Modifications and adaptations became necessary during the COVID pandemic, and this impacted many areas of life. It even changed various corporate office trends in particular. Corporate office settings affect a variety of internal practices and relationships, so these are trends that are important to understand.
Home Office Changed Everything
The long rows of desks with standard office lighting systems are now considered to be legacy. During the pandemic, people suddenly found that the home office was a viable option for working. This naturally gave rise to an interest in making improvements to the workspace. Home office workers got to enjoy a period of time where work was padded by various comforts, and these benefits can’t easily be reversed.
Office adjustments included improvements in the seating used to perform the same office work, warmer lighting, improved ventilation, curtains, carpets, and other comforts. This included the addition of plants, small waterfalls and the addition of other natural elements that enhance the sense of wellbeing. Once these workers returned to the office, these newfound preferences migrated there as well.
Natural Lighting and Plant Elements
Design elements that bring in more natural lighting and use materials that reflect the natural world are more in demand in 2022. The placement of plant life inside of the office can add a sense of nature to help balance out long work hours. There are a variety of materials that are low-maintenance and require little to no care.
There are many options for office spaces that provide little access to natural lighting. For example, bamboo and stone make excellent additions to spaces that might lack any area where the workers can take a mental break. When there are natural elements placed around the work site, it enhances many aspects of the daily quality of life.
Natural Elements, Corporate Office Trend in 2022
Natural elements offer a visual reprieve from the daily grind of office work. Consider the addition of a centrally located fish tank near the break room, for example. This induces calmness and focus. Plants that require little to no water are also popular. This can include various types of desert plants like small cacti.
Improving the circulation of air into these spaces is another important aspect to consider when incorporating natural elements within the office. These natural elements have been shown to decrease stress levels and increase concentration. This small investment gives substantial returns in terms of the sense of wellness for the workforce, which augments productivity. This corporate office trend is catching on like wildfire.
Natural Color Choices
Designers are fully aware of the psychological impacts of the colors selected for the walls, floors, and ceilings of office spaces. Earth tones and subdued colors tend to improve the overall atmosphere of the office space. Color palettes are available that make it easy to select a range of colors that will look great as an ensemble.
Neutral colors are also known to improve the quality of life. They improve the atmosphere by enabling a comfortable visual space that feels more like home. Accent tones are still available to add extra energy to the space as well; these colors are easy to coordinate with pre-coordinated color palettes.
Biophilic Designs for Office Spaces
Office spaces are typically devoid of natural designs and elements that give the impression of the outdoors being accessible and available during work hours. However, the long-term effects of cutting workers off entirely from nature have started to show. To improve the psychological well-being of everyone in the office environment, biophilic designs are surging in popularity as a corporate office trend.
Sustainable additions to the work environment can improve productivity and health outcomes. The materials used can affect various parties involved in the process. This includes the employees, of course, but it also has an impact on the employer and others involved in making decisions about the space. Ecological designs and ergonomic decision-making have a direct effect on the quality and quantity of work being done in the new biophilic office of 2022.