Why care about the latest office design trends? Well, because statistics show they matter to your business productivity and staff engagement. In a recent survey, 31% of office staff who said they were pleased with their office environment showed an increase in productivity.

In another piece of research, in the Journal of Environmental Psychology, scientists found that 37% of people working in a traditional open-plan office believe that its design decreases their productivity.

So, what can we learn from this? Perhaps, that workspace design is about more than doing a big jigsaw, it’s about how people feel because when people feel better, they are more productive and engaged. Whatever your wider economic environment, your investment into your workspace and how it works for your employees now and into the future will deliver dividends.

If then, you’re thinking about updating your workspace this year, what are the trends that are making a difference for businesses right now? Here are a few ideas. 

There’s a new workplace design phrase in town: resimercial.

“Resimercial: a combination of residential and commercial design bringing the home into the corporate space.”

Perhaps inspired by silicon valley tech companies but now driven by changing expectations since lockdown, the goal is to create a more comfortable and relaxed working environment that people enjoy working in, and as a result, want to work in the office more often. Additionally, the goal is to boost retention and to attract the best candidates, particularly among millennials. 

Look for break-out areas evolving from a table and chairs in a corner to more comfortable home-style furniture with soft furnishings and rugs; ambient, softer lighting; more plants and decor that has a more homely than ‘corporate’ feel.

For many businesses, this is simply the next step on the design ladder and could be easily incorporated into flexible workspace design. 

Flexible workspace design has been on the increase for a few years now and will continue to grow in 2025. By breaking free from the constraints of traditional office layouts where elements such as desk pods were static, flexible workspace design enables businesses to adapt their space according to the need at the time. Examples of changing needs could be changing working practices such as only needing a desk once a week, increasing staff numbers or creating creative, collaboration areas that move past task-based delivery into innovation.

This could include:

• Creative layouts - movabble desk / pods / tambours / storage - change the use of your space to support how you are working now, e.g. creating a team collaboration space or private, quiet desks.
• Design for wellbeing - designing to bring in more natural light or to feature outdoor elements indoors.
• Ergonomics - adaptable furniture such as sit / stand desks and spaces that encourage movement.
• Adaptable working areas - making better use of less-used spaces such as office kitchens. 

It’s not just about stepping away from desk cubicles to modern aesthetics; flexible design means you can future-proof your office plan to adapt as your business grows. What’s more, a creative use of space leads to more innovation, better team working and an engaged office community. And not to be overlooked, it can accommodate for individual physical needs or neurodiversity, making everyone welcome and equal helping everyone work together happily and productively. 

Sustainability & workplace design

Sustainable office design can sometimes mean higher budgets but not necessarily. While many businesses aspire to exercise their environmental responsibility muscles, for others it is still a nice-to-have rather than a standard requirement. Increasing numbers of businesses are choosing sustainable design, in part for aesthetics, and for some to attract the type of staff they want to align with their business culture and values.

It should be noted though that sustainability is not just about a current trend for bare wood, it can have bottom-line benefits too such as reducing energy bills. If you’re not sure about a full re-design with sustainability in mind, you can start from the ground up with individual items such as encouraging natural light, choosing furniture from eco-friendly office furniture companies, using recycled materials and pre-loved decorative items for break-out areas.

Smart buildings & tech

Office technology is now more than audio visual. Smart building systems offer solutions that can help manage your office such as balancing temperature and light according to occupancy levels. They can even monitor and manage water use. While implementation comes at a cost, over the long-term these systems will reduce costs and help you stay compliant with changing environmental legislation.

A lot has changed in recent years when it comes to how businesses and their employees. However many headlines shout that employees need to get back to the office, the truth on the ground is that whether you’re working in a production-led environment or a traditional office, UK working culture and expectations have changed for good. The latest trends reflect how office design can flex with the way you work and future-proof your business, maximising space, enabling you to adapt to changing needs and boost productivity delivering a return on your hard-won revenues. 

Thinking about an office re-design? Find out more at www.phoenix-sys.co.uk or call the team on 01903 765366