While one-size-fits-all has ruled office design in recent years, this trend is dissolving and is being replaced with a much more flexible approach to the workplace. Companies are instead moving toward an activity-based workplace design, which aims to incorporate a variety of different workspace preferences to attract and retain employees.
A recent report released by architecture firm Ted Moudis Associates analyzes how office design has changed over the last year. The report provides guidance about shifting industry trends by dissecting 2.4M SF of office real estate designed and built during 2015 and 2016. Within the report, the firm focused on four industries in particular: financial services, professional services, consumer products and digital media companies. “The work that we’re doing and how we’re connecting with colleagues and clients has changed significantly, but our physical workplace hasn’t changed that much,” Ted Moudis Associates Director of Workplace Strategy Jamie Feuerborn said. A large amount of space is being underutilized in today's workplace as people take to moving around the office in order to collaborate with co-workers. While open concept designs, the most popular layout as of late, have proved beneficial in encouraging communication, businesses are finding it is not always the most efficient use of space. “Visually, [people] just like the bright airy feel that open concept gives. We’re going to have collaboration, people will feel refreshed. But you have to really plan it the right way [and provide] that balance of space,” Feuerborn said.
As companies seek to improve flexibility in the office, they are placing less focus on privacy and more focus on creating communal spaces built for collaboration. "Accessories and lounge options are more popular this year than in past years. Clients are requesting less bulky corporate office desking and more collaborative areas," Meadows Office Interiors Designer Courtney Moore said. The number of private offices used by companies has dropped by 2% from 2016. In fact, only 9% of the 2.4M SF of office space studied in the report included enclosed workspaces; the remaining 91% of companies use the open-office format. Of these, an estimated 68% of companies provide employees with desk or bench seating as it is an effective way to turn space that was formerly used for individual workspace into space for shared amenities and alternative use.