Trends in Offices for 2024
The desire for optimization is ingrained in human DNA. The willingness to improve things. The eagerness to develop new solutions that boost people's lives. A constant evolution. And this nature manifests in all areas without exception, including office design. In this sense, 2024, like the preceding years since the birth of the first office, aims to bring forth the emergence of new design trends for these spaces crucial for both workers and organizations. It also confirms some of the trends that have been gaining momentum over the past year. Let's delve into the details.
Collaboration-Centric Design
One plus one doesn't always equal two. In the case of collaborative work, where several people share their impressions and ideas, the sum can result in much higher numbers. While this may challenge mathematical laws, it reaffirms the laws of human nature: we excel at working together to find innovative solutions. Companies recognize this and have started to invest in open spaces, creative meeting rooms, shared work areas, and informal collaboration spaces. Key elements here include partitions, phone booths, or pods, which enhance workforce performance.
Integration of Super Technologies
Modern offices typically come equipped with desktop computers, tablets, and speakers—a basic kit. However, 2024 promises to be the year when super technologies, those that radically impact organizational functioning, make their way into offices. This includes artificial intelligences, augmented reality systems, virtual reality systems, presence sensors for energy conservation, automated voice assistants, or wireless charging stations, among others. Companies with routine access to these technologies will undoubtedly gain a competitive advantage and enjoy greater scalability.
Homely Mimicry
The contemporary office aspires to become a genuinely desirable place—a space where people don't regret being and can't wait to leave, but rather one where they feel comfortable. This explains the trend of offices mimicking homes that experts predict for 2024: lounge-like spaces, shared kitchens, meditation rooms, outdoor areas, break rooms, and even game and entertainment rooms. Creativity and motivation are much more noticeable when employees are relaxed, even if it involves occasional interruptions. In the future workplace, more is not always better. What matters is the quality.
Encouragement of Personalization
Another characteristic of the modern company, compared to the conventional one, is its human-centric approach. It understands that each employee is a unique being with unique needs and preferences—not just another cog in the wheel. Hence, companies are increasingly incorporating customizable elements in offices: adjustable chairs and desks, custom soundproofing systems, lamps with adjustable lighting levels, and even empty microspaces for employees to fill with items they deem appropriate, as long as they align with the company's brand image or collective harmony.
Confirmation of the Eco Trend
The eco trend is not a novelty. However, there has been a gap between good intentions and actual sustainability. Until now, many of the efforts by companies to reduce their energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions were somewhat insufficient. However, real estate market data shows that organizations are now prioritizing green office buildings. This reflects a social demand—both employees and consumers prefer environmentally conscious companies, and businesses want to meet this expectation. Therefore, in 2024, this trend will intensify and become one of its indispensable objectives.
