Trends

If I was to make you guess how much it costs to replace an employee, what figure would you go for?

Optimising your space is an important part of maximising your investment. Any space you own or currently lease is an asset that needs general upkeep and maintenance, and by investing time and money into getting your space right for your business, you will ultimately see the rewards.

Is remote working a new concept? No - it was around long before the pandemic hit, in fact before the pandemic, staff went into the office on an average of 3.8 days a week. However, COVID-19 forced many to change their viewpoint on the concept – it made many realise the pro’s and con’s of working from home.

With the economic climate continuing to remain unpredictable, and cost of living continuing to play on the minds of many – will we see a change in how people view the workspace? Will more people choose to work in the office to manage their own costs? We will be discussing what we predict for the workspace in 2023.

As the past two years, in terms of office spaces, have provided a rollercoaster ride for the use of our offices. 2020 brought the office home and introduced the remote working era. 2021 continued with some remote working but as the pandemic flattened, also allowed for some in-office working. What will 2022 bring? To put it simply, offices will be seeing efficiency, functionality and comfort as the top priorities as the need to adapt to methods such as hybrid working rise in popularity.

The workplace has always been an important place for people, especially now, after over a year of being physically distanced when working from home. As the trend shifts from having a 30/70 ratio of open space to closed-off space to now having 50/50 or in some cases 70/30 collaboration space - the social space is an important part of this. Having a social space links with the concept of flexible working, and is about boosting collaboration between employees allowing a more relaxed approach in comparison to the previous formal arrangement. As gen Z continue to make changes to the work approach, it has become increasingly popular to meet at Starbucks for a good coffee whilst having a meeting. This engagement across a social setting often allows for a different experience rather than across a desk in the office.

For anyone, planning a fit-out is a significant task never mind when its for an office which is where the magic happens and the money is made for your business. In order for your fit-out to be successful and without hindrance, it must be planned for properly with risk mitigation thought through carefully and end goals considered.

When you are thinking about an office refurb, the average person would think how much space do I need, how many boardrooms, how many seats? However, one of the most important questions you should be asking is how may plants will I need in my office refurbishment?

A clean office chair is a happy office chair. The occasional coffee spill or breadcrumbs falling off your sandwich and getting trapped in your mesh office chair can lead to serious hygienic issues as the dirt piles up. We all know that sitting on a dirty, germ-infested office chair isn't fun and can lead to some pretty nasty health issues.

Designing your office might not be at the forefront of your mind when starting your own business. You might not thing that its necessary for a brand your size, or you might not be financially ready. However, it is essential to think about the right environment for your business and team in order to actually generate growth and revenue.