On the contrary, most workers see their office as a more comfortable and collaborative space to perform their tasks.  

Although the technology of video calls has been indispensable during the pandemic, it has been revealed that it is not as effective as face-to-face collaboration. In fact, most people agree that there is no substitute for meetings and the projects in person. The trend is that entrepreneurs will increasingly focus on creating spaces that facilitate safe and effective collaboration.

This goes hand in hand with increased work flexibility, where some employees are likely to use the office primarily with purposes of collaborations, meetings and gatherings. Taking this into account, the meeting areas seem to be one of the most relevant trends in the coming years.

New types of office spaces

Various types of meeting rooms, shared workstations, individual cabins, rest areas, and even, kitchen, bar or cafeteria, are some of the new work spaces that help create a sense of community among workers  and that allow closer and more creative relationships.

These spaces work especially well in large offices, as they offer a place where employees from different departments can get to know each other better and interact with each other. It is also worth mentioning that 89% of employees consider their colleagues as a second family, so the creation of these spaces will contribute to strengthen ties and team synergies.

Digital communication

Remote work is going to be part of our lives for some time, so it is necessary for companies to configure their spaces to facilitate the digital communication between those who work in the office and those who do it from home.

For employees who work in the office, it can be quite annoying to have a colleague hold meetings on Zoom or in Teams, a problem that can be solved by creating a video conference room or separate cubicles. In addition, it will allow you to keep private conversations without fear of confidential information being overheard by others. Apart from the rooms themselves, it will be necessary to integrate more technological elements that facilitate videoconferences, such as screens, web cameras and speakers. The furniture must be adapted for connectivity, through cable glands and other elements, which we have already integrated into the work tables. Limobel Inwo.

Workstations with HEOS tables and dividers by Limobel Inwo

Furniture adapted to new times

Businesses were forced to make a lot of changes in 2020, and office space has become a reflection of that. With the application of the social distancing regulations by the government and the return to work of employees in stages, many office spaces have been subjected to a reconfiguration to ensure both safety and functionality. Especially in flexible furniture, which allows space to be modified quickly and agilely, according to needs, such as, for example, desks with wheels, modular seats, mobile screens and dividing elements, separators or screens.

home versus office

The increase in remote work due to COVID-19 has raised a hybrid work formula which, before the pandemic, was already carried out in some companies, which allowed their employees to work from home once or twice a week.

It is more than likely that this hybrid model will be maintained, even strengthened after the return to normal work, for which there will be a kind of competition between home workspace and office workspace. Where do you work best? Whatever the preference of the company and the worker, the best way to keep employees happy is to make working in the office a nice experience.

To do this, companies can introduce “resimercial” elements (residential combined with commercial) such as lounges and comfortable furniture; exercise and meditation areas, and even game rooms. In short, bringing the comforts and the spirit of home to the office so that the worker feels “at home”.

Sustainable materials and furniture

In 2019, Amnesty International surveyed more than 10.000 young people between the ages of 18 and 25 in 22 countries and found that 41% considered the global warming as the most important problem facing the world. For companies planning to attract future talent, research like this is invaluable.

Indeed, it cannot be denied that global warming is a big problem, and companies must collaborate in this crucial project that is sustainability from different angles. This, in turn, will help us meet the ecological expectations of the new generation of workers. 

According to studies, one of the most marked trends in the design of the new offices post pandemic is the need to look for environmentally friendly furniture manufacturers. Therefore, in Limobel Inwo we try so hard to take care of all our production processes, with certificates that ensure the sustainability of our products.

And not only the furniture, the use of sustainable coatings, Free of volatile toxic components, it is a very marked trend in office design. Using sanitizing and ecological materials is vital. For example, him cork, an excellent insulator (which translates into heating savings), which regenerates itself after its collection. It is 100% ecological, natural and recyclable. In addition, it is a sound-absorbing and purifying material.

biophilic spaces

Spending time in a green space can have a number of health benefits, such as improving mood and reducing stress levels. Besides, plants purify and clean the environment, a fact that today, more than ever, has a transcendental relevance in offices where several or many people live together. By bringing the outside to office With living walls, moss elements and houseplants, companies can create a calm, fresh and natural space that will lift the spirits of their employees.

Ventilation and natural light

Natural light stimulates vitamin D, prevents depression and improves sleep, all of which contribute to the employee well-being and productivity. In addition to windows, replacing sun-blocking walls or partitions with glass partitions and installing skylights can help let in more natural light. Gone are the “cave offices”. Today, a workspace without natural light and a good ventilation, to ensure air renewal, especially after the pandemic. 

ergonomic furniture

Another way to promote well-being is to introduce furniture that benefits the physical health of employees. Today you can buy height adjustable desks chiropractor-endorsed kneeling chairs and task chairs specifically sculpted to support the back to improve posture. Ultimately, happy and healthy employees are the key to any company's success. Therefore, it is worth taking the time to analyze under which conditions the office has an impact on the well-being of workers.

Color scheme

When designing an office, it is essential to establish some color codes that help create calm spaces that facilitate concentration, but that at the same time reinforce the mood through warm and cheerful tones. The excess of colors or a meaningless combination can create stressful and unproductive environments.

In 2021, Pantone chose as the colors of the year are illuminating y "Ultimate Grey". And it was not coincidence. While Pantone experts typically choose just one color, this year they have chosen two to reflect a combined message of happiness and strength.

illuminating represents happiness with a bright, warm and optimistic yellow infused with solar energy. "Ultimate Grey" reflects the strength with a solid and reliable color, emblematic of enduring elements such as stone. Since fortitude is the strength that enables a person to endure and overcome difficult situations, we love the message Pantone is delivering this year. After a very difficult time for everyone, the merger of optimism and strength It will help lift your spirits and instill a sense of positivity among the group of workers.

Order and storage

To finish, we do not want to fail to mention the need for all workplaces to reign order and cleanliness scrupulously. For this, it is necessary to have cabinets, filing cabinets and storage systems Keep papers and documents at bay. Fortunately, in the digital age, printed supports are used less and less, which favors keeping work surfaces only with the essentials. It is also convenient that workers do not carry or place personal items on the desk, since it spoils the aesthetic result and prevents the mobility of the workstations.  

Photos: Unplash, Green SG, Archidaily, Rap Interiors