Dr. Gleb Tsipursky – The Office Whisperer
Nirit Cohen – WorkFutures
Angela Howard – Culture Expert
Drew Jones – Design & Innovation
Jonathan Price – CRE & Flex Expert
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- Flexible workspaces feature creative desk layouts, and they generally feature an open plan work environment if multiple employees are involved.
- Flexible workspace design encourages interaction between employees and can boost overall productivity and mood levels, which can be achieved by open plan concepts, breakout spaces, and quiet zones.
- Great design choices can make working from home feel fun and stimulating.
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The traditional layout of office spaces is being challenged. Gone are the days of boring, uninspiring designs with swivel chairs and traditional desks.
As we start to approach a new age of work typified by remote employees, home offices are beginning to transform our workspaces and challenge our perceptions of what is normal.
Today’s office furniture is designed with sustainability and efficiency in mind. The best flexible home office furniture is designed to provide workers with an ergonomic workspace that maximizes time while minimizing energy consumption.
Flexible furnishings can help you create a more transformative, flexible workspace at home.
When transforming your existing living and working spaces into something more flexible, there are a wide range of possibilities. Some items can be used for work virtually anywhere.
But what is a flexible workspace?
Flexible workspaces feature creative desk layouts, and they generally feature an open plan work environment if multiple employees are involved.
Desks, in particular, either enable flexibility or stifle it. Technology may allow us to work from anywhere on earth, but office work is still defined by desks.
Once you enter the office, they establish the atmosphere and carve out individual spaces within. It makes sense that the most important aspect, perhaps, of adaptable office furniture would be a flexible home office standing desk.
How do you create a flexible workspace?
This can be done by avoiding enclosed areas, focusing on adding plants, adding flexible furnishings, and generally trying to make it seem like “home.”
What is flexible workspace design and what should you look for in a flexible office space?
Flexible workspace design encourages interaction between employees and can boost overall productivity and mood levels, which can be achieved by open plan concepts, breakout spaces, quiet zones, and touch points.
Why should you make your workspace more flexible and transformative?
Firstly, you can create more space in your home with a flexible workspace. Many people no longer have a dining room, and soon the home office as we know it will be gone as well.
It’s much more efficient to use home offices for more than one task, and not just work. But in order to do this efficiently, you need to find home office hacks that make your space more flexible.
Your design choices impact your mood and your overall behavior. If you set up your home office in the “traditional” manner, you could feel tied to your desk without much room for creative thought.
Flexible workspaces encourage your mind to cross boundaries as you think outside of the box.
You should also change up your workspace in order to make it feel like home. The last thing you want is to feel a sense of dread whenever you step inside your home office.
This should feel like a creative, enjoyable space that you enjoy being in. Great design choices can make working from home feel fun and stimulating.
Tips for making your home office more flexible and transformative
- Add French Doors or other dividers. This can help you “section off” your office space when you need to focus and get work done. After you “clock out,” you can open up the doors once more and enjoy the full space once again
- Think about the floor plan. If you have the ability to renovate your home and change the floor plan, you can have a lot more freedom as you create a flexible work space.
- Choose adaptable furniture. It’s amazing what you can achieve with a few creative pieces of furniture. Companies around the world are starting to adapt as more people work from home, so flexible and adaptive furniture is becoming the new norm.
- Create more space with wall-mounted hooks and storage options. You can also decorate your walls with plants and other decorations, creating a more “home-like” feel for your office.
- Don’t be afraid to make your office comfortable. Add a sofa bed and comfortable chairs so that you can take a break comfortably. These touches can really make you feel less stressed.
Ten Best Options for Flexible Furnishings
West Elm Mid-Century Mini Secretary Desk
This small desk was clearly inspired by Victorian bureaus, and it is just as effective today as it was decades ago. You can save space by folding down the surface of this desk, and when you’re done, it folds back up to become a neat piece of decorative furniture.
YouToo Ergonomic Chair:
Having a comfortable chair is essential for office workers. The YouToo ergonomic chair’s revolutionary U-shaped back suspension with adjustable tension supports your lumbar spine, so it can do its job of supporting you while relieving stress from your lower back.
Hipso Adjustable Standing Desk:
A standing desk is the best option for those who like to change up their position throughout the day. This desk is a sturdy, affordable, easy-to-assemble, easy-to-operate height-adjustable desk, delivering sit-to-stand options and ergonomic support.
West Elm Reclaimed Wood Floating Shelves:
Floating shelves are an excellent choice if you want to maximize your available space and make sure that you can transform your room into something new when you’re done working. West Elm’s reclaimed wood shelves are particularly attractive and veer away from the more industrial look of most offices.
MonitorStand Workstation:
This organized computer workstation is designed to provide you with ample storage space, making it easy to organize your desktop and avoid clutter. It also has integrated UV sterilization to completely disinfect and sanitize your keyboard, mouse, phone, pens, stationery, and other everyday accessories in just 10 minutes, keeping your workplace healthy and germ-free.
ErgoStool:
This ergonomic stool strengthens your back and your core, plus the weighted base provides great traction. For that reason, you will enjoy a massive range of motions while sitting on this stool. It also promotes dynamic sitting, which emulates the frequent posture changes we make while standing and helps increase both our movement and energy levels.
Pastille Lamp by Industrial Facility:
Lighting is very important when planning a workspace, but it’s easy to go overboard and choose lamps that are overpowering and too bright. With the Pastille Lamp, you can strike a nice balance between atmospheric and functional lighting to help you maximize productivity.
BuzziBracks:
If you’re looking for a “set it and forget it” approach, the BuzziBracks might be a solid choice. This is a complete, modular, and flexible workstation that you can put in virtually any space. It also features noise reducing acoustic shields for added privacy.
Luxury Entryway Wall Mounted Coat Rack:
This hanging rack doesn’t need to just be for coats. You can hang bags, hats, and anything else you’d like to store against the wall in order to clean up and free up your workspace. This rack also serves as a mirror in case you wanted to check your appearance before a zoom meeting.
Modern Convertible Folding Futon Sofa Bed:
This non-bulky sofa bed is perfect for creating a homey-aesthetic in your office. If you need a break from sitting in a desk chair for hours on end, or simply want to take a nap on your lunch break, a day bed is the perfect solution and also adds the feeling of comfort to your office.
In the workplace, the ability to become flexible helps with growth, allowing quick adaptation to changing needs in the workplace. When departments change, or more collaboration is needed, or private spaces are needed, it’s extremely beneficial if furniture can be adaptable and allow for agile business.
Flexible workspaces have a range of benefits, including increased employee comfort, well-being, and productivity. Collectively, all of these benefits create a positive employee experience and company culture, which is the key to attracting and retaining employees.
Whether you’re working from home or you’re designing an office space for your employees, flexibility is clearly the new normal. Working from home has reminded people how important it is to have a sense of comfort as they get their jobs done.
The effects of COVID-19 on the workplace are still unfolding, but what is clearly emerging is that workers desire change and comfortability. In the interim, it is important to pivot with new flexible office design typologies and features as employees look to reimagine office design.
Whatever happens in the months ahead, design will play an integral role in fostering our new blended work week and smaller team-based collaborations, which will help workers to be more creative, happy, productive and fully engaged with our peers.
Frequently Asked Questions:
- Can desks be flexible? Desk can be flexible if they are adjustable, such as a standing desk. A standing desk is the best option for those who like to change up their position throughout the day.
- Is it bad to use a room for work and leisure? It’s better to separate where you work and relax. Blurring the lines between work and personal life isn’t good for productivity or relaxation.
- Should you separate your work and living environments? Work-from-home experts agree it’s important to create a separate space for work at home.
- How can I make my home office seem more like home? To make an office feel homier, you can add comforting and flexible touches, such as adaptable furniture, an ergonomic chair, nice lighting, plants, and other decorations.
- What happens if I don’t have enough space for a home office? If you don’t have enough space for a home office, there is always the option to utilize a coworking space in which you can rent out a desk or office.
