FSL Group In Furniture

Furniture solutions to transform your workspace into an agile environment

This is Get Living in Stratford

Specifically, this is their new marketing suite at East Village.

Our design saw us appointed from a three way pitch to deliver this amazing space in the heart of the Get Living East Village. Inspired by the surrounding space and the very values of the village, this is what Get Living have to say:

Space to play. Space to train. Space to dream. This is not the London living you know. With 25 acres of parks and wetlands, East Village is a place to breathe the air and get active. Even our gigs and gatherings take place outdoors. Inspired by the amazing facilities of London 2012 on our doorstep, and by the legacy that lives on in every building, life at East Village is on a bigger scale.

An amazing showcase

With it’s own set of challenges

From the high ceilings to the delay in raw materials and everything between, this project is testament to the resourcefulness of our onsite teams, our subcontractors and adaptable designers to deliver a space that boasts a meeting room filled with natural daylight, a private meeting pod set amongst plants from above and below, the apex lounge with furniture from our friends at Orangebox, Allermuir, Frovi and Rawside.

The main feature comes in the ford of a bespoke designed (by our team) Clarke Rendall reception and coffee bar, finished in Chromix Egger and topped with a glorious single piece Corian surface.

FSL Group In Events, Interiors, Trends

We have achieved our ISO 45001 certification

& it is a huge benefit to all of current and present customers & staff.

Benefits of using ISO 45001

An ISO 45001 based OH&S management system will enable an organisation to improve its OH&S performance by:

Developing and implementing an OH&S policy and OH&S objectives

Establishing systematic processes which consider its “context” and which take into account its risks and opportunities, and its legal and other requirements

Determining the hazards and OH&S risks associated with its activities; seeking to eliminate them, or putting in controls to minimize their potential effects

Establishing operational controls to manage its OH&S risks and its legal and other requirements

Increasing awareness of its OH&S risks

Evaluating its OH&S performance and seeking to improve it, through taking appropriate actions

Ensuring workers take an active role in OH&S matters
In combination, these measures will ensure that an organisation’s reputation as a safe place to work will be promoted, and can have more direct benefits, such as:

Improving its ability to respond to regulatory compliance issues

Reducing the overall costs of incidents

Reducing downtime and the costs of disruption to operations

Reducing the cost of insurance premiums

Reducing absenteeism and employee turnover rates

Recognition for having achieved an international benchmark (which may in turn influence customers who are concerned about their social responsibilities)

Get in touch

We can help realise what’s next

Contact your workplace experts now

FSL Group In Design, Trends

The return of the workplace: cultivating a new normal safely

Read about the considerations you need to make in the workplace for a happy, healthy and adapted professional environment.

Within a matter of months, the world changed…

The workplace as we know it, was no more.

Going to work was cancelled, and instead, it was replaced with pyjama video conferences, too many FaceTimes with nana and not quite enough 9am Instagram PE sessions to keep off those corona stones.

Can you even remember what the workplace was like before the pandemic?

As an employer, the chances are you have done nothing but think about not only how your workspace is, but how it is going to be in a post-pandemic world?

How can you ensure that staff are kept safe even with the new 1m distance rule?

How can you reassure employees and keep them feeling comfortable and able to do their jobs well?

Nothing yet, is certain. However, there are some key considerations you can make as an employer to be well prepared. Think about the following points to prepare your workplace and your staff as much as possible during such an uncertain time…

Reach out

How Are Your Team Doing?

You need to understand what your team’s feelings, expectations and experiences are. What have they been through during lockdown? What are their individual concerns? What vulnerabilities or challenges do specific employees have?

Setting up a way for your team to openly communicate with you is important. This could be done through 1-2-1 video calls or phone calls, or with a digital survey, depending on your preferences.

You may also wish to allow anonymous questions or concerns to be posed, so that staff aren’t worried about being penalised for voicing their worries.

Moving forward your staff need to be able to express their concerns freely. HSE and Citizens Advice have reported huge surges in enquiries about safe working practises from staff returning to work recently.

“At the core of healthy team relationships is trust and respect.” – Jim Highsmith

Staff should feel comfortable at work. For that to happen you have to first properly communicate how things in your workspace work now and maintain those rules across the board. Then, allow staff to continue to let you know if they have any concerns or worries.

Your work environment has to be safe to bring employees back into it

How are you going to overcome the practical challenges of hygiene and social distancing?

There is no getting away from your responsibility as an employer to ensure your staff can return to work safely.

You’ll want to assess how to:

Contact your building landlord about the shared responsibility of the buildings communal areas and ensuring they are suitable for use
Enable 1m social distancing within the workplace with options like: split rotas, lower maximum attendance capacities, physical barriers and single/ spaced desks
Implement remote working across the board where possible for workload and completion flexibility
Communicate how employees interact with the work environment with the changes using signage, helpful tools and equipment
Provide adequate hygiene facilities whilst enabling social distancing
Ensure any shared facilities like the kitchen comply with social distancing rules
Shut down any areas that cannot be deemed safe at this time

You can also find a lot of industry specific safety guidance from the government here.

There’s plenty of people to help

It may seem like a lot to get right, but it’s absolutely doable.

There are so many innovative solutions to ensure your office adapts to the necessary changes. If you are unsure, there are companies who can help you.

Office construction experts with agile expertise are able to work around any challenge, they have been doing that for years already.

Each and every company is unique in their needs, and the coronavirus is just another new challenge to boost innovation within the world of agile working. Don’t underestimate the options available to you, and the many new products available to help make it work, and work well.

Even more importantly, using agile methods applied with the right expertise and ingenuity will ensure that your office is able to continue to adapt and remain flexible for the foreseeable future.

When will we return to normal?

There is no returning to normal

Instead a continued need to be consistently problem solving well. Times will remain changeable. The smartest companies will provide a safe workplace for staff whilst remaining forward-thinking at all times, ready to adjust accordingly at every new hurdle.

“Intelligence is the ability to adapt to change.” – Stephen Hawking

You have your people. As long as they remain at the heart of what you do, you’re golden. You have to adjust, you have to change, but the core of your business will grow because of this. Your post-epidemic business will strengthen.

Get in touch

We can help realise what’s next

Contact your workplace experts now

FSL Group In Design, Interiors, Project, Trends

The importance of office branding

Find out why branding matters, especially when it comes to your office and how you inspire your staff.

Let us begin…

Branding means marketing your company using a wide variety of practises such as logos, colour schemes, symbols and tone of voice to differentiate your business from others.

Branding is important because it enables your brand to be remembered by all who interact with it in some way. It also tells the story of who your business is, what you stand for and what you offer. Good branding helps you standout from competitors, ensuring you are perceived in the way you truly want to be.

One area that many businesses miss the mark with when it comes to branding, is in their office decor. The focus of brand strength goes outwards, and the powerhouse where the ideas and inspiration, creativity and growth begin, is forgotten.

It’s not just for the “big boys”

Branding is about culture & connectivity

Anybody who has been to the Google or Facebook offices knows that there is a strong brand presence throughout, from the colour schemes and activity based working areas, to the culture of providing free food and drinks to staff.

There is huge attention to detail and that is what makes the leading brands stand out. These companies understand exactly how important the office decor is to those working in that environment, and those visiting that environment to potentially do big business.

Take a look around. Is your office currently somewhere positively oozing with your brand? Do you feel inspired when you walk around your building? Do you know for sure that any employee or potential client walking in instantly gets a strong overview of your company values without having to do anything but look around?

Find out why branding matters, especially when it comes to your office and how you inspire your staff.

Your Office Shouldn’t Just be Where You Are, But Who You Are

In the office you expect big ideas to be born.

You expect amazing business deals to be made. You expect staff to work hard and feel inspired by the company. They won’t get that from a few pot plants and some nice furniture to sit on. A branded work environment is a great way to create a visual representation of who you are so that anyone who walks through those doors gets a complete picture of your business.

Your office is more than a place, it is a helm and a hotbed of exciting ideas and growth. Show your imagination and aspirations for the future of the brand with all aspects of the office, from scent to sound, visuals to verbal – attention to detail in office decor will only reflect what matters to the business.

Office Branding Matters To Employees

These days, more than 1.54 million people work remotely from home.

Candidates no longer need to be local and can essentially be anywhere on the globe. That is fantastic for you looking for the best talent in the industry, but it also means more competition for your business as the best candidates can work for anyone they want to across the globe.

To be a more attractive prospect you can’t simply offer more money these days. Statistics tell us that the top priority for potential employees is career development and learning. The second priority though, is the organisation culture and work environment. To inspire the best talent to work for you, a fantastic branded environment to work in is a really great starting point.

Brand Consistency Should Begin In Your Office

Nearly 100% of consumers search for local businesses online, so it makes sense that increasing online presence is a priority for most companies.

However, that doesn’t mean that the physical space your company works in should be ignored. Your brand image and tone should be reflected in your office design. A workspace consultant can work with your business to creatively and effectively incorporate all aspects of your brand into your office space. It shouldn’t simply be a visual makeover, but rather, a refit that encompasses the past, present and future of the brand, nurturing the kind of culture and environment you truly feel reflects your brand and its values.

Inspiring Your Workforce To Drive The Brand Forward

At the very least, a comfortable and healthy work environment is important for employees.

A recent study told us that a massive 87% of workers would like a healthier workspace, including ergonomic seating. Employee productivity and creativity can also be deeply enhanced by an inspiring environment. You can find out more in this interesting article by Harvard Business, which looks in detail at the affect of a working environment on an employee. Data they look at, amongst many interesting finds, suggests that rather than reducing square footage that is wasted, companies are better off reworking the space. Creating an inspirational branded workspace will provide a strong base for employees to drive your brand forward.

“How do you change the world? Bring people together. Where is the easiest big place to bring people together? In the work environment.”

Adam Neumann

Branding in the work environment is an essential factor to consider when you plan your next office-refit. Speak to a workplace consultant who knows how to make your office decor truly represent your business in the way that it works, and looks. With an educated and experienced insight, the right office branding can enhance brand consistency, employee creativity and business growth.

Let us help you rebrand your space

We can design & deliver your interior branding needs

Contact your workplace experts now

FSL Group In Design, Trends

What does the office return look like?

A safe return to the office is on the forefront of everyone’s mind.

We are here to help offer advice and support to return your staff to the office safely.

After a global disruption that we have all experienced there is a need for a clear and decisive strategy for business leaders to begin to return staff back to the office, assuring them they are safe & their health & wellbeing is a priority in the office environment.

Our approach will look at the return transition from a practical, physical, mental, social & an emotional point of view. Here are some tips that form the basis for the support we are providing businesses to get return ready.

Consider the working space you have.

Re-space plan your office & establish flexible working:

Remote work options
Alternate shifts of A/B team schedules
Phase employees’ return to work in stages

Clearly document flexible space usage:

Assign seats and storage for individuals
Dedicate meeting spaces and neighbourhoods for teams

Other areas within your space.

Change how meeting rooms work:

Consider repurposing meeting rooms to desk space
Reduce meeting participants
Utilise technology more

Use technology:

Meetings can still have the right number of participants, you may just need to video conference two rooms at once
Ensure touch panels are regularly cleaned

Moving around your space.

Getting from A to B:

Enforce a one-way system where possible
Stay to the left in corridors and between desks
Stay alert – don’t walk whilst on your phone

One at a time:

Toilets should be used on a one in one out regime
Tea points should be used one at a time
Make your own food and drink

Homeworking is now more part of the office environment

Stay connected with your staff:

Provide more opportunities to collaborate through Skype for Business or Microsoft Teams
Introduce space for VC opportunities
Mobile screens to bring staff into the space
Morning scrums are now essential to not lose touch
Face to face time isn’t just for shop talk, emotional connectivity is more important when remote

Here's a home working tip sheet

Enhance what you have.

Furniture Solutions & technology:

Perspex screens for desks
Disposable desk mats
Power poles for working away from desks
Moveable space dividers
Mobile vc units to connect homeworkers
Floor standing screens for changing space usage
Mobile units to keep a distance whilst collaborating

Health & cleanliness.

Direct staff safety & support:

Supply your staff with disposable face masks
Screen staff temperatures upon arrival
Supply hand sanitiser stations

Promote good habits:

Implement daily cleaning & sterilisation protocols
Post visible reminders to wash hands
Supply hand sanitiser and disinfectant wipes
Provide personal mugs, water bottles and dishwashers with Sani-wash cycles

Support from our print partners

Reminders & guidance:

Hand sanitiser guidance
Social distancing reminders
Company policies
Support pamphlets

Wayfinding:

Taping out floors showing 2m spaces
Countertop sneeze guards for reception and cafes
Vinyl floor stickers for waiting points
Roll up banners
Mirror stickers

Furniture related:

Disposable desk mats

Download our hand wash sheet sample

Wellbeing.

Planning office layouts & changes:

Maximise daylight & exterior views where possible
Keep fresh air flowing
Specify fabric and finishes with antimicrobial properties

Add touchless tech & future furniture:

Doors, lighting, elevators, security systems
Audio/visual equipment
Height-adjustable tables, task lights

Let us help you get return ready

We can prepare specific guidance relevant to your needs

Contact your workplace experts now

FSL Group In Design, Events, Furniture, Interiors, Trends

The big come back: forward thinking offices are about to change forever

Read about the likely changes we will see in offices following the majority of the workforce working from home.

Covid 19 (if you haven’t heard of it by now…) has now forced the majority of the UK workforce to work from home, if they can.

Interestingly, before we were hit with this crazy pandemic, things were kind of going that way anyway. Statistics show that there has been a 74% jump in the amount of people working from their own home between 2008 and 2018. Entrepreneurs and startups are increasingly based online, and therefore, are growing at home and in coffee shops across the country. Then there’s the flexible workers, the remote workers, freelancers. Businesses are recognising that a worker doesn’t have to be present in the office, to provide the best results.

Regardless of how long you have been working from home, the fact is that as soon as those offices open again for business, things are going to be different. Or at least, they should be. They kind of have to be, actually. When we return to our offices, we will have been working from home for quite some time. Expectations will be different all round. Agile working practises are certainly a way to embrace this new desire for change.

Let’s take a closer look at the changes that happen when you work from home, and how that can be reflected in an agile office environment:

Technology is king

The latest technology makes working so much easier than ever before.

You can conference call, have a team meeting on a messaging app or virtual-meeting software. You can use social media to meet and organise meetings.

There are project management apps for milestones and messaging, calendars and shared information. Collaboration at home is so easy.

This can all be reflected in the office, with additions made to allow face to face meetings if that works the best. Inviting breakout areas, meeting zones or brainstorming zones work well. Glass walls and partitions can help connect people whilst zoning the space.

Technology connects you in more ways than ever before.

Autonomy to some degree

Working from home you are able to work where and how you know best.

People are a bit bored of neutrality and Scandi-minimalism, and that fatigue is reflected in the bright and popping office colour palette of 2020.

In an agile workplace, you can follow your instincts with this too, if the facilities and flexibility are there for you to do that. Agile working means being given everything you need to get the work done, including the freedom to work in the way you feel works best.

Health & wellbeing

Our homes are a space we have cultivated to suit our physical and emotional needs.

The window seat with blankets and books for those times your brain needs a break. The spa bathroom with a waterfall shower to pummel aching muscles. The snazzy coffee machine in the kitchen because you don’t form words until you’ve had that first cup of the good stuff in the morning.

You’ve been in that snuggly, warm womb of a workspace for the entire time isolation lasts. Only to go back to an office where none of those needs are met. A recipe for disaster? Too right. Agile offices need to start providing facilities for their employees that boost their health. From plants to beanbags, free fresh fruit and helpful events, employees need to feel supported in work in the same way they feel supported at home.

Commuting will always be rubbish

Commutes are one of the greatest bugbears of office workers.

Aren’t they hideous? They can take hours of sweaty, crammed public transport. Or if you’re lucky, hours stuck in traffic in your car.

Working from home removes that commute which can mean you’re gifted with extra time at home. More time to spend with your family, more time to enjoy your life. On your return to work, having to deal with the commute again is going to be awful. An agile office might offer various ways to overcome that commute angst, such as:

● Enabling you to work different hours, at least sometimes, means you get to avoid rush hour
● Remote working means you don’t have to commute at all on the days you can work from home
● How about work has cycles for use whenever you want to enjoy an eco-friendly ride to work?
● How about car-sharing for a commute that’s more fun?

Keep the good

Flexibility, hold on to it.

The virus has forced businesses to be imaginative, creative and adaptable when it comes to working around change. It’s forced everybody to be more fluid in how, where and why they work at any one time.

This fluidity is an essential part of an agile office and it should be treasured. It means problem solving creatively, and having the tools, the gusto and the skills to solve those problems quickly.

Workers and employers can take this amazing flexibility learnt and utilised throughout this crisis, and apply it to future operations and processes.

“Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is not to stop questioning.”

Albert Einstein

The above are just some examples of ways in which working from home has paved the way for a new world in the office. Expectations are different now, and companies will be expected to have an agile working environment, in some respects at least.

The time for office transformations is now. And now is the time to start asking yourself, how will your workplace change for the better when you return?

Get in touch with the office refurbishment experts

Get return ready with us

FSL Group In Design, Furniture, Interiors, Project

Key components of a well-designed office

You need to know about these key components of an innovative office fit-out to guarantee a design that truly works for your business needs.

An office fit-out is both an exciting and stressful event to organise. There’s a lot to think about, first and foremost ensuring that the results are ultimately worth the budget spent, and worth any disruption to day to day business.

Choosing the right company to design and fit the new office can make the process much easier. A forward-thinking business will make the process extremely convenient and most importantly, they will collaborate with you to ensure that the most important aspects of the fit-out are fulfilled. To get a head start on exactly what your workspace consultant will focus on, take a look at the key components of a transformative office fit-out:

Activity based working

Agile is a forward-thinking way to work. 70% of studies suggest there is a positive effect on productivity and workplace performance with ABW compared to standard office layouts.

Any forward-thinking workspace consultant has their eye on activity based working styles, because they offer the opportunity for businesses to enjoy a more dynamic and effective working environment. The basic principle is that any employee does not have their own desk, but rather the office has various innovative workspaces for any employee to use depending on how and where they want to work. Each employee has total autonomy over finding the best workspace for their task whether it is collaborative or independent.

Workplace wellbeing

A healthy workplace supports the physical, mental and social well being of the staff who work within it.

Work related stress and mental illnesses now account for over half of lost working days in the UK. Work related musko-skeletal disorders are also a huge problem, with over 35% of all work related illnesses being MRMSD and 24% of work related absences being because of MRMSD. So on a practical level, there’s a huge reason for any business to place emphasis on the workspace they provide being a healthy one for employees. In addition, any brand who truly appreciates their employees wants to ensure they are providing the most emotionally and socially nutritious environment possible for each and every member of staff. Supporting that environment with furniture that is ergonomic in design, carefully designed lighting and sound-proofing ensures that employee physical health is also supported.

Embracing technology

An advanced office is a modern space that is utilising all possible technologies to enhance current working practises and possibilities.

Cable management, communication rooms, supported networking systems, cloud and audio-visual systems and more, can free up employees to work more efficiently and productively. In addition, technology can actively enhance communication and employee humanity. Take a look at this interesting Forbes article about how technology can transform workspace humanity for a deeper insight into how tech can facilitate a better workspace for employees.

Bringing the outside in

Plants in office decor have been in style for quite a while.

Outdoors inside decor stems from a greater eco-consciousness and health consciousness across the board, as style and decoration reflects societies greater awareness of the deepest human and environmental needs. In many basic re-fits, this addition of decorative plants is often highly simplistic and treats plants like ornaments. Whilst plants are aesthetically pleasing, it is a deeper connection to health and nature that is recognised by savvy workspace consultants who understand the true benefits of using plants in workspace design.

Did you know some of the key benefits of using plants in workspace design are: Plants naturally clean VOCs and other indoor air pollutants, Seeing ‘nature’ in some shape or form is known to make humans happier & just one plant in the office can reduce stress in the workplace by up to 60%.

Plants and living office design features are an intelligent addition to an agile fit-out.

Lighting, acoustics & functional furniture

Lighting is transformative in decor, and it is no different with office decor.

The look, feel and practical use of a space can be totally transformed with the right lighting. The acoustics of a space can also transform its feel and use, particularly if noise pollution is an issue and a noise reduction could enhance the quality of that particular area.

Furniture should always be beautiful and fit in with the visual theme of the business and branding. It can be easy to think that to have ergonomic, functional furniture, you have to sacrifice the looks. This isn’t the case. The most experienced workspace consultants will be able to source exactly the kind of furniture that your business needs to suit both aesthetic and functional requirements. There really is no compromise with agile office design.

Talking spaces

Talking spaces are spaces that say everything you want them to say about your brand to ensure that employees are able to live and breathe your business mission statement, values and visions each and every day.

Talking spaces spark conversation and thoughts, creativity and inspiration with employees and any visiting clients, who can see exactly what you’re about without having to ask a single question.

“An approach to getting work done with maximum flexibility and minimum constraints.” – Unilever

The above key components of a truly innovative office design should be at the forefront of any truly forward-thinking office fit-out company. By investing in an agile office that is beautiful, inspiring and functional, you’re investing in a more productive, happy and healthy future for your business.

Get in touch with the office fit-out experts

Have a project in mind?

FSL Group In Events

To our clients, partners, staff, friends & family

Our goal, collectively is to keep ourselves safe from the COVID-19 virus as well as maintaining our mental health and protecting the resources of the NHS in the UK and health services across the Globe.

Be assured all FSL businesses remain open & are fully operational with our teams successfully working from home; communicating & collaborating with all the tools that are part of our digital infrastructure. We are embracing this challenge whilst maintaining the highest possible safety practices. Keep safe and healthy and look after each other.

Home working

It’s about discipline & mental health

There are lots tools online that are being shared about how best to master working from home. Making sure you have a routine, you are strict with physical and mental boundaries etc, etc. Here at FSL we are actively encouraging our teams and individuals to adapt to their changing environment.

We are using a number of tools to make sure no one team member feels isolated or out of the loop. Regular scrums are taking place every day with regular catch ups throughout the day.

As a business there is no pressure on our staff, we are all individually facing our own way of handling this historic Global event.

Embracing technology

Staying connected with our co-workers, clients and business infrastructure

Where would be without Microsoft Teams? The FSL’ers are staying connected internally with Teams video chat, keeping our projects on target with Planner and continuing with client meetings and collaborations with Zoom. We are particular fans of the studio background we can create with a Zoom backdrop. Sadly we can’t do much with those funny faces we see each morning!

Get in touch with the office fit-out experts

Always here for a chat if you need…

FSL Group In Design, Furniture, Interiors, Project

Coming soon… Extreme E & their new London office

This is the next stage in motor racing

This is a new, radical, intense and utterly mental concept for racing, and it’s coming soon

Extreme E is a competitive platform for accelerating the development of electric vehicles, to help create a low-carbon future powered by renewable energy. Extreme E are committed to supporting and partnering with organisations working to restore the degraded environments in which they race, the precious ecosystems within them and the people who live there.

Above all, Extreme E hope to raise awareness and inspire action to encourage every individual to come together and play their part to safeguard the future of the Earth and all its inhabitants.

An amazing basecamp

Based in Central London

Immediately adjacent to the London offices of Formula E, the stunning new Extreme E offices are themed to perfection. The new space has a host of features that include unique lighting, rope walls, on brand (colour wise) sprinkler systems, container style meeting rooms and even a DJ booth.

A true visionary

Meet the founder of Extreme E

Alejandro Agag is a businessman, entrepreneur and visionary. Founder & CEO of Formula E – the electric street racing series – Agag has a knack for seeing what’s on the horizon and getting on board, and this time it’s RMS St. Helena and Extreme E.

Agag was born in Madrid and enjoyed an international upbringing in Paris and across the pond in New York – gaining fluency in English, Spanish, French and Italian.

Five key office fit-out trends to expect in 2020

Find out the five key 2020 office trends to get ready for the exciting year ahead.

Towards the end of the year, businesses often reflect, and then look ahead at what can be achieved in the upcoming 365 days of brand-new exciting opportunities.

Part of forecasting your business potential involves your working environment and understanding how it can be improved in regard to productivity, employee health and company culture. To inspire you, take a look at the five key office trends of 2020:

Number one

Fashion – cafe culture lands in the workplace

A true fashion trend to look out for in offices in 2020 is the reflection of coffee culture within the working space. The value of the coffee industry is over 17 billion, and 80% of those who enjoy coffee shops visit them at least once a week, with 16% visiting once a day.

Coffee has always had a place in the office but, in 2020, the coffee culture sweeping the UK will find its way into the workplace too. At the very least, employees expect better quality coffee than the watery offerings of an old dispenser, or the chalky granules of a cheap instant. At the most, mini coffee chain outlets are working their way into buildings, and in some instances, artisan coffee stations and even coffee shop working spaces will not be surprising additions to see in 2020 professional buildings.

Number two

Colour – bye bye neutral hello brights

People are a bit bored of neutrality and Scandi-minimalism, and that fatigue is reflected in the bright and popping office colour palette of 2020.

You can see that change straight away in the highly textured colourful fabrics being used in office soft furnishings and upholstery. Patterns and tones are playful and exciting, with mint, creamy blues, ambers and peachy pinks all making a strong appearance. Coral is also making a strong comeback for braver designers.

Natural tones provided by living plants comes with the continued wave of biophilia popularity. The trend is less plant walls and more dangling hanging plants like string of hearts and string of pearls suspended from the ceiling or on shelves. This natural trend extends further into patterns to be seen in the more playful office, such as exotic leaf prints.

Image Sii Offices – Nantes

Number three

Furniture – 2020 looks soft & sustainable

Geometric shapes and patterns have been on trend in both the home and office for quite a while, and although that trend hasn’t totally died off, in furniture, it’s been pushed aside to make space for curves. Along with more colourful upholstery, the furniture will have softer lines and curved accents. This plays nicely into the fluidity and flow naturally provided by agile working spaces taking centre stage next year.

When it comes to the build of office furniture, sustainability is at the forefront of priorities for both businesses and manufacturers. Businesses want eco-credentials to let customers know that they care about the environment. 88% of consumers want you to help them make a difference, which is why they want to support brands who are ‘doing their bit’.

Sustainable design is key in 2020 and it can mean including less non-recyclable materials being used in fit-outs, more sustainable materials being used such as cork flooring, as well as talking spaces presenting a greener brand overall. So, instead of a natural veneer, furniture and office materials will have deeper green kudos and build.

Image of Radiology Partners Offices – El Segundo

Number four

Ways of working – collaboration is key

Conscious co-working is another way to describe agile workspaces, or activity based working and it is going to be seen everywhere in 2020. Co-working involves well-designed zones and areas that encourage collaboration and teamwork, as well as focus areas and solo working spaces. You can also expect designated desks to be out, and instead, a wide variety of seated and standing options to use how and when you want to depending on the work that needs doing.

Companies will also make the most out of outdoor spaces, recognising the regenerative benefits of being outdoors and having access to a natural space. Did you know that science confirms that creativity can be directly improved by access to the outdoors? Office design consultants will increasingly see requests made for hardwearing outdoor furniture and outdoor spaces that can work for business use all year round.

Image from coworker.com

Number 5

Technology – smart learning & smart buildings

There will be a sharp rise in remote and flexible working in 2020. Technology like laptops, global servers, video calls and teamwork apps all provide the ability for company employees to work together, from anywhere in the world. Offices are likely to have video-call and digital conference capabilities built-in to meeting areas. As it stands, around 70% of the global workforce work remotely at least once a week and realistically, that means the competition for the best employee talent is higher than ever. Integrated online learning systems are likely to rise in popularity as employees expect to grow within their role, otherwise, they can easily seek new work remotely.

Smart buildings are also set to take offices by storm as AI takes centre stage. Sensors and integrated technologies will help with energy management, security, space use optimization, wellbeing, collaboration, productivity, ergonomics and more. There’s some clever tech on the way to forward thinking businesses in 2020.

In summary

How will your office work in 2020?

As this year draws to a close and your thoughts drift towards your 2020 office design, it makes sense to recognise all the ways your business can benefit from the exciting design innovation on its way. Could your company benefit from biophilia? How about some beautiful textured bright fabrics or tropical patterned walls? Do you need to be more agile? There’s a lot to think about. If you’d like some expert help, consider getting in touch with an experienced office design consultant who will be able to design and re-fit your office based on your specific business needs. It could be exactly what your company needs to achieve better productivity, creativity and wellness in 2020.