One thing is for sure – we will work differently in the future. But how will that impact the office of tomorrow? Where will we work? And what demands will we make of our workplace?
Is the office of tomorrow at home?
Not entirely. However, we will weigh up the most suitable place for a given activity more in the future. It will no longer be standard for everyone to turn up at the office at 9 o’clock. We are evolving towards increasingly flexible work. That requires more flexibility in the workplace. The office of tomorrow will be smaller and fulfil various functions. It will act as a regional hub where people can meet up a place to connect and work together creatively. Technology will play a significant role, by making interaction easier and taking over repetitive tasks while offering new opportunities.
Health as the top priority
49% of employees believe health is more important than any other professional benefit. That is why committing to your employees’ general wellbeing will be extremely important in the office of tomorrow. To attract new people, it is important to offer a company culture in which they feel at home. A place where they get the chance to organise their work the way that suits them best. And where they can work in the healthiest way possible at all times. But what exactly does this mean?
- Exercise, exercise and more exercise
Ergonomics are a basic requirement today. It is also important to keep exercising all day long. Did you know that getting enough exercise in the daytime is more beneficial than going jogging for an hour in the evening? As a good rule of thumb, reduce your total sitting time and take a break from sitting every half hour. An ideal office encourages people to take optimal breaks from sitting down. For example, it might have sit/stand workstations and three-dimensional office chairs that enable micromovements in all directions.
- Nutrition
If you are concerned about your health, you will think about what you eat. The workplace has a role to play in this as well. Strategies to get employees eating more healthily can be incorporated in many ways: the food on offer, portion size, the availability of water, etc. Even the physical surroundings influence eating behaviour. You can apply these principles to an office kitchen or dining area.
- The importance of light (and sleep)
Good lighting is more important than you might think. The ideal level of light is about 1,000 lux on a horizontal work surface. At present, we generally only use about 100 lux. Besides feeling less pleasant, this reduced light also influences our cognitive abilities, our emotional well-being and even our sleeping pattern. So there are plenty of reasons to improve office lighting in the future.
Last but not least, it is important for the office of tomorrow to look good. Attention to interior design and the experience of your surroundings are bound to create a pleasant working environment.
Do you want to turn your workplace into an office of tomorrow?
Ergo-Lab looks forward to helping you create a healthy, ergonomic workplace that is completely future-proof. Contact us for more information about your future office.