A popular trend in office design is the open plan. Entrepeneur.com claims that companies are increasingly seeking to design “space that fosters transparency, offers multiple choices as to how and where to work and an environment that imitates life outside the office.”
More than 75 percent of U.S. offices have open plans, according to researchers from the Milwaukee design firm Kahler Slater. The design firm adds that while the studio model used to be common in creative service companies, it is now being incorporated into professional services, including real-estate agencies and financial firms.
Custom glass film can be a useful addition to your open office plan. In a recent article, we discussed how using custom window glass instead of standard walls can make your office partitions less obtrusive. Window glass can be used to create whatever sort of atmosphere your company needs, and offers many advantages. It allows in natural sunlight, which improves workers’ productivity. While still maintaining privacy, window glass also makes individuals feel less cut off from one another, helping foster a more open and collaborative company atmosphere.
Another major trend in office design currently is the shift to wellness, in recognition of the connection between employee health and productivity.
“Sustainability” once referred to environmentally-conscience design, Entrepeneur.com explains that the “new sustainability is human-focused, paying attention to body and soul, thanks to growing evidence that a happy employee is a loyal and productive employee. To that end, pantries are stocked with healthful food, assembly spaces double as yoga rooms, and in-office kitchen events enable employees to prep food and dine together.”
In addition, furniture is becoming more active, Sonya Dufer, principal of the workspace strategy group Gensler, reports. She notes that orders for sit/stand desks are increasing, while some offices are also incorporating treadmill desks. Another trend is the use of outdoor space as an area of respite for workers.
If you are interested in learning more about commercial window film and ways to enhance your open office plan, contact Michigan Glass Coatings.