‘Hey Siri’ What 2020 office design trends can the industry expect to see this year and beyond? ‘I found this on the internet’: The 2020’s will continue to be a challenge for interior designers and businesses with the definition of ‘work’ becoming increasingly complex. 2020 office design trends and beyond will continue to reflect the modern day needs of not only businesses and their employees but the environment as well. Environmental and flexible activity based working design will continue to permeate throughout the industry as the well-being of employees will remain a key factor when designing office space. Talent has gone global and attracting and retaining the best talent is no longer as simple as offering a slightly better salary package. Employees will continue to look for employers who offer a better work-life balance and work environments that are creative and engaging. As we become more interconnected via the use of technology, rigid work environments will continue their decline paving the way for more flexible work arrangements. 2020 office design trends will continue to improve upon the workplace changes over the last decade.
Office Design Trends of the Last Decade
The 2010’s have come and gone and as we look to the future of 2020 office design trends let’s first take a moment to step back and appreciate the good, and leave some design ideas that just didn’t make the cut behind.
The Good
So what exactly has worked out well in the interior design world over the last decade? The 2010’s saw a significant push towards sustainability in the workplace and office design ideas centered towards being more environmentally conscious. From increased natural light, recycled wooden beams, to cloud computing, businesses not only made a positive environmental impact but continued to reap the social and economic benefits of ‘going green’. Workplaces also saw a push towards flexible working arrangements in and out of the office. Office spaces were transformed into brightly lit, brightly colored work spaces. Furniture manufacturers adapted to the needs of the workforce by adding power and USB accessibility to most office furniture. The social aspect of work became a major consideration when choosing an employer and the health and satisfaction of employees was at the forefront of office design. Work environments adapted to include office design that encouraged social interaction – lounge spaces, kitchens and stairs that aren’t actually stairs. With activity based working environments and telecommuting, employees were on the move, doing their work, where they wanted, when they wanted and how they wanted. Was the last decade a sign of what’s to come with 2020 office design trends? One thing’s for certain, we are innately social and the days of sitting down in a cubicle all day are probably well behind us.
The Bad
The 2010’s had many great design ideas that we should continue to improve upon when designing office space for the next decade. With all the good that came from the 2010’s, some design ideas just didn’t hit the mark. Excessive and extravagant lighting systems made their way into office spaces. Not only were they counter to designing office space with environmental sustainability in mind, but they also took up too much space when space was becoming a premium. The resurgence of ‘let’s make everything gray’, turned some brightly lit workspaces into a dull affair. Chocolate brown became a popular colour choice, and when paired with almost anything else, brought down the overall design of the office. Also contrary to brightly coloured design, was the ‘let’s play it safe’ design philosophy of the bygone area. Safe design, muted colours and safe styles tried to make a come-back but fell short when competing against the social work environments of the 2010’s. We also started to see themed meeting rooms from a seaside tavern to the streets of Broadway. Initially conceived to encourage creativity, these rooms became more and more extravagant. As a new decade begins let’s put these office design trends of the 2010’s well behind us as we plan for 2020 office design trends.
2020 Office Design Trends and Beyond
Employee well-being and environmental sustainability will continue to play a significant impact on how office fitouts Brisbane wide and interstate are planned and designed. As workspace needs continue to be more fluid and dynamic, and employee satisfaction becoming a key metric in organisational productivity, 2020 office design trends will focus on improving the workplace for both the employee and the environment
Dynamic Design
The flexible needs of tasks will warrant dynamic design in the workplace. Furniture will become increasingly lightweight, walls will be movable, furniture will not only be ergonomic but also multifunctional while maintaining the technological innovations of the last decade.
Greenery in the Workplace
Greenery will become second nature to employees as they move around freely in their office. Employees will walk into their office building met by cascading garden walls and water features as they take the naturally lit staircase to their office. Hanging gardens and indoor plants will greet them as they open the glass door smelling a cup of freshly brewed coffee from the workplace cafeteria. Over lunch they can take in the sun on the rooftop garden while enjoying their favourite book on their kindle.
Sustainable Design is Here to Stay
The push towards sustainability in the workplace will continue throughout this decade as we becoming increasingly aware of the negative impact we continue to have on the environment. Office design utilising minimally processed materials, recycled materials, natural wood with greater usage of natural light will continue to shape 2020 office design trends.
Experience Spaces
With employee satisfaction becoming a key metric to the overall performance of an organisation. Experience spaces will start to become the norm throughout this decade. From Virtual Reality Rooms, rock climbing walls, meditation areas, gaming rooms, music booths and rooftop jogging trails to daycare facilities, 2020 office design trends and beyond will be designed with employees in mind, as organisations continue to realise that becoming more human-centric is actually healthy for the bottom line.
Your Living Room at Work
Throughout this decade workspaces will become more and more domesticated. The large sofa and throw pillow setting, the kitchen, the entertainment area, the outdoor terrace will all make their way into newly designed and renovated offices. Homely and welcoming, employees will feel relaxed, inspired and motivated to go about their day to day tasks.
The Variety of One Colour
Colour choice in office design will be brand focused, and will be primarily one colour. Variation will come from different shades, tints, tones, textures and patterns throughout the workspace, drawing people in through the use of colour saturation that will aid creative thinking in the workplace.
Frictionless Technology
Smart devices will continue to change the way we work. Booking a meeting room will be as simple as touching a screen. Stepping into a meeting room with a connected device will automatically log attendance with the option to auto create meeting minutes via a digital assistant. A robot might even prepare your morning cup of coffee as you begin your daily tasks in the newly opened office library.
There is no doubt that 2020 office design trends will continue to change the way employees work and interact in an office environment. Want to learn more about how 2020 office design trends can be implemented in your next office fitout? Get in touch with us today to see how modern fitout ideas can improve employee satisfaction and create a seamless work environment.