What’s in store for 2024 office trends and what do we watch out for?
When Edmunds, the car people, opened their office in Santa Monica several years ago they suspended a Corvette above the reception desk.
The staff coffee bar was designed without traditional solid walls and featured chrome wheels arranged behind the coffee pots.
Fun? Engaging?
These touches reinforced the staff’s mission and created a creative office environment.
Workstations were grouped together according to tasks and departments, but people were free to move around the office if they needed a change of scenery.
How do you plan an office space with design trends that bring the best out of your team and puts them in a mindset to succeed?
Let’s read on.
Creating Community
Think of your office space as an engaging community, not just a place that’s solely functional. In a pleasant community, there are places where residents converse and move easily along a main street.
Photo: Friant Nik Lounge Chair
They know they belong.
Harvard Business Review addressed this just a few years ago and found that 40% of people feel isolated at work. Look at the benefits of belonging, as described in “The Value of Belonging at Work”:
“High belonging was linked to a whopping 56% increase in job performance, a 50% drop in turnover risk, and a 75% reduction in sick days.”
Creating a place of community and belonging is definitely up there in 2024 office trends. Now take some steps in creating a community.
Your 2024 Office Trends Roadmap
2024 office trends are all about creating engaging spaces. And engaging offices don’t just happen. They’re well-planned. The team at 2010 Office Furniture knows this. They bring over a half-century of combined experience planning office spaces and furnishing recognizable brands in Southern California.
Think through your own roadmap. Start by thinking through the following questions:
Function: how is your office currently functioning and how can the functions be improved? Does the workflow bog down in any specific area?
Charting the function helps you to see how to brand your office for employees and visitors from the time they step into the reception area and move to the interior spaces.
Needs of the team: what types of workstations, desks, and chairs best meet the task needs and physical needs of your team?
Bring ergonomics into the picture by matching the employee’s needs with the furnishings that will provide for their well-being and help them do their best.
Aesthetics
Now you can integrate your branding with the details that help motivate your team by placing them in a positive mindset.
Check the 2010 Office Inspirations page, an online showcase highlighting 2024 office trends that lend to an engaging environment.
See how different elements like furnishings and colors blend to create inviting workspaces with a specific look and feel.
Photo: OFS Eleven Wood Table
The Scandinavian office has minimal simplicity while an upbeat contemporary office mixes and matches an array of colors and furnishings.
Photo: Stylex NYC Wrap-Over Lounge
Everyday Life
In communities, people like to come together but still have quiet spaces. It’s like being alone … together.
Open office designs are here to stay, but 2024 office trends bring a sense of boundaries back in. No doubt, it’s important to define spaces such as specific places for workstations in a department. Let’s use the marketing department as an example. Someone will need creative focus when writing up the campaign slogans of a specific product.
However, they can’t do this in isolation. They need to interview others to get their inspiration.
Have interactive spaces where the marketing team gathers with the production team to highlight the benefits of your next great project. This is where you let ideas flow with robust conversations.
Here’s another trend to be aware of.
Add video conferencing to the mix so you can have internal teams and participants working remotely.
How do you handle it all?
Go Modular
2024 office trends includes the power of keeping it flexible and adaptable. And Modular furnishings keep you in control. You can easily accommodate workers on hybrid schedules and people working on a freelance basis. They can come in at scheduled times for a day or a meeting before leaving to finish their tasks elsewhere.
Just like a community, isn’t it?
People come and go but they’re brought together under the banner of fulfilling corporate goals.
Think of the breakroom as the General Store where informal discussions can lead to collaborative gatherings.
Photo: ERG International Carlton Stools
Cities use parks as green spaces to enhance the quality of life. Your equivalent could be designing lounge areas for both spontaneous small group use and individual use.
Photo: OCI Seating Breeze Lounge
It’s also possible with So Cal’s sunny weather to design indoor-outdoor spaces.
Why be limited by four walls?
Make sure office functionality is present and people’s needs are met. Use these ideas to make your office environment an engaging place that inspires people both professionally and personally.
Great Office Spaces with 2024 Office Trends
An engaging office environment is one where people know they’re supported while being challenged professionally.
Get expert input from 2010 Office Furniture and their space planning services along with their ability to furnish what you need.
Their focus is on helping you create the spaces that work best while bringing in quality that will last.
Contact them with your questions and possible project needs.
Read Also: Plan Your Office Branding for the Employee Experience
Main Photo: Senator Haven Pod
Resources & Special Thanks to Respective Product Manufacturers: ERG International, Friant, National, OCI Seating, OFS, Senator, Stylex