Offices have come a long way from bare-bones cubicles and indoor-outdoor carpet. Today’s designers are already thinking beyond the 21st century, incorporating nontraditional elements into layout and design that are revolutionizing workplace wellness and technological integration — all with an eye toward flexibility.
Employers want workers to be safe, healthy, comfortable and happy. These attributes make for a productive workforce that office designers are helping to create. The workplace is transitioning away from the “cubical farm” model in favor of a new environment that brings out positive emotions, enables new work styles, increases collaboration and promotes productivity, Colin Finley, VP of client solutions at Chicago-based Ideation Studio, a multidisciplinary design firm, told HR Dive.