Hybrid work models are here to stay
The “Resimercial” design trend that started before the pandemic was only pushed further after everyone spent so much time at home. Now, the lines between work and home are so blurred, that it’s not only about getting the home into the office, but now how do we make the home more ergonomic like the office? There weren’t many showrooms that did not have work from home solutions built into their promotions and displays.
From multi-functional adjustable furniture to colors and textures that are more in line with residential environments, you could see the industry’s investment in this area on display. But where this stops, is a big question for everyone. Will there be safety and health requirements coming down the line for companies that have people working from home full time? In Denmark, companies are now required to provide employees with the items necessary to effectively work from home when the employee is working from home more than two days a week. This trend is just beginning, and it will be interesting to see what other countries will start to do.
Making the work environment an experience for everyone
With many companies working to entice their employees back to the office, furniture manufacturers are getting creative in their designs to help people get excited about the workplace. From painting inspired seating to flexible and adaptable furniture, every floor of theMART was filled with inspiration. This is an area of focus that is extremely important right now, as companies are also worried about recruitment and retention. No one wants to come into a boring office, they want to be surrounded by a fun, inspiring and inclusive environment.
Many companies were talking about how you can create inclusive workspaces that anyone can use. While this trend is continually seeing more pressure from groups responsible for creating and enforcing regulations around accessibility for those with disabilities, like the ADA National Network, many companies are looking to go beyond just the base level of requirements. Electric sit-stand desks are a big part of this, as they help people of all heights have an adjustable desk that fits them perfectly.
Everyone is getting more flexible
All the top manufacturers showcased how they are bringing flexibility to the workplace. The capabilities of the office must be as flexible as the types of people in a workplace and the different roles and activities they may have. One minute a room could be for conferencing with a team on-site and a customer at another location, the next it could turn into a brainstorming mess with ideas needing to be organized and captured. In each showroom you could see their different takes on what this may look like. From height-adjustable monitors that flip to a dry-erase board, to adjustable desks and furniture that could easily be moved and adapted within a space, flexibility in movement was everywhere.
There are also some underlying trends that were very visible throughout the event, like sustainability. This trend is one that will remain a constant for the foreseeable future as companies strive to prepare for the future. There was also a resurgence of Danish design. theMART dedicated a space specifically to Danish Design Makers, which featured an alliance of designers with different backgrounds in Danish Design culture, bringing together their different beliefs around openness, collaboration, and community.
NeoCon 2023 is just a year away and it won’t be long until we see what the industry is planning next for the workplace. One thing we do know is that there are many things happening around the office and there’s sure to be some innovative and creative designs that move us into new and exciting directions.
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