Office Trends For 2018
Now that we’re more than a month into the new year, chances are your office has been getting a little spruce-up for the new year. This week, we’re taking a little break from our normal talks about software, the qualities of great purchasing/IT managers, computer maintenance, cloud computing, and refurbished computers, to explore some hot office trends you’ll be seeing this year.
Comfortable Surroundings
Most people spend the majority of their week in their office and with their coworkers. Creating comforts in the office make it seem more homey. Some recent ones we’ve seen include: gaming rooms, fully-stocked bars, gyms (and showers!), living room-type areas for collaboration meetings with the team, and snacks in the kitchenette. Some more unconventional ones may include regular food truck sightings right outside their door, fireplaces, and maybe even a rotating restaurant “spot” each week
Eco-Friendly Design
As spaces get revamped and redone for the new year, we’re seeing an uptick in sustainable resources or recycled materials getting used. One new trend, especially in the tech sector, is reclaimed barnwood on an accent wall in the office. Another eco-friendly addition to offices now is cement - especially when it comes to something easy-to-clean and durable like a polished concrete floor.
Plants & Greenery For Workplace Well-Being
A lot of offices are opting for plants around the office to increase well-being and the color factor! Whether it’s using green in the dividers around the office, adorning the walls in various planters, or just including a terrarium in the conference room, we’re seeing an increase in vegetation!
Flexible Work Spaces & Unconventional Work Areas
While some offices still stick to cubicles and assigned desks, more companies are opting for some sort of flexible work space arrangement. Whether it’s small collaborative spaces around the office for when partnering on a project is necessary or some private offices that individuals can use when they need quiet, more companies are finding that people work best where they work best and aren’t as quick to dictate the assigned desk to them.
Additional Educational Opportunities For Employees
Companies are focusing on additional educational opportunities for their team members, including LinkedIn Learning, Coursera, edX, Udemy, Udacity, The Khan Academy, and others.
A Greater Focus On Team Performance
One push for incorporating the more comfortable surroundings and flexible work spaces/areas above is to encourage employees to come together more regularly to work together on projects, brainstorm over impediments, and cut down on the back-and-forth of waiting for other team members to do “one little task” on something.
One of the best things we can suggest for an office trend? Low-cost, refurbished computers for you and your team. If you’re in the market for high-quality, low-cost, off-lease refurbished computer equipment for your business, contact us at 2nd-Byte and we would love to help you out!
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