The corporate world is changing and changing fast. This is evident not only in the evolving nature of work and the rapid obsolescence of a variety of careers and professions but also in the transformation of the architecture and design of workspaces today. New-age businesses are increasingly valuing distinct qualities when it comes to picking workspaces.

Trends in Work Culture

Perhaps the greatest transformation in work culture and workspaces has been witnessed in the past decade. As the startup economy continues to grow, these changes will become increasingly evident. Let’s look at the two factors that stand out when we look at modern trends.

# The role of technology

Technology is already beyond playing a pivotal role in every aspect of our lives. And workspaces are no exception to the areas it has made its presence felt, be it the integration of tech in the office or its use to help employees work from home. The design and furniture of a workplace need to facilitate a smooth interaction between humans and technology.

For example, a Xiaomi India office has integrated whiteboards in its workspace allowing creativity to breathe and spread. Therefore, there is an increased focus on harnessing the power of technology to bring out creativity and increase efficiency.

# Employees want freedom and flexibility

An increasing number of professionals, particularly millennials, seem to value freedom and flexibility in their work culture. Stringent rules are making way for more cordial work cultures as communication between employees is gaining focus.

A great example to illustrate how office design and architecture can help facilitate this culture is through the concept of the ‘third space’. The home and the office are two places to work from, but the monotony of working in the same space can hinder the growth of creativity. So the ‘third space’ is typically another area within the office such as a library or a lounge where a person can work for a change.

What are new-age businesses looking for?

Gone are the days when the costs and quantity were the only determining factors while picking workspaces. Businesses today are looking for something more important than that.

Employee-focussed Spaces

While picking workspaces, many new-age businesses seem to work with the principle of putting people first. The needs of the employees should be addressed. According to a survey by Future Workspace, some of the wellness perks that mattered most to employees were:

• Air quality (58 percent),
• Comfortable light (50 percent), and
• Water quality (41 percent).

This clearly indicates that professionals have begun to value qualitative aspects more than quantitative ones. Some modern offices are also encouraging co-working by dedicating spaces that allow employees to team up, collaborate, and work together. People need the freedom to move around and have the opportunity to be part of other teams.

At the same, privacy is not to be overlooked. Offices must feature private rooms for meetings, or ‘quiet zones’ for those who wish for a peaceful environment, or even a comfortable armchair tucked away in a corner. Depending on an individual’s needs, people can pick and choose where they want to work for the day.

Working Closer to Nature

New-age businesses might want to look for a workspace that makes it possible to be closer to nature. A 1995-1996 Norwegian study discusses the health benefits associated with having indoor plants. The team studied sixty office workers and at the end found that the presence of plants:

• Reduced neuropsychological symptoms by 23 percent,
• Reduced fatigue by 30 percent.
• Had a positive impact in cases of dry or flushed skin.

The research suggested improved air quality and psychological impact as possible mechanisms for the outcome. Designing a workspace that draws employees closer to nature, therefore, holds special value. It is also worth noting that most new-age businesses tend to be clustered in urban spaces, so having a connection to the natural world becomes all the more valuable. In addition to this, the modern discourse on sustainability has also played its role. Many new-age businesses are looking for spaces that try to reduce their ecological footprint, for example, offices that are LEED Platinum certified – such as Max Towers.

Challenging Conventional Workspaces

Many of us may have grown up with the idea of offices as long rows of identical cubicles with dull grey walls and monotonous tasks. But millennial-dominated new-age businesses have been challenging not only architecture but also conventional hierarchies. Modern workspaces are breaking down barriers between employees and facilitating an environment of inclusivity and equality. Employees work together at the lounge or have lunch together at the cafe. Fostering interactions amongst employees and allowing diverse teams to come together and work can pave the way for equality and change.

All of this is achieved far more easily when the task of achieving such an ideal workspace is entrusted to experts. To now build a workspace tailored to their preferences, businesses are more than willing to rely on services that deliver customized designs, furniture, and equipment. Of course, it helps if your workspace service provider doubles up as your solution here, allowing you to amortize these costs over the duration of your lease. What businesses end up then, are zero capital expenditure, or zero capex offices.

Conclusion

The future of workspaces seems to be poised to bring transformative changes with it. As the Future of Work survey by Clutch in 2018 suggests, most employees value comfortable and inviting workspaces. In addition to aesthetic appeal gaining in importance, there is also a growing presence of technology and artificial intelligence in the workplace. All of these need to be well-integrated within our evolving workspace designs.

The workforce of today values aesthetics, a strong community feeling, colors, and comfort in its workplaces. Recognizing this well, new-age businesses are on their way to seek the right balance by putting the employees first. Meanwhile, we at Max Estates, are ever ready to meet their needs, with world-class properties at Max Towers & Max House.