In 2022 and beyond, versatility will continue to play a pivotal role in office design. There are plenty of ways to maximize your office space while keeping it stylish and practical.
Tap Into Your Office Culture
There is no one-size-fits-all approach to maximizing office space; Every company is different! A healthcare clinic or a bank will have different design goals and layouts than a small tech startup.
Start by tapping into your staff culture. For example, if you are a legal firm that wants to brighten up your office without sacrificing privacy, one contemporary option is to redesign the “corner offices” with glass walls and doors (and add a partial film for both privacy and visibility), or consolidate client areas and add secondary meeting spaces so certain parts of the office don’t feel dark, closed off and stuffy.
Make Spaces Multi-Functional
Rather than leave a big meeting room empty, put this precious space to good use in other ways. For example, you could turn it into a training room with multiple tables that can be joined together and moved, instead of limiting the area to one long boardroom table.
Get Creative With Your Reception Area
Traditional reception areas are beginning to disappear in many modern offices, making way for a versatile space that has plenty more to offer. Rather than just being a point of arrival, why not use your reception area as a sleek lounge space for employees to connect and collaborate, or for hosting think tanks and team huddles?
Maximize Individual Offices
With hybrid work environments becoming the new norm for many businesses, it’s common to see many meeting rooms and private offices left empty throughout the week. A trend we are seeing is to give these private offices a dual purpose, turning them into a two-person office to be shared while one staff member is away or working from home.
Similarly, other empty spaces like lunch rooms can also double as private meeting rooms to take calls by adding a round office table and a moveable whiteboard.
Add Flexibility to Employees’ Workstations
Like the hybrid work model, employees returning to the office are looking for more flexible workstations that go beyond the standard cubicle or the fully open layout. Thankfully, there are several clever design solutions that make this possible.
Provide options for your employees to create their own ideal workstations by reconfiguring furniture and making certain elements mobile. For example, employees in tech may prefer individual booths with a table, while other teams might prefer to be back-to-back and not want to face each other.
Instead of simple panels, opt for moveable dividers, or use bookcases and shelving to divide your various workspaces in a stylish and functional way.
Make Your Office More Comfortable
More companies are putting in the effort to make the office more comfortable and welcoming for employees, and design plays a key role in this.
Even something as simple as adding a comfy chair or cozy lounge furniture to empty areas—essentially creating a “watercooler” space—is a simple and effective way to encourage collaboration, give employees a break from their desk chairs, and offer an alternative work area that feels like home.
At allSPACES, we are experts at designing commercial spaces that not only incorporate the best in design innovations, but that factor in your unique company culture and vision. Whether your office space is in need of a timeless upgrade, or you are looking for a new project built from the ground up, reach out to us!
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