Exile from Officeville

The closed spaces and depersonalization of desks are figments of the past. In their place will be customizable work spaces, collaboration-friendly cubicles, and chairs with character, according to an Orgatec report on the working worlds of tomorrow. The report highlights several significant findings on the workplaces of tomorrow, each with one underlining theme: Communication is the magic word.
The line between standard office arrangements and what is considered contemporary, thoughtful interior designing will blur. Office spaces will be designed with surface options, finishing and model variations in mind.
But, the look of the office spaces is related to the study’s next finding that the walls will break down – literally – between closed spaces and combined or open spaces. The study makes sure to differentiate between the unpopular open-plan offices of the 1980s with the future’s open space trend. Office furniture characteristics that will embody this trend are noise-absorbing panels, adjustable swivel chairs, and silent pull-out unit technology.
Look for workspaces that work with the office’s evolving technology needs. One high-definition widescreen monitor isn’t enough, some employees need two. This means increased desk space.
The office of tomorrow will see a lot of change in this respect, the study states. The days of high-tech, ergonomically pretentious executive chairs and material-heavy desks are out, and less-is-more executive offices are in. These offices will still use the finest materials and will be increasingly focused on having the best technology available, but the mindset having the fanciest appearance to establish a subconscious hierarchy is on the way out.
Office spaces that feel like a million bucks, knocking down the cubicle wall, changing workspaces to match up with changing technology, and taking the Man out of manager are all ways how communication will shape the workplace in the future.
But another underlying theme is that these design changes are focused on the people. Workplaces will not longer be dictated by the impersonal workings of space utilization and maximized workflow, but by how an office space can help an employee better communicate and do his or her job more efficiently. It’s the secret that has somehow eluded companies until now: the happier the employee, the more productive the employee.