While we don’t claim to have a unique perspective, the fact that we visit so many workplaces in all sorts of industries, we certainly do have a very good overview of ‘what’s new in ’22’.
The word we hear over and over again is sustainability, and we could not be happier about it. Whether it’s new builds, re-developments, shared spaces or freshening up, everybody is interested in the S word. From responsible sourcing to energy efficiency, low-emission materials to re-purposing furniture, Sustainability is a bigger part of the workplace equation than ever before.
We are even helping our friends at the University of Surrey with a remarkable initiative to transform ‘Bins into Blooms’, removing waste baskets from desks and returning them as plant holders, complete with live plants.
This scheme is reducing single use bin liners by tens of thousands, and the new communal waste bins are making recycling so much simpler.
Working from home and hybrid working have encouraged the use of a combination of flexible and fixed workstations, with breakout rooms, meeting areas and conference suites being adapted to support every type of collaborative work requirement.
Neurodiversity has entered the lexicon like never before, the pandemic encouraging individuals and businesses to take a closer look at supporting those colleagues presenting with ADHD, Autism, Dyslexia and anxiety issues. Space is being used positively and many traditional office set-ups are being transformed, with yoga areas, wellbeing centres, parenting rooms being introduced.
After all, if an employee is happily and efficiently working remotely, they will probably only visit the office if there is a compelling reason to do so, and that includes having access to something that they do not have at home.
Hybrid working is here to stay and clever businesses are making use of the space that has been afforded to them. Managed office developments are recognising the need for ‘private public’ workstations, adding design touches and sensible distancing to their shared spaces.
We expect to see the rise of the specialist fit out design agencies and in our opinion, this can only be a good thing. The workplace environment is now so much more than ‘just’ desks, chairs, meeting rooms and photocopiers.
It’s a space to be enjoyed, used, transformed.
Please read our blogs on Plants in the Workplace, Biophilic Design, Stress at Work, and ‘Bins into Blooms’
