How Do You Bring Your Office Into The 21st Century?

Don't let your business get left behind, bring your workplace into the 21st century with these suggestions for space planning and office fit outs.

The Secrets Of A 21st Century Workplace

As the time goes on, office design also changes. The traditional office designs of yesteryear have fallen out of favour, with newer designs embracing a 21st century style. So what changes can you make to improve your workplace and take it a step forward?

  • Give Employees Control Over Their Workspace
    This can be done in numerous different ways. You could implement simple improvements to technology with options for personalisation, for example allowing your employees to choose their preferred peripherals for their computer. Such as a specific style of mouse of keyboard.

    Did you know     there are different keyboard styles with different levels of sensitivity and different computer mice designed for different grip styles? For example, mice which are designed for 'the palm grip' are usually wider and longer, providing the hand with more support, however mice designed to be used with 'the claw grip' are usually shorter than other styles of mice, providing their users with more control whilst moving their cursor across the screen.

    You could also give your employees some control over an office refurbishment through the use of a suggestion box or questionnaire. They might suggest that shower and changing facilities or a gym area be added to your office environment so that employees can cycle to work or exercise on their breaks.


  • Optimising The Workspace
    It's very important that the working environment in your office is optimised in order to make the most out of the available space. This often means using fewer private office spaces, instead opting for larger collaborative work spaces. However, as large open plan offices can be very noisy and disruptive, you can make clever use of partitioning in order to create separate collaborative work spaces for different areas of the business. For example, you could create a collaborative area for your sales team with lots of acoustic panelling to minimise noise pollution.

    However, optimising your workspace is not limited to the physical space inside the office; it also includes the way in which your office functions. Such as how your office interacts in terms of sustainability. Issues regarding the changing climate or protecting the environment are at the forefront of many discussions in our 21st century society, as such the 21st century office must also reflect this. This means reducing your office environment's carbon footprint and looking at ways that you can improve the wellbeing of your workforce through measures like introducing healthy living practices, adding natural elements to your office environment, and increasing the amount of light in the workspace.


  • Improve Technology
    Millennials and Generation Z are digital natives, so technology needs to be at the forefront of office design and space planning. Simply swapping older computers for newer models isn't enough; technology should be integrated within the office environment.

    The integration of tech should not be limited to the working area, but also the break/breakout room. For example, you could include USB outlets so that your employees can charge devices such as Smartphones and tablets whilst on their break, allowing them to use their preferred device to relax whilst enjoying their break time.

    However, integrating technology isn't just limited to improving your employee's experience. It can also be very beneficial to your bottom line. Programmable lighting could help to reduce energy costs by switching off office lighting when the room is not in use, additionally items of technology such as thermal shades could keep the room temperature consistent, further contributing to a reduction in energy costs.


  • Implement Hot-Desking
    Flexible working is becoming more and more common in the 21st century society, so how can you modify your office in order to benefit from this working arrangement? One solution is hot-desking.

    In a hot-desking arrangement, employees don't have a designated area, as such they can conduct their work wherever they see fit. This can be great if you have optimised your workspace and created designated collaboration and concentration areas, as such if one of your employees needs a quiet space to work on an upcoming deadline, they can move into the concentration area, however if they would like to 'bounce some ideas around' and get some feedback from co-workers, the collaboration room would be an ideal addition to your workplace.

Learn More About Office Design And Space Planning On Our Blog

If you would like to learn more information about the numerous ways that you can transform your working environment through office interiors services, visit the Active blog. For example, you could learn more information about office refurbishment or 21st century office furniture.

Additionally, you can read about other topics related to the office interiors industry, including could Brexit impact the office fit out sector, how managed office services can help to combat stress, and how colours could affect productivity in your office.

Transform Your Workplace With An Active Office Fit Out

Our team of office interior experts can provide refurbishment and office fit out services in order to improve both productivity and wellbeing in your workspace. We use our skills and expertise to get the most out of the available space; rejuvenating your office environment, integrating technology, and creating a working environment that reflects both the identify and ethos of your business.

Would You Like To Make An Enquiry? Get In Touch With The Active Team Today

Active have over 15 years of experience working in the office interiors industry, so if you need advice with regards to upgrading your workplace, our office interior experts are on hand to assist you with any enquiries you may have regarding office design and space planning.

So if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us. You can speak to a member of staff by calling 0845 130 9066.

However, you can also contact our team online. If you would like to reach out to us using the internet, you can do so by:

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