2021 – The rise of the dynamic office

2020 and the worldwide pandemic has had a profound impact on the way we live, work and learn. Technology now allows so many people to work productively from home, so there has been much discussion about the future of the office. On March 23, the Andrews Government announced a policy where its staff can work in the office or ‘satellite hubs’ three days a week and from home two days. Said Acting Premier James Merlino, “…. there is a permanent change that is happening in our society, given the events of the last 12 months. A lot of people want to have a work-life balance where they might work with their colleagues two or three days a week, but may have a day or two at home or closer to home in their communities”. The Age March 23, 2021

Such a change to the way we work will see the office become more of a hub for engagement and connection where team members come together to collaborate. Fewer spaces for individual focus, and more meetings and discussion. A less corporate environment and more welcoming and aspirational. As specialist providers of workplace furniture, Watson Commercial is seeing a number of trends emerging, or being established, in the workplace.

Is the hot desk dead? This has been hotly debated.…who wants to use a desk that someone else has just eaten their lunch at or sneezed all over? However, with the new part-time ‘rostered’ approach to office use, employers are cleaning desks and surfaces thoroughly in between shifts, and questioning the value of having a dedicated desk for every employee.

So the hot desk is here to stay. And it has adapted to suit the different needs of users. We have seen an increase in the demand for privacy screens back in open-plan environments: upholstered in acoustic materials or antimicrobial fabrics where viruses can’t survive for long, or those made from acrylic to be easily wiped down. Desks are being equipped with flexible technologies: built-in charging facilities (traditional and USB) to allow the connection of a variety of different devices, and monitors with universal connections to allow people to just ‘plug and play’ their laptops or tablets with minimal fuss. Antimicrobial keyboards and mouses are beneficial in areas where these devices are shared, such as libraries, schools and medical facilities.

People come in all shapes and sizes, and so do chairs. A traditional task chair with multiple levers and multiple settings to be set to suit an individual is not ideal in a flexible workplace. Chairs that are easily adjusted for height but with a back and seat that are intuitive and move with the user are fantastic in such an environment.

Informal discussion areas, in the form of cafes and lounge areas are increasingly popular in office and education spaces. Ottomans, upholstered benches and banquettes, workbenches, large open tables with stools and even bean bags are popular. Furniture is comfortable, flexible and moveable to accommodate different groups. All with accessible or built-in power or charging facilities for work or study on the go. Tables with writable and erasable surfaces are  increasingly popular for brainstorming sessions.

Have you ever had to go to your car to make an important work phone call? Our workplaces have fewer offices and meeting rooms and therefore fewer places for private discussions, phone calls or to focus solo on a task. Even pre-Covid, there has been an increase in the use of quiet collaborative lounges with high backs  and sides that cocoon the user so sound is absorbed, fantastic for one-on-one discussion or small groups. These too have built-in tables and power.

Further, there has been an increase in portable quiet booths that are positioned in open plan offices. These cost-effective independent spaces have acoustic properties, built-in sensor lighting and ventilation and are perfect for solo focus work or meetings. They save organisations on infrastructure costs, too.

As we move back into the office post-covid, these changes are enabling a more dynamic, flexible and collaborative workplace.

To adapt your office into a flexible, collaborative space, contact our team, call us on 03 9873 8484.