This certainly is an interesting time in the office interior design world. The effects of COVID has forced business to modify their existing office layouts to adhere to safety regulations.

SpecFinish spoke to FIS member RAP Interiors to get their opinions on how offices may need to adapt.

Huddle Zones
The focus for employers will be on creating spaces that facilitate safe and effective collaboration. This goes hand in hand with flexible working, where some employees are likely to use the office in shift patterns.

Huddle zones look set to be a popular office design trend in 2021, ideal for scheduling meeting sessions and ad-hoc collaborations with workstations, tea providing flexible workspace options.

 

 

 

 

 

Workspace Wellbeing
Providing positive workplaces is what employees want, and promoting wellbeing is more important than ever. Ultimately, happy and healthy employees are key to any successful business. Three ways to create a great office is:

  • Planting/biophilia
  • Natural Light
  • Ergonomic Furniture

 

 

 

 

Flexible Office Furniture
As businesses continue to adapt to the changes, it’s likely that many will introduce flexible office furniture that allow for easy re-configuration. Given that social distancing regulations look set to stay with for a while, flexible office furniture will make it easier for businesses to adapt their layouts to accommodate the 2m rule.

Sustainability
There’s no denying that global warming is a huge issue, and businesses must do their bit to improve the environment.  Here are a few things they can do:

  • Source Sustainable Furniture
  • Encourage Employees to Cycle
  • Buy Eco-Friendly Flooring Options, including cork.

Community-Centric Office Design
Don’t be surprised to see more co-working spaces popping up in 2021. Shared office spaces cater for independent workers and small teams. Members pay a monthly fee avoiding long-term contracts, making co-working a viable alternative and provide:

  • Multiple work zones
  • Shared workstations
  • Individual pods and boardrooms
  • Community Centric

 

 

 

 

 

 

Back to the Office

The rise of remote working has raised an important question: will employees want to go back into the office full time? Some businesses will be open to the idea of offering flexible working.

Whatever a business’s preference, the best way to keep employees happy is to make working in an office an enjoyable experience, by introducing “Resimercial” (residential meets commercial) elements like casual spaces, coffee/vending machines and comfortable furniture; exercise and meditation areas, as well as games rooms.

Video Conferencing Rooms
As remote working looks set to be part of our lives for some time, companies will likely configure their spaces to make digital communication easier between those working from home and the office.

Setting up a dedicated videoconferencing room with technology like screens, webcams and speakers, will enable private conversations or meetings to take place confidentially.

The impact of COVID is that we have all learnt to care a lot more about each other and moving forward business owners will be placing that thought as their priority for ways of working.

The trends highlighted point towards a future where collaboration, community and wellbeing will be the focus of office design.

Read RAP Interiors’ full Office Design Trends 2021 Blog post at https://bit.ly/36Da4YW

To book a free consultation, call 0333 600 1234 or email refurb@rapinteriors.co.uk