Office Interior Design Ideas: How Millennials are Changing Office Design
posted on February 18, 2021
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Millennials will make up about 50% of the workforce by 2021. Since they join Generation Z, this age group will dominate the work environment by 2025. Companies must have a workplace, where they want to work.
Digital technology, changing lifestyles and an emphasis on corporate culture have a significant influence in every industry. Global communication also keeps everyone better informed. What's more, various scientific studies on health and wellbeing in the workplace have led to changes in office design.
Physical space has a strong influence on how employees experience their work environment. The emerging workforce expects companies to embrace digital technology and provide a platform that is flexible, productive, and creative.
As a result, office interior designers have developed an agile office concept. This type of work environment fits the modern lifestyle on the go, featuring seamless integration of technology and incorporating a variety of work areas that encourage collaboration, privacy, focus areas and social centres where employees can rest and bond with colleagues.
This recent shift to flexible work, and ultimately, comfortable offices, is being driven by millennials. Generation Z, who was born in an era of 24/7 connectivity and digital technology, is expected to have more impact on the work environment.
Millennials and Gen-Z are not interested in lavish jobs and high salaries, they care about work-life balance and spend their time in the office.
What are employees looking for in offices?
It turns out that the millennial generation feels appreciation should be given to the quality of work done, not the amount of time you spend in the office doing better work. It has also found that millennials want to work in an environment with a community of like-minded people and flexible working hours. It was rare for a person to work nine to five today. As companies embrace telecommuting, employees have more flexibility and choices about where they work and when they work.
Both millennial and generation Z are tech-savvy. They are used to being connected and comfortable using technology to make their work easier. What's more, they are confused by outdated computer systems. This age group expects modern technologies such as wi-fi, automated software, and smart offices.
Ultimately, technology gives employees the flexibility and options they want to enjoy a work-life balance. Employers who understand this and invest in creating frictionless digital experiences for their workforce stand a better chance of retaining their best employees and attracting top talent to enter the market.
What's more, both millennial and gen-Z have the same taste for unique and unconventional designs. You just have to walk into a cafe or trendy to recognize this.
Modern employees also demand to work in an environment that satisfies their health and well-being. Ergonomic furniture, mobile offices and biophilic elements embedded in the design are essential. Equally important are companies that provide a sustainable workplace that helps protect the planet.
Agile work practices are linked to modern spaces and reflect the culture and mindset of the younger generation. It's no surprise that companies choose agile office designs to change their work environment and ultimately, the way they operate.
Is that an office suitable for millennial employees?
The goal of an agile office is to create an environment that gives employees more autonomy, freedom of choice and a platform to be as productive as possible. Essentially, agile work involves giving up traditional office space and changing the way you operate.
There are basically three types of agile work; activity-based work, office hospitality and hot desking. While all three strategies don't use dedicated desk space, they work a little differently.
Activity-based work typically involves a free address protocol in which employees reserve desks, rooms, and equipment, often moving from place to place to work in an environment that is best suited to the activities they perform.
Hot-desking operates on a first-come, first-served basis but still gives employees the flexibility to move around the office if there are free workstations available. In an office hospitality system, space is reserved in advance for half a day or the full, but employees must stay there during the scheduled block of time.
Agile work has the potential to provide a number of benefits:
· Increase productivity and efficiency
· Increase creativity and innovation
· Provides a flexible work environment
· Appealing to the younger generation
· Allows work-life balance
· Increase job satisfaction
· Improve health and well-being
· Attract and retain top talent
· Reducing carbon footprint
· Lowering the cost of commercial property
· Make the best use of space
Because agile office design provides so many benefits, agile work is the fastest growing global trend in a number of key industries. A CBRE survey revealed that 52% of senior executives said they plan to invest in undetermined seats in the next three years.
An agile office design is a lot like an open office design. The main difference is the space that is specifically designed to support the activities that employees perform.
For example, a typical mobile office would consist of a creative centre where coworkers can collaborate, private cubicles that absorb sound and allow people to maintain focus, portable, reconfigurable furniture that can be adapted to individual needs, and social spaces where employees can rest. from work and relaxing with coworkers.
Flexible office interior design
Millennials and Gen-Z don't want to spend their day tied up at the table. They want freedom and choice of movement. They also want to collaborate with co-workers, but also have a refuge where they can find peace and quiet to concentrate on focus-oriented tasks.
As the first generation to be connected 24/7, work is something that cannot easily be separated. Millennials view their work as "things" and, thanks to cloud technology, you no longer need a dedicated place to do office work.
Flexible working from home, cafe and hotel has become the norm for many businesses. However, having a workforce divided across cities is not always easy for managers to track. The company wants to encourage staff to stay in the office.
Do you have a dream office design? How to fit your employees who are mostly millennials and gen-Z? We can be an interior solution for your office design. Contact us on this website page and we are ready to help you create your dream office design!
This article is adapted from Designing A Modern Workplace For Millennials And Generation Z
