News & Insights: Offices
The future of what an office looks likeThe future of what an office looks like
For over 10 years, many office buildings went for the corporate branded look, white desks and generic pictures were the go-to design for many businesses. As we come out of the covid period, many companies are reinventing the office space to be a work hub rather then a work place. Like in a home, in the office you need to feel relaxed and comfortable to do your best work and many businesses are catching on to this. Here’s what to expect for the future of the office space!
Plants
Trendy workplaces and typically corporate businesses are opting for more plants. This is due to a rise in research regarding the health and psychological benefits of having plants around, this has lead to many workplaces introducing more plants into the work place. It all started due to connections being made with fresh oxygen generated by plants and their bonus to focusing at work. Even artificial plants help to bring in a natural touch that makes office spaces really feel lively and active. Tall spaces have seen plant trellis’s used to build astounding over-head canopies of live or artificial ivy. It’s easy to understand why something as robust and cheap like plant life is trending so much in a post covid work place.
Colours
In the same way that plants bring life to a space, colour does too! It’s been trending in workplaces and businesses alike to be incorporating welcoming, inviting colours into the workplace due to the added psychological benefits. The brain associates colour with certain feelings and actions, so by playing to this as an advantage, business have brightened up their work spaces using surprising colours, like mustard yellow, muted tones of blues pinks and greens. This allows a workplace to feel expressive without being distracting or overwhelming. The two most popular colours for businesses were blue-grey and white! This was due to their association with calmness and clarity respectively.
Desks
Trends have moved away from the standard white back to light wood colours, companies as a whole are trying to move away from the pristine plastic look of the early 2000’s and into an almost 70’s retrofit, taking modern approaches to favoured designs, it’s why reclaimed barn wood is in every gastro pub and a lot of start up offices, it’s robust, long lasting and ecological. Smaller desks have also seen a rise, as a result of covid, it prompted people to reconsider what is essential to their office space, leading to cleaner and more minimal approach to the office desk.
Lights
Trends towards LED lights have grown in recent years, many businesses are finding ways to use colour and lighting together to build dynamic office spaces that really do feel inviting and comfortable. This is also an energy related process due to LED’s being a somewhat cleaner alternative to typical lighting. We’ve also seen a resurgence in marquees and letterboard style lighting coming in to office spaces, which is giving businesses a unique feel and even an atmosphere, making each business stand out through their own use of lighting and signage.
Trend towards 1920s style large lights
Noise cancellation
As many offices look to tackling issues in the work place of all varieties. A fun one to observe has been how trends around noice cancellation in the office have gone. Some offices are creating quite zones, areas where employees and clients alike can confer or take business calls, free from disturbing distractions around the office. Some businesses even use booths to take calls, they’re wooden constructs with seating inside and sound proofing which make taking last minute calls a breeze.
Another trend that’s growing and tackling noise in the modern office is furnishings. Many know the annoyance of squeaky chairs and loud mechanical keyboards, many are also finding solutions to these problems, like updating to cushioned keyboards, switching to soft fabric furnishings and creating designated quiet zones has allowed businesses to build strategic solutions to this issue.
Clocks
This is one that’s going to depend on where you work, but there’s even been trends in how we furnish offices in regards to clocks, most work places are finding ways to better tie their environments design to themes of productivity and openness. One way businesses have been doing this is through clocks being more central to the design, There’s a few offices that turn their clocks into full wall art pieces, or even just having a wall clock that matches the current décor to show everything’s being paid attention to. People are moving away from modernised digital clocks and back into things like clockwork or analogue clocks.
Buildings
Many new businesses are about bringing life to old or forgotten locations, it’s why many new businesses favour the rustic, exposed brick and wrought iron look when they open up in a city. It’s becoming more popular and favourable to businesses to just buy a bit of a fixer upper and work from there, it’s what’s leading to such unique feeling and looking buildings being the workplace of those who favour that style. People appreciate the history of an area and wish to be a part of that legacy do so by upholding the one of the building, it’s why so many businesses are leaving the brick exposed and polishing the original wood floors instead, people like to embrace the tradition that a building has and do happily.
As companies look at create welcoming spaces that will help the team to feel at home and productive, many companies are starting to look at what the offices are like. Our teams work with Hotels, IT companies, Freight forwarders, Warehouses, Sales companies. We do see such a wide range of office space and it is very interesting how many companies are moving away from the corporate standard look to reinventing the work place.
HtE Recruitment News & Insights
This news and insights page has been written by Josh our Recruitment & Marketing Coordinator. HtE Recruitment take no responsibility for this post.
Other News & Insight posts:
Mental health awareness month – budgeting tips – News & Insights
As we observe Mental Health Awareness Month, it's important to acknowledge that sometimes financial stress can have a direct impact on our mental health. We have seen this over the years when some candidates have to cancel interviews on the day as they can not afford...
what does a recruitment agency do for the fee they charge to companies – News & Insights
What does the finders fee cover? One of the myths that is sometimes talked about is all a Agency does is gets a cv, put a logo on it and send to a client, charge a fee if placed. That each consultant will make 20 placements a month (1 a day on each working day). ...
Energy saving ideas for your house – do not panic – News & Insights
Following today's news about energy prices - here is a guide of some basic steps We are a Recruitment Agency, however we are not all about jobs jobs jobs. Over the past 15 years we have done so many things to help our network and offer support or tips. Some Agencies...
Energy saving ideas for your house – do not panic – News & Insights
Following today's news about energy prices - here is a guide of some basic steps We are a Recruitment Agency, however we are not all about jobs jobs jobs. Over the past 15 years we have done so many things to help our network and offer support or tips. Some Agencies...
How to engage with job seekers has changed – how do you secure talent in 2022 – News & Insights
Securing talent has changed over the past 27 years but many companies are still using methods from 1995 In 1995 most interviews was formal interviews, sat around a formal table and in a full suit including ties. The interview process was often very one way, just...
HtE Recruitment is moving to Manchester City centre – News & Insights
HtE Recruitment is moving Currently we have been based within the Regus centre at Manchester Airport for the past 10 years. In May 2022 we will be moving to a property run by a different landlord, which will be in the city centre. Why the move? As a business over the...
Future of Hybrid – News & Insights
Future of hybrid With the rules in England changing from the work at home rules, many companies and employees are asking what will be the future of hybrid work or work from home. Every one has something to say on the state of hybrid working and how exactly to tackle...
Why do candidates turn down offers – News & Insights
Why do Candidates turn down offers? It’s no secret that lately, it’s become a lot more common to hear a rejection to a job offer. Often times due to a mix of factors that sometimes just can’t be remedied. Securing a candidate to join your team is a stepping stone in...
Building a team within your company – News & Insights
Building a team One of the most important things you can do in your business is build a strong, reliable team. The team you have can make or break a business and it’s not just all about having the right people to handle the businesses affairs. Having the right team in...
Contact us
3000 Aviator Way
Airport City Business Park
Manchester
M22 5TG
Call us:
0161 300 7862 (Northern Office)*
0203 542 6103 (Southern Office)*
Email: [email protected]