How people see office design has been dramatically altered by COVID-19. Amidst the pandemic, various companies had to look for clever ways to ensure safety is prioritized in the work environment while keeping up their own corporate culture, maintaining a high amount of efficiency and productivity, and fostering a sense of well-being that their employees need. However, design elements such as functionality, aesthetics, and sustainability will go on to dominate in 2022.

It has probably been difficult for various offices to keep up with many changes over the last two years, so it’s expected that office design trends have also changed along with the times. Read on if you’re curious about the trends for 2022.

Connectivity, Data, and Technology

People have been released from the constraints of geographical location because of the pandemic that has accelerated work-from-home (WFH) and hybrid setups, along with the diminishing size of tech and its broader connectivity.

For example, the new office of the multinational software company Infor integrates private booths with power and data integration, breakout and touchdown zones, flexible and permanent desk space, and several training and AV meeting rooms to assist in various kinds of online collaboration. This allows its employees to remain connected whether they’re located somewhere else.

As people go on to accept a mixture of ‘borderless’ virtual and physical meeting spaces, companies are becoming aware that knowledge work doesn’t have to depend on physical closeness—an essential consideration for organizations that work with distributed or globalized work employees.

According to https://thebower.co/, the dependence of a company’s staff on online tools amidst the pandemic, whether for concentrated tasks or collaboration, is allowing companies to have more cutting-edge technologies. From pop-ups to permanent solutions, the next generation of modern digital platforms such as virtual and augmented reality will cause significant changes in 2022.

Note that Metaverse remains a high idea for many people, though there’s still uncertainty on how influential it’ll be regarding work. On the other hand, Metaverse will probably be an area that’ll progress rapidly once more is known about how it can change the way people conduct work and connect individuals.

Home-Like Office Designs

After doing work tasks for the last two years in and out of home offices, your business needs a pleasant office design for its employees and clients. This step also plays a part in the success of your business.

Essentially, the plan is to make your employees feel like they’re in their own house. There are a lot of ways to do this, and every work setting varies from one another. However, the main point here is to look for a balance between rationale and comfort that fits well with your brand.

One way to incorporate home-like office design is to add attractive furniture. More office environments are incorporating armchairs and couches with throw pillows in their office spaces and lobbies to provide a sense of home for the employees. These not only offer an attractive place to relax and be comfortable, but they’re also versatile and can fit with any open space in your company.

If it fits your office space and brand, you may even note having tables and beer fridges alongside your freshly placed furniture. These features will surely provide a social environment that’ll probably be exceptionally appealing.

Another way to create a home-like office is to provide sunlight exposure. There’s scientific evidence that shows daylight exposure is proven to improve mood and well-being. It can also light up rooms and allow offices to appear larger and more spacious. For such reasons, you can benefit from allowing more natural light into your office environment.

To start, you can simply move your furniture away from the windows to allow sunlight to enter. On the other hand, if your office is a commercial space with fewer allowances for sunlight, you can make an illusion of natural light by having warm-color schemes or well-placed mirrors.

Sustainable Office Designs

Sustainability has become a crucial factor, and 2022 will notice a greater focus on sustainable office environments. While certifications such as BREEAM and LEED focus on the overall energy efficiency and sustainability of a building, new standards like WELL Building Standard emphasize the overall well-being of the employees. Combining these will help develop a healthy and sustainable work environment.

Likewise, there are areas where office design can affect sustainability. This can include using materials with high recycled content, upcycled furniture, and an emphasis on making the most of sunlight to lower energy use. Combining this with the growing technologies that play a role in monitoring the building and space usage or those that develop a digital twin, it’ll be less hard to incorporate data-driven changes to further sustainable working environments.

Other design options which can have an ideal effect on sustainability include offering facilities that allow occupants to cycle to work such as storage and showers, integrating paper-free policies, and providing reusable coffee cups for the employees. Overall, this is an excellent thing as employers will now be seen as planet-conscious who’ll do their job in minimizing carbon footprint.

Wrapping Up

The pandemic considerably shifted how office design is seen. Amidst the pandemic, many companies have to find intuitive approaches to maximize safety while maintaining a high amount of productivity and efficiency along with keeping the well-being of their employees, among others. And so, these things have also become evident in the office design of companies.