Dive Brief:

• Humanscale has issued a white paper in which designers describe the way the 'new office' looks and functions. Ergonomic furnishings to sustain employees’ health and wellness are on the horizon for many workspaces, according to the report.
• Innovative office designs also allow workers to shift between sitting and standing to lower fatigue. The designers suggest that office design is following function, or the needs of a workforce that’s changing how work gets done.
• Workspaces should be customizable to accommodate the portability of work-at-home offices and those set up in public areas, such as cafes with Wi-Fi connectivity. Focusing on sustainability has helped create offices that are environmentally conscious in the way they function.

Dive Insight:

Office designers are way ahead of employers and workers. They’ve envisioned and created workspaces that meet the needs of the modern workplace.

They’ve also stayed in tune with how flexible employees’ lifestyles have become and the changes in work habits. The emphasis on employee health and wellness in office-space design is a significant and welcome change for the workplace.