Before investing thousands of dollars in bean bag chairs, large screen televisions and ping pong tables, consider if your company culture will support your office design choices.
Office design trends in 2023 have been leaning toward establishing fun work environments. However, not every company is Google or Apple, designing playful offices to encourage creativity.
After all, can you imagine a law office or financial company with bright red, yellow and blue walls, carpets and chairs?
The furniture you choose, the colors in your space and the pictures on the wall should all support the brand image your company wants to project. Combined with how your organization functions and its culture, it creates an engaging and productive workspace for your employees.
Even small changes that are thoughtfully designed can influence your office environment and move the needle to help your company thrive.
Consider your company culture when designing your workplace. Office trends in 2023 identify four types of spaces that encourage collaboration, connectivity and creativity for your employees, with each space design reflecting the activities and functions that occur.
1. Design space for individual focus work
Each employee needs a place to do intensively focused work and problem-solving. This could be a closed office, open cubicle, or a designated area on a workbench.
A consistent and individualized location creates a mental association between that spot and being productive. Ergonomically configure the individual workspace for comfort and boost motivation by adding personal touches. With an organized work area, you have a clearer mind and reduce feelings of overwhelm and stress.
Office design trends in 2023 reflect the different options for intense focus workspaces to align with your company’s image and branding.
You may decide that an open floor plan with low partitions and individual cubicles creates enough privacy to work and still encourages collaboration. In a law office, financial institution, or medical environment, closed offices could be more appropriate for privacy and confidentiality. High-tech companies often have employees seated side by side on long tables to emphasize agile development and rapid innovation that defines their company values.
The design you choose for individual workspaces in your company should relate to your company’s culture. In the realm of designing for the individual, consider how the space will inspire each person to work alone and how the space may invite the employee to enthusiastically co-create projects with their colleagues.
2. Create an environment for collaboration
Along with individual-focused workspaces, you may want to create places for collaboration. If you purchase ping pong tables to inspire movement, what’s the company attitude when the employees are volleying the ball back and forth across the net? Will your colleagues mind the noise? Does upper management frown upon such frivolous behavior, or will the top executives ask to play the winner?
Avoid wasting your budget on the design of spaces where employees can connect and communicate if the company culture doesn’t encourage this type of interaction. The last thing your employees want is to be stared at or talked about if they are seen brainstorming together on a bench or by the coffee area.
If your company designs spaces for creating ideas and deep thinking, the culture should align and support its employees using the areas for innovative collaborations.
3. Encourage team socialization
Will the company culture support spaces for team relaxation in addition to collaboration areas? Office design trends in 2023 show that socializing and team building happen in relaxed environments where your employees can be themselves. When employees “let their hair down,” they can foster relationships with each other, leading to better teamwork.
Modern work culture encourages offering appealing breakout spaces to entice potential new hires. It’s a signal that the company promotes employee well-being and work-life balance. Having areas to relax and recharge creates a happier workforce, increasing productivity and lowering turnover rates.
Cool employee lounges with deluxe cappuccino machines and freezers stocked with ice cream are great if the company culture supports the employees relaxing together during the workday.
Ensure your company culture is on board and aligned with these team regeneration and socialization spaces. If not, then refitting a conference room with more comfortable chairs in the company brand colors could be a nice place to relax and be social.
4. Design individual spaces to relax
Employees need a space to socialize, and there should be a place for individuals to relax and rejuvenate. These wellness rooms or meditation spaces let employees take a break to reduce stress and anxiety.
In open floor plans, the noise and distractions can be overwhelming, and your employees may need spaces to become calm and re-energize.
Private relaxation spaces signal the company’s commitment to employee health and lead to a more productive and harmonious work environment. Office design trends in 2023 include creating these quiet rooms, especially if they align with your company’s culture.
Company culture to support your office design
When designing your office environment, you want to ensure the new design will support your company’s culture. Creating spaces for collaboration and socialization is a standard office design trend in 2023 and should align with how management feels when employees use the areas. A meditation room or private relaxation space makes your employees feel well cared for and that you recognize their individual needs.
Workspace design can be inspired by the brand and image your company wants to project, as well as support your business's functionality. Even small changes in office design will encourage your employees to become more productive and engaged.
If you want to create an environment that helps your company thrive and prosper and aligns with your company’s culture, schedule a Complimentary Consultation.
