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Sometimes it takes the world a century to catch up with a visionary idea. (Hello, Frank Lloyd Wright.) Other times, big changes happen fast because the times demand it. Like every industry, the evolution of office environments is punctuated by pervasive trends and lessons learned—some that last, others that lose their luster. But among these reversals and refinements, patterns begin to emerge—a convergence of collaboration, comfort and making work more meaningful.
For 75 years, HON has been a part of this story, creating on-trend workspaces that are welcoming for employees and clients alike through thoughtful and affordable furnishings. In fact, HON’s own evolution from kitchen cabinets to inviting workspaces was sparked by a recipe card box! Made from recycled steel, it proved so popular at an office supply trade show that the company pivoted to new products—a move that transformed the brand.
At a glance, the modern office bears little resemblance to those that preceded it. But look closer and you’ll find decades of influences adapted to meet the demands and pace of the contemporary workplace. Here are seven lessons we’ve taken away from various eras of office design and configuration.
Not unlike the layout of factory floors, rows of desks were once lined up like industrial workspaces flanked by private offices of varying sizes that paralleled the professional status of the occupant— a corporate standard for most of the 1950s and 1960s. Lack of privacy and office politics eventually undermined such floor plans, but even the most egalitarian employers still favor offices with doors and walls that extend to the ceiling for client engagements and sensitive discussions. Those early office managers couldn’t have imagined the dynamic mix of working pods, third spaces, collaboration zones and private workstations of many large office environments of today.
Featured Products: Accelerate®, Ignition®, Voi®
Desires for greater privacy and easier attention to tasks ushered in the age of the cubicle, and entire office environments were built around them. Though the advent of fabric-covered dividers is no longer new, their influence is evident in the vertical workspaces that abound in even the most innovative workspaces. From dry-erase walls to magnetic panels and low-tech tack boards, the ability to visually illustrate interrelated ideas and connect complex workflows remains tactile and is no longer bound by desks and databases. Today, HON business furniture systems are remarkably configurable in terms of privacy, collaboration and space.
Frank Lloyd Wright was a proponent of open office layouts in the early 1900s. But it took nearly a century before organizations conceded—largely in response to the aforementioned cubicle farms. While open offices have their limitations (like distractions), creating a workspace that feels more inclusive and allows ideas to flow more freely boosted productivity enough to offset most concerns.
Featured Products: Acoustical Solutions, Workwall, Birk™, and Voi®
Among the key benefits of cubicles, and key complaints against open concepts, is ambient noise. But between the quietude of the former and occasional cacophony of the latter, deliberate design to control the audio environment has become a leading trend. From subtle and soothing white noise to architectural elements intended to enhance spaces for specific tasks—particularly the expanded use of conference calls—acoustic considerations are no longer accidental or an afterthought. In fact, modern acoustics solutions can provide function and accentuate design.
The new HON Workwall system combines tackable, sound-dampening panels and the ability to add other functional elements for personalized creative spaces that support collaboration.
Featured Products: Acoustical Solutions, Contain®, Preside®, and Cofi™
Flexibility and agility are more than just buzzwords in redefining the modern office. “Hoteling,” as the name suggests, relies on workstations and workspaces available to reserve for a designated span of time, thus decreasing the demand and expense of dedicated equipment and desks. Benching literally removes barriers by employing a similar approach, but for tasks and projects where small teams gather instead to collaborate in ways traditional conference rooms are unable to accommodate.
HON’s Preside® and Huddle table systems give organizations just the right type of space and flexibility.
Featured Product: West Hill™
Among the most likely lasting changes to post-pandemic work environments is the blended office. The sudden shift to remote workforces and staggered return to buildings that were empty for months revealed a lasting desire for flexibility. According to Statista, the number of coworkers in the U.S. has nearly doubled in the past five years, and is expected to top a million in 2022. Cues from coworking collectives long favored by freelancers and startups will become increasingly apparent across a growing range of industries, regardless of a company’s age, size or scale. Step into a coworking space, and you’ll see a lot of elements that HON specializes in, such as comfortable furniture for informal meetings, tables for collaboration and durable office chairs in vibrant contemporary colors.
With a third of our waking hours spent working, creating a setting that feels deeply comfortable has proven essential in both recruiting and retention of employees increasingly seeking better work-life balance. But it’s more than a matter of morale. Common areas with casual seating, like HON’s mix-and-match lounge and café seating, have also become impromptu and preferred locations for problem solving—not just a new version of the old water cooler. The World Economic Forum notes that the right furnishings also reinforce company culture and boost productivity. When employees are at ease, new ideas emerge, and clients are better served.
The modern office incorporates lessons from all of these trends, past and present. We see a hybrid of traditional and dynamic workforces continuing. Confidentiality still requires privacy, collaboration always requires shared space and changing expectations require flexible environments, expanded amenities and office solutions that are ready for the future of work.
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