Hacking into the Latest Office Trends...with an Eye Toward Functionality

by Julia Kicinski

Looking to modernize your office space? Current office designs promote comfort and productivity as employers cater to employees transitioning from a home office back to a corporate office. Many employers have opted to cultivate a homier atmosphere in the workplace by offering extra amenities such as well-stocked and furnished break areas, workout zones, and game rooms. A handful of the most modern offices have even invested in smart technology to control lighting, temperature, and more. Some office trends that have emerged as a result of revisioning the workplace include flexible layouts, conversational areas, and biophilic decor.

Getting Familiar with Modern Office Trends

As you're preparing to redesign your office space, you certainly don't want to fall behind the times. An old-fashioned, disorganized office suggests to your employees and any visiting clients that your work, too, may be outdated and unimportant. Stay on top of the current office trends to keep your office confidently up to date. Having trouble getting started with the brainstorming process? Here are some current trends to give you some inspiration.

Intentional Colors and Styles

The days of bare, impersonal office spaces are over, with bright colors and original designs sweeping in to take their place. Some companies, in redesigning their traditional office space into a more inspiring work environment, limit their decor to company-related colors and/or logos that reflect their brand personality. Others recognize when employees perform better in certain environments and incorporate colors that reinforce the desired atmosphere (yellow, for instance, is known to stimulate creativity). Offices can also make a statement by intentionally choosing materials for their office decor that are directly related to their industry. For example, a metallic scheme suggests innovation—unless, of course, the metal takes over the design. Pairing metals such as steel or brass with natural materials like wood can add a touch of modernity to the office space and avoid turning it into an impersonal display room.

Open Layouts

Modern trends are moving away from personal cubicles as they embrace open concept layouts for their offices. An open concept layout can take many forms, but typically involves removing barriers to allow for greater employee interaction. Some open layouts offer customizable workspaces at open tables or desks with optional partitions for when employees need a place for private, focused work. This type of space encourages collaboration and leaves room for creativity in the workplace.

Social Amenities

For many employees, transitioning back to the office means leaving a fully stocked refrigerator, comfortable furniture, and flexibility in the workday. One of the perks of the modern office is the addition of amenities such as game rooms or fitness centers to bring that casual atmosphere into the workplace. To complement an open office layout and allow greater flexibility with work environment and collaborative space, many companies also include private meeting rooms of various sizes furnished with relaxed seating areas.

Emphasis on Sustainability

Aside from making the office as comfortable and productive as possible for employees, a current office trend is promoting sustainability. This might include reducing the company's carbon footprint by increasing natural light in the office space, investing in energy-efficient appliances, and encouraging the use of recycled or reusable products. Incorporating natural items such as plants into interior office designs can also contribute to an environmentally-friendly office space.

Designing Your Modern Office Space

These trends (and more!) are all interesting and exciting to consider, but how do you determine what design fits your company's office environment? There's a balance to maintain between wanting to offer the best amenities and needing to make sure your modern designs include the components your office requires to function smoothly.

Choose the layout that benefits your office the most

Although the open office floor plan is gaining popularity, you may find that your employees thrive on personal space. Keep with the modern trends and combine the best of both worlds by offering flexible seating options for your staff in addition to your main office layout. The beauty of flexible, or modular, seating is that your employees are not constrained to one catch-all layout for their workspace; instead, desks and partitions can be easily maneuvered and rearranged as needed for collaborative or individual projects.

Invest in practical and inclusive furniture

The homey office environment has brought with it a variety of trending office furniture. Ergonomic furniture such as standing desks and modular seating have been successfully introduced into the workplace, along with less conventional furniture options such as beanbags or chair balls. Whichever office setup you believe will benefit your employees the most, keep in mind that modern design is not always inclusive of everybody in your workplace. If you're incorporating some creative furniture to give your redesigned office space that modern feel, don't forget to offer traditional office chairs and work stations for employees with various body types or physical disabilities.

Incorporate creative decor safely

Modernizing your office space provides an opportunity to create a fun and unique concept with original layouts and decor. Many offices are opting for a biophilic design, attempting to bring the outdoors (in the form of potted greenery or more ambitious decor such as plant walls or outdoor patios) into what can easily be an otherwise gloomy office space. As you add the creative decor that sets the best tone for your office environment, remember to keep safety first. For example, make sure that decorative items such as potted plants are placed carefully around the office to avoid creating any tripping or fire hazards, particularly in and around walkways and other common areas.

Include appropriate wayfinding signage

Regardless of who frequents your office space—employees or guests—it's essential that you post clear wayfinding signage, especially if your modern office design results in a somewhat unpredictable layout. At minimum, your signage should direct visitors to all important areas such as emergency exits, restrooms, and offices. You might consider offering critical signage in multiple languages if you have frequent guests or employees who would benefit from this accommodation. Of course, the number and variety of signs your office requires will depend on its size and layout.

Designing Your Office's Sleek New Signage

Speaking of wayfinding, chasing the latest office trends might offer you the perfect excuse to design a new and improved look for your office signage. You might have an immediate vision of what this new signage should look like or perhaps you need some time to brainstorm and consider creative tips. Regardless of where you are in the process, here are some guidelines to help keep you on track with creating that signature look for your modern office space.

Determine what signs you need

Keep in mind that you'll likely need a larger variety of signs than you initially expect, both to help your employees feel safe and comfortable navigating their fresh office space and to keep your office fully compliant with your locality's building codes. Of course, you'll need the signs that first come to mind, like office nameplates, restroom signs, and lobby informational signs. However, you'll want to sit down and determine what other signs your particular office space requires: e.g., directionals, room signs, fire safety signs, and elevator signage.

Keep your design choices ADA compliant

It's easy to get carried away with the fun colors, patterns, and shapes that will ultimately make your office space unique. However, as you're designing your perfect sign line, make sure your designs adhere to the visual and tactile requirements of the Americans with Disability Act (ADA). For example, include braille and raised lettering on your office room signs and incorporate properly contrasting colors for the front pieces and text. Additionally, consider where you'll need to hang each sign (how far from the floor, etc.) when choosing the appropriate size and shape of your design. These considerations will ensure that your new office space is both trendy and accessible.

Have fun with it!

Once you have a clear idea of the signs you need and the guidelines you'll be following in their creation, it's time to get to the fun part: the actual design. You may find that a standard design with customizable colors and fonts works very well for your needs and budget; however, don't overlook the opportunity to personalize your new look. If your office craves an original modern design, check out signmojo.com's custom signage page for inspiration and custom design request options.

Modern Technology to Complement Modern Design

In addition to the furniture and overall signature look of your new office design, the technology you incorporate into your office should reflect your modernity as well as your awareness of your employees' needs. You don't have to break the bank to provide quality resources for your office, but you do want to equip your staff with the tools they need for success.

Equip your office with appropriate technology

Futuristic designs are here! From voice assistant technology to transparent monitors, the office space is gradually making huge technological advances. That doesn't necessarily mean that you need to purchase the newest, most expensive technology for your devices to fit with your trendy design. Instead, invest in quality equipment your staff will use every day and needs to thrive: e.g., high speed computers with up-to-date software and large monitors (or laptops, if applicable), printers, phones, etc. Strategic style choices and placement of equipment will add to the modern look of your office.

Make technology accessible

If you've invested in new equipment to complement your redesigned office space, you may have employees who are unfamiliar with how to use the upgraded technology. Ensure that your staff gets the most out of the tools available to them by offering thorough training for any new equipment (especially new phone systems or computer programs). Also, stay mindful of any employees who may have audio or visual impairments. Take the extra step to guarantee that your new technology, where applicable, accommodates the various needs of your staff by offering closed captioning options and accessibility for screen readers.

Best Office Design: Current Trends Reflecting Future Investments

When redesigning your office space, tapping into the latest trends is fun and exciting as you throw caution to the wind and work to create the best environment for your employees. In making final decisions, however, keep necessities such as required equipment, building codes, and employee preferences in mind to ensure that you are not merely throwing in with modern design trends, but are also investing in your company's future.

Now grab your favorite brainstorming tools, muster up all your creativity—and perhaps your creative team—and go have some fun!