As our world evolves, our work environment’s do as well. When we think of a corporate office, we tend to think of bland walls, stuffy cubicles and drab kitchens, however, with technological advances and shifts in company culture, the bog standard office is subject to change.
Tech giant Google was one of the first to move forward with modern, innovative corporate office workplaces, donning climbing walls, sleeping pods and quirky areas for their employee’s to enjoy. This shift has inspired other top businesses to follow suit such as Amazon and Nokia, to name a few, with offices around the world investing in their space to make it more fun, whether it be with slides, games or greenery. All of these things may seem like fancy benefits but many companies claim that these ‘perks’ are part of a strategic business initiative. They provide these things because it’s what their employee’s value and want. Giving their employee’s space, entertainment and an enjoyable work environment results in higher productivity, job satisfaction and loyal employees. These are the things that more and more employers are taking into consideration and office space is certainly an accountable for a portion of these assets.
As businesses start to think more into their office spaces and their employee’s work life satisfaction, Silverdoor have decided to go that one step further and look to the future to find out what our offices might look like in 50 years?
One of the most prominent features of the futuristic office will be the increase of greenery around the corporate office and the introduction of ‘biophilic design’. Studies have shown that when employees are subject to more natural light and greenery, it can improve our health and wellbeing, thus resulting in increased creativity and less stress. This is already being seen in offices around the world, with Selgas Cano being a prime example, introducing light and nature into their workspace.
It’s not just the surroundings and style of our offices that are set to change, but also our own work stations and the ways we use them. We are all so used to sitting at the same desk 9-5, however, this could all change with the introduction of ‘hot desking’ and ‘standing desks’. Hot desking gives employees the ability to move around the office and interact more with different members of their team, encouraging and increasing collaboration between staff.
Along with embracing the natural, we should also expect to see a shift in the use of tech; in particular virtual reality, 3D printers and artificial intelligence. Yes, VR and 3D printers are already circulating around the mainstream, however, artificial Intelligence is also set to become a bigger part of our working lives in the future. Many experts have already predicted that AI assistants will replace their human counterparts. This can already be seen in Amelia, created by IPsoft, who has a virtual face and body, speaks 20 languages and can interpret user’s emotions using a webcam. The regularity of AI’s in the workplace, is a more daunting factor of the future of offices, as this could result in fewer job roles, leaving humans out of work.
From encompassing nature, to embracing more technology, these are just some of the ways our corporate office desks may have changed by 2067, see our infographic below to find out more…
