The contemporary interior design is about more than just looking good. As young workers fill your office, contemporary design will help you stand apart.
Would you call your workplace "modern"? How about "contemporary"? Go ahead. Take a look around.
If a quick glance around your office provides the same image today that it did several years ago, chances have it that your design is missing the mark. Similarly, if the executives who house your corner offices are the ones making the design ideas, chances have it once again that something's amiss.
Today's cutting-edge offices are finding that a new and fresh approach to contemporary interior design is an important part of staying competitive in today's fast-paced business world. By taking a quick inventory of today's business climate, it's easy to see why modern and contemporary are so important. Baby Boomers are beginning to retire, which means that an entire generation of individuals is slowly being replaced by new blood. And this new blood is running through the veins of workers who value technology, innovation, and change. If your office doesn't represent these values, it's time to take inventory.
Out with the old, in with the new. If your company is stuck in yesterday's world, it's likely that the easiest way to give it a quick fix is to replace the office furniture. Office furniture is constantly being improved, and the desks and chairs you used ten years ago won't cut it today. The good news is that today's contemporary office furniture is often smaller and lighter than that of generations past. For example, desks no longer need huge surface areas for large computer monitors, but can be replaced with moveable arm systems that allow an employee to move the monitor in and out, and up and down. Today's work world is all about choice and customization. Make sure these are the things you are giving your new employees.
Focus on creative, fun spaces. Work isn't supposed to be fun, right? Wrong! Today's best and brightest workers want to work for companies that promote a fun working environment. This doesn't mean you have to begin implementing Friday happy hour parties in your office, but it does mean that your traditional design features need to be rethought. For example, rather than filling the office board room with a large, antique wood table, you'll be better off with contemporary and sleek modular tables that workers can move and mold to their individual task. Similarly, get rid of that wallpaper that's been hanging for decades and give your office a new paint job with accent walls that inspire creativity (think blue tones for calming effects and reds for action).
Be open to new ideas. While you should certainly open your mind to renovation and remodeling ideas that your employees might offer, you should also consider integrating "openness" into your entire design scheme. Rather than closing workers off from one another with drab cubicles, consider creating open areas where collaboration can take place. While you don't want the office to feel like a zoo, you should encourage your young employees to socialize and work together on tasks. These new workers are accustomed to working in teams, and closing them off from their co-workers right away will stifle not only their creativity, but, also your company's productivity. Even though they'll enjoy an open office environment, be sure to create plenty of closed office spaces where workers can also "get away" to work alone when needed.
If you're not completely sure that you're ready to remodel your office to fit the needs of young workers, consider this: Your clients are getting younger as well. When those new faces step foot in your door, I guarantee that they won't be impressed by the antique grandfather clock that sits perched in the board room corner. Instead, wow them with a look and feel that honors diversity, creativity, and openness.
I've lived in 17 different cities across the U.S (and Belize) and currently call the Midwest home. I have a keen eye for interior design and focus specifically on http://www.spaceinc.net/what-we-do.html. I hope you enjoy reading my articles and I welcome your feedback!
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