We have spoken about sustainability and workplace design mimicking remote workspaces such as hotel lobbies or your own living room. The time has now come for dynamic flexibility.
It feels like we have seen the word flexibility painted on the walls for quite some time now. And for all the right reasons, of course. Creating alterable spaces is just smart. First of all, it opens up the possibility to fit more tasks on less surface and gives your coworkers the chance to be more creative.
It all started a few years ago...
… when dynamic spaces became popular. Dynamic spaces are pretty much what we explained above. It’s multifunctional spaces that can be transformed (at least a little bit) based on need. For example, it could involve personal flexibility in the form of adjustable desks so that you could perform tasks standing up or sitting down. Or it could be a larger form of flexibility such as desks on wheels or big green and moveable dividers so that you could change a whole room based on the need. If you work in an office now you’ll probably recognize this. It has pretty much become the new normal.
The dynamic evolution
The flexibility trend is no longer what it was though. Before, it was early adopters who practiced flexible working. Now, thanks to the covid-19 pandemic, businesses all over the world has transitioned to remote work.
The sole purpose of dynamic flexibility is to not let physical factors determine what space can be used for. It’s meant to embody agile working, which really is something that we will practice during 2021.
What is it then? Well, it’s multi-functional, lightweight, moveable and ergonomic elements that can quickly transform the space into what you need this specific moment. To paint a better picture it could mean having a room that in seconds could be transformed from a conference room to a podcast studio or quiet working area. Or why not a production spot? The only limit is imagination, if we are allowed to use a cliché.
What does it take?
Before 2020, even we were unsure of when this trend actually would become more than an influence to regular workplace design. Old habits are powerful and for some it was impossible to even think about working from home. But here we are and the possibilities are endless. This is the time to really think about your workplace design and what type workplace you want to create for your employees.
The reason behind this trend is split in two, like most other trends. We already mentioned the one about agile working. But the second one is actually financial. See, it’s about making the most of this valuable piece of real estate that you have. Having changeable environments actually gives you more possibilities for less money.
Jumping on this trend shouldn’t be done without thought though. It’s about changing your mentality – something that doesn’t happen overnight. You can’t just throw in some desks on wheels and expect something to change. This trend is human-focused instead of task-focused. Which means it entails trusting and asking your coworkers to create the space they need. That allows them to change the space based on what they’re doing. And you suddenly have an office that enables many more tasks and meets many more needs.
What we’re trying to say is these trends might be focused on design but they are more about the way we work. How do we create spaces that fulfill ours different needs? Asking questions like this is a great way to start imagine how your dynamic workplace might look like!
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