What's New: Top 7 Office Design Ideas of the Future

The quintessential question of the day always seems to be "what's just around the next bend?" And when your business relies keeping up with the cutting edge, this is a very important question indeed. Unfortunately, no one can really see into the future, but with a little research, we have a much better chance of predicting it. The content network, PSFK, recently published a new report on great business designs that will likely take us into the future. For tips on hottest new tools, designs, and ideas for business, today's post is all about the future of the workplace. Enjoy!

Teamwork

Although teamwork really isn't anything new, all the talk that technology is keeping us away from one another is total hokum. In the workplace, teamwork relies on technology to expand a company's market, both across the nation and across the globe. However, technology alone should never be the only form of communication in the workplace. That's why open desking has become such a big thing. Instead of high-walled cubicles that separate coworkers, experts say the future will depend on coworker teamwork. Low-walled cubicles and efficient multi user workstations for business use eliminate barriers and unite the office. Look for models that have power outlets for future tech, and you're workplace will be well on its way to the future!

Health

Employee health should always be a top concern for business owners, and thanks to the demands of tomorrow, it likely will be. Experts and business drivers all over the nation agree that rather than sacrificing health for productivity, employers should try to raise the health of their employees as best they can. Popular strategies include offering optional opportunities for coworkers to collectively improve their heath, such as offering discounted gym memberships. Providing healthier snack options in vending machines and encouraging healthy life choices keep employees upbeat, focused, and it reduces a company's liabilities. Improving quality of life for employees can even be as simple as adding a few healthy air purifiers for office use, or indoor plants that do the same thing and double as decor!

Flexible Workspaces

In today's fast paced world, it helps to have furniture that can keep up with the demands of the workplace. Modular design is an innovative concept that has only gotten better with time. It relies on the idea of keeping everything at arm's reach, so the user can limit lengthly travels across the office for the things they need. Choosing modern executive desks with modular design helps to improve office productivity by increasing efficiency. In addition to open desking, multi user desks, and tables, modular workstations also provide futuristic benefits by being flexible. As more people are added onto the company's workforce, so can modular furniture units to accommodate them. They can also be just as easily moved into storage should the workforce diminish seasonally. Given the rise in popularity modular furniture has made in recent years, it's not surprising that experts expect it to rise further.

Heads in the Clouds

No, we don't mean daydreaming on the job. Actually, by "cloud" we mean "cloud services." Many tech companies that cater to the needs of business environments offer something like this. Here "cloud" can refer to the internet, or to a number of services, applications, softwares, and tech infrastructure that cloud service providers sell to companies through the internet. With cloud service, different technologies can sync up together and distribute the same information or applications all at the same time, providing invaluable tech support and connections to all employees in a company. It's part of why stylish computer desks for business use have skyrocketed in popularity. Their compact sizes and tech features like CPU holders and grommets for wires have made accommodating cloud services a breeze.

Working Wherever

Part of the benefits of cloud service, teamwork, and improved technology is that it allows workers to work virtually anywhere. One of the biggest trends in the modern workplace is "zoning" or providing workers with plenty of work environments to choose from, and it really does make sense. Some workers like being around others, some like working alone, some like traditional office environments, others prefer comfortable leather lounge chairs for office use, working by windows,  or even sitting on the roof. Big companies that can house their workers anywhere enjoy the benefits that come from their creative juices flowing at maximum. When workers are in their ideal environment, ideas flow, and companies profit, carving a place for them in the future.

Top Notch Equipment

Any farmer will tell you it's hard to wrangle sheep without a sheepdog, and in the future, the same will still be true. Running any business is impossible without the right tools to do it with, and sadly, whether you work on a farm or in an office, hard work can only get one so far. For the latter, having the right furniture, tech, and accessories is key. Sturdy desks and high tech desk chairs with ergonomic features play just as big a part in business as computers do, and if you want to keep employees healthy, it's best to provide those computers with monitor arms, CPU holders, and keyboard trays. The right office equipment for the future will be able to juggle convenience, functionality, comfort as well as any circus performer.

Down Time

If anything good has come from science in recent years, it's the results of sleep studies. Scientists have found some striking connections between lack of sleep do to work and school and unhealthy lifestyles. Without down time, employees can become, overworked, overweight, inefficient, unfocused, and a total lack of asset to one's company. Employees are the backbone of any workplace, and experts say that they will undoubtedly contribute much more if they're offered some brief periods of down time. Break rooms, lounge areas, and places where employees can take a breather are predicted to be big additions in the future. Some companies have even taking to painting dry-erase paint on the walls so workers can get creative with one another, building rapport, or brainstorming ideas for the company while they relax!

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Weird Office Chairs That Work

Have you ever been perusing a department store or a catalog and come across something you never expected to see? Sometimes, the products being offered never look like they'd do the job they're supposed to. The same can definitely said for some of the recent additions to the world of office chairs. Seeing some of these crazy seating solutions, you may find yourself asking "how in the world is that a chair?" Well, it may sound weird, but these are actual office chairs, and not only that, they totally work! If you're looking for something to catch attention for your workplace, take a gander at some of these quirky chairs and see if you'd want to add them to your office. They'll definitely draw some looks!

Eurotech Chakra Chair

Okay, so clearly this chair is something totally new. It almost looks more like an exotic flower than an office chair, but believe it or not, it really works! The design may appear strange at first, but actually this chair features an open zoomorphic structure designed to help support the energy centers of the body. This chair is based on the well-established medical view that the body harbors energy centers called "chakras". You may have heard this word before in popular cartoons or foreign movies, but its actually based on a real science that comes from ancient India. If you're still skeptical about the "chakra" theory, it may help convince you to know that medical science is actually very accepting of it. Chiropractors and acupuncture specialists often undergo intense training in order to become intimately familiar with the body's chakra points so that they help their patients as best they can. This chair makes use of that ancient medical knowledge and works by supporting the body's pressure, or "chakra", points so that the rest of the body feels free of tension helping the user to experience superior comfort!

Swopper Stool

Bet you've never seen a stool quite like this one before. Like the chakra chair, this office stool takes strange looks to the max, but again, like the chakra chair, it functions wonderfully! The Leather Swopper Stool by Via Seating has actually won three separate awards for its incredible comfort and innovative design. Developed by an osteopath especially for people for low back pain, this stool is designed to help improve stabilization of the spine. Its ergonomic design helps to relieve pain, strengthen muscles, improve circulation and lymphatic flow, and increase the nourishment received by the inter-vertebral disc. As if that weren't enough, the fun structure of this stool also makes it a delight to sit on. Use it as a stool or a task chair for a fun seating solution that's sure to turn a few heads!

RFM Verte Ergonomic Chair

This chair, as bizarre as it may seem to look at, is actually hailed as one of the most comfortable ergonomic office chairs available today. The RFM Verte is a chair that features a unique design that molds itself to the human vertebrae for optimal back comfort. While most ergonomic office chairs relieve pain, this chair takes it to a whole new level. After nearly ten years of study and innovation under a team of ergonomists and engineers, this chair brings new ergonomic advancements unmatched by other office chairs. It features spring loaded joints that mold to your spine's shape and can be locked in a preferred position if desired. Additionally, the chair also includes a seat slider, a headrest, and a comfortable air knit upholstery. If comfort is your game, this weird office chair is definitely your soul mate!

Wau High Back Office Chair

This high tech chair certainly has a strange look to it, but it has actually become a popular favorite among affordable office chairs nowadays. The Wau High Back Office Chair by Eurotech looks like something out of a sci-fi flick, and with its fancy ergonomic structure, it likely could be found on a spaceship. It features tilt tension control for adjustable comfort as well as an ergonomic waterfall seat to improve circulation and relieve joint pain. It even includes a synchro-tilt and locks so that once adjusted, this chair can keep its position as optimized by the user (try telling us that's not high tech!) The Wau office chair comes in three different color combinations for increased variety. Its one of the few pieces of furniture for home office use that can be used in multiple office environments, from executive use, to desk use, to tasking purposes. With such amazing benefits and a breathable mesh back to improve comfort, don't be surprised if aliens make a visit to your workplace looking to abduct this incredible chair.

Beam Seating

Finally, we leave you with the weirdest of the weird of contemporary furniture for lobbies and reception areas. Beam seating is a relatively new trend that has been sweeping the nation, and beam seating solutions like the Net Series Beam Seating Configurations by OFM have become extremely popular. These chairs feature a fun modern design and are available in vibrant colors that are sure to capture the attention of your office guests. They make great additions to waiting rooms, reception areas, and lobbies, particularly those that host children. Beam seating often provides built in end tables for convenience. They are also available in numerous configurations that can be specified to the manufacturer so that buyers can choose the seating configurations that are the most appropriate for their guest room layouts. What most people don't realize about these chairs is that beam seating solutions save space and is also easy to clean under. The Net Series by OFM is Greenguard Certified, suitable for both indoor and outdoor use, and easy to assemble!

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