According to the latest news reports Ola with 4.5 lakh sq ft, Apple 3.5 lakh sq ft, Google 10 lakh sq ft, Amazon 13 lakh sq ft, Siemens 7.3 lakh sq ft, and Continental Automotive 8.5 lakh sq ft. are some of the prominent names which have committed office spaces in Bengaluru during the third and fourth quarter of the calendar year 2020.

At this point, we’d say even if you have not returned to the physical office and are still working remotely, in all likelihood, you will return to your workspace in 2021.

With that in mind, the 2021 office trend will look a little different from the trends in the pre-COVID years. Open spaces, movable furniture, and comfort clubbed with social distancing, face masks, and the highest level of hygiene are table stakes – Trying to host 20+ people into a tiny conference room for a meeting, not so much.

Let’s dig into the top office interior design trends as cued by our experts.

 1. Sustainable office design

One of the most important trends in office design this year is a shift in perspective. Property owners, developers, and business leaders have moved from a primary emphasis on physical asset performance to a renewed focus on human assets.

We reckon the below will be some of the lead by example tactics.

• • • Use of recycled or organic fabrics like raw/organic cotton, linen, hemp, bamboo
    • Environmentally friendly cleaning products
    • Water-saving bathroom fixtures
    • Eco-friendly ways to dispose of rubbish
    • Energy-efficient lighting
    • Seasonal food offerings

Beyond these physical changes, office designs of the future will certainly take into account employer brand and employee experience—from office property to virtual touchpoints.

This values-based trend will continue and likely strengthen as investors are drawn to purpose-driven brands that are taking corporate responsibility and environmental, social and governance criteria more seriously.

2. Technology and smart offices

Large, open plan workstations have proven popular in recent years, however in light of widespread remote working, we would re-think layouts.

The fact that more of us are having to take more videoconferencing calls is making it harder for open plan workspaces to accommodate hybrid working because of acoustical issues.

To counteract this, office architects are grouping desks for when teams need to co-locate. These multi-functional areas of the office – are not new, but social distancing measures and a focus on improving the employee experience in the office are making them a key feature of tomorrow’s workplace.

Technology-enabled these specific areas have movable furniture that can be reconfigured with ease in addition to

• • • Digital whiteboards
    • Touchdown stations
    • Focus pods for individual work
    • Dedicated video conferencing rooms

3. Wellbeing focused human-centric design

Research has shown there’s a direct relationship between the wellbeing of your employees and their productivity, which in turn drives a business’s profits. So while the employees are becoming more demanding of their work environments, in the new normal, workplace wellbeing is influenced by four types of factors:

• • • Physical, such as posture, nutrition, and exercise
    • Environmental, such as light levels, air quality, temperature and noise
    • Psychological, such as work load, stress levels and job security
    • Social, such as the health of managerial and colleague relationships, broader company culture and community

Focused design elements such as biophilia, cleaner air ventilation, greater areas of natural light, and wellness programs to ensure that workers are mentally healthy during these stressful times are the go-to options for most businesses.

4. Hybrid workplaces driven by connectivity and community 

As the pandemic hit, many organizations went from asking themselves if a remote work environment was a possibility, to it becoming the only viable option. The trend skewed towards a hybrid setup.

A hybrid approach aims to provide an optimal balance of productive work with reduced stress and less commuting. One way to achieve it is through resimercial design.

The term resimerical started in the architectural engineering industry as a way of explaining the creation of a bridge from residential to commercial architecture. 

This design concept mixes residential and commercial features to make employees feel at home in the workspace. 

The trend emerged when digital natives and people who grew up with technology in the forefront started to form the majority of the workforce.

Covid-19 is catalyzing this trend. In 2021, expect to see decorative touches associated with the home environment and comfortable furnishings, particularly in breakout spaces which drive a sense of connected community.

The pandemic accelerated a lot of these trends and looks like most of these massive shifts are for keeps – from places solely of productivity and focus to spaces that take care of broader social needs. 

Talk to us as you prepare to acclimatize into the “new normal” – the workplace of the future.