"Work happens everywhere"
At a time when new technologies are playing an increasingly important role in the modern world of work, when the speed of work, networked work and faster communication are raising the bar, innovative and diverse answers are needed for the workplace of the future.
As a manufacturer of office systems, how do you see the megatrends?
Domenic Meier: By megatrends, we mean the main factors influencing the workplace, namely globalization, urbanization, demographic change, virtualization and mobility. In 2021, 50 million Europeans will retire, but only 20 million employees will enter the labor market, which means that in the next few years, the need for skilled and creative employees in Europe will increase dramatically. Likewise, there is another type of employee profile: the knowledge worker, the trend towards communication-oriented knowledge work continues to strengthen.
What do you see as the workplace requirements of the next generations?
For the first time, four generations are working together around the globe. The so-called Generation Y (15-29 years old) is entering the workforce: According to studies, they represent 25% of the total population at 1.7 billion. Generation Y's workplace requirements are flexible and communication-oriented. 79% want to work mobile, 44% expect a traditional work model, while 56% of Generation Y would prefer a flexible way of working. 32% want access to a "thinker cell," 41% prefer access to a team workspace, and 25% prefer access to a formal meeting room.
What about the companies and the tasks of the employees?
Increasingly, departmental and company boundaries are disappearing - work takes place everywhere. What is particularly interesting here is that 47.7 % of employees in companies with more than 200 employees work predominantly in projects. Project work places new demands on the design. Here, the working environment is designed to be occasion-related, diverse and less uniform and repetitive.
What about mobility? People today are working in an increasingly flexible and mobile way.
"Anytime, anywhere" is the motto. The rise in global connectivity flexibility is accelerating - with all its opportunities and challenges. For example, work is becoming less time and place bound, and technology is making work more mobile in many cases. An estimated 70% of employees read their email on their smartphones outside of work hours. These work styles are very different and therefore need to be understood and accommodated.
How do individual corporate cultures play a role?
We believe that increasingly working life can be seen as a combination of processes and experiences, i.e. what we do and what we feel. Work is a reflection of the cultures of individuals and companies. Thus, different employees and company typologies require culture-specific workspace design.
How can the "innovation" work culture be implemented in the workplace?
The formative work culture "innovation" should and can have an impact on the work environment. A few important points may be considered:
- Walkways: organic shape
- Collaboration areas: integrated everywhere
- Integrated management areas
- Equality: not present
- Working environments: varied, versatile
- Closed boundary: can be designed differently to support user needs
- Community thinking / representation: very high
- Storage philosophy: diverse approach
- Group identity: very important
- Surroundings: from hub and center to quiet
- Color scheme: solid or colorful
What do you see as the balance between activity and rest?
Yes, the new workspace should also include retreats, especially for the concentrated creation of new things and disciplined work. Acoustically and visually shielded areas must absolutely allow focused work. Because the more intensively work is done, the more important relaxing and regenerating retreats become.
Innovation culture in space
The goal of office furniture manufacturer Haworth is to constantly develop knowledge on the subject of "working in the future". Thus, the book "Life of Work" by Jeremy Myerson was launched. It is based on a wide-ranging research project conducted by the Helen Hamlyn Centre for Design at the Royal College of Art. By examining analog environments, this book paints a completely new picture of the workplace that takes into account not only the physical structures associated with work processes, but also the psychological experiences of people within these spaces.
Organization
- Keep the ratio of individual workstations to common areas as low as possible
- Common areas should be located close to the workplaces
- Medium to low occupancy density, but can vary from area to area in the same room
- Greater room height
- Lively environment can be accepted as background noise if moderate
- Wide range of visualization surfaces supports innovation
- Other utilities in the building are important and support creativity and innovation
Common areas
- Informal design (e.g., low sofa elements and comfortable seating); small units
- Low, flexible shields
- Changeability of the working height
Personal workstations
- Acceptance of disruption/reachability
- Proximity to colleagues is important
- Ways to personalize the work environment with inspirational objects
- Varied design
- Equipment details pay more attention
