Before you choose new office furniture in 2019, look into the latest ideas about office layout & design.
Open offices have fallen out of favor after they were originally created to promote staff collaboration. Although the concept promotes communication with fellow employees, the openness can create too many distractions.
With no partitions between desks, employees have trouble focusing on their work. Private phone calls or confidential meetings often require a trudge to another office or building, disrupting work and wasting time.
A New Direction
Today's high end modern office furniture fits with the new activity based working (ABW) environment. Like the open office, an ABW office promotes collaboration and communication. The difference is that a variety of workspaces are available for different employee needs.
Instead of assigned workspaces or a completely open office, employees can sit in an open area or move to a partitioned, private space. These environments promote concentration and remove the possibility of disruption.
Below are 5 trendy examples of high end modern office and workspace furniture that reflect this need.
1. Smart Furniture
The latest desks include smart features to help keep the workplace comfortable and connected. Smart furniture combines minimalist, modern design with ergonomic features to maximize comfort and output.
For example, sit-to-stand desks adjust height so that you don’t have to stay in a seated position all day. Some pieces even include artificial intelligence technologies that can read biometric data or remind you to stand up, walk around and stretch.
Maybe you could work more efficiently with multi-functional furniture that includes charging stations and USB ports. Other smart furniture features software that tracks worker activity, providing insights into how many hours employees stand, sit or move away from their desks.
2. Geometric Shapes
Simple geometric shapes of the Mid-Century Modern era give a streamlined effect with few distractions. Some office designs place uncomplicated sofas and stuffed leather chairs in work areas to add variety.
Employees can easily move the minimalist furniture or gather at a table that is geometrically shaped to accommodate a small group.
This clean, comfortable style fits well with an ABW office and can be a welcome change from the cold metallic furnishings seen in some open offices.
3. Sustainably Produced Office Phone Booths
Sustainability is a trend for many brands, and what items they put in the workplace is no exception. For example, responsibly raised lumber is harvested without clear cutting or disturbing the natural ecosystem. Locally sourced woods and other materials help cut down transportation costs and reduce emissions.
With the environment the topic of many conversations, it’s no wonder that the office furniture innovation is toward reducing the carbon footprint.
Zenbooth uses a local, sustainable supply chain to manufacture its high end office booths. As your employees benefit from the flexibility of their models, you can feel good about the low impact your company is having on the environment.
4. Movable Workstations
In today’s office, employees do not work in the same space every day. An employee may work alone during part of the week but collaborate with several other employees later on. Static, inflexible workstations simply do not serve the needs of today’s workers.
High end, movable office workstations allow employees to quickly create a meeting space or single work desk. When you can easily reconfigure the furniture that is already in your office, you will likely need less furniture overall.
You can choose portable desk systems, bench systems or workstations. Employees can easily dismantle the workstation or desk partitions and move desks and benches together or apart.
Without movable office furniture, any change in office layout could require costly planning, renovations, and delays. With the trending concept of workplace flexibility, you can’t always anticipate how many meeting spaces or single desks your business will need.
Zenbooth's meeting pods are lightweight and portable, making them an ideal addition to your company. A private group call or group meeting can take place a few feet away from staff minimizing disruption and maximizing productivity.
Cater To Employee Needs When You Choose High End Office Furniture
When asked about choice in working environments, employees overwhelmingly favored flexibility.
In one survey, 80 percent of employees said that they focus better when they can periodically retreat to a quiet work room. More than 60 percent of employees said that the flexibility of activity based working helps them stay energized and less distracted throughout the day.
With employees able to move freely among different work environments, you may even be able to reduce the amount of furniture in your office. The resulting lack of clutter will create a more pleasing and calming office.
Another concern companies should address with office furniture is health. For example, using a sit-to-stand desk offers many health benefits, such as a lowered risk of weight gain and obesity. In fact, research suggests that using a height-adjustable desk can burn 1000 extra calories a week and may even help lower blood sugar levels.
Another study found that using adjustable desks helps reduce stress and improve productivity.
Color is another factor that affects employee well-being. Neutral shades have a calming effect and can help employees relax and work more comfortably.
Whites and creams mix easily with other colors and have an especially calming effect. It’s a good idea to ask employees about colors and their effects on well-being and mood.
A cream-colored pillow on a brown leather couch will likely have a more calming effect than a red pillow on yellow furniture.
Blues and greens, although technically not neutrals, are calming tones that add tranquility when used as accent pieces with neutrals.
With the new emphasis on activity based working environments, it’s worth taking time to learn about this year’s modern, high end office furniture trends. Thanks for reading.
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