You have probably seen the offices of top tech companies not in tech magazines but architecture digests. They have been designed with new concepts and work practices in mind, and quite frankly, it’s sometimes hard to see them still as offices. How can one do any work in the same place a giant slide is located?
Even offices in Adelaide are mirroring this international trend of looking less like a workplace and more like a fun place for socialization. You might even think that they are like hotel lobbies, where people come and go but are generally in a good mood when they do. Here’s why.
Trendy Companies Are Making an Effort
Forget about cramped cubicles for each employee. These days, the trend is to find a bigger space to house your business or redesign the whole area to make room for fun (but not essential) additions such as skates, bikes, and hoverboards. You would, of course, need office removalists to pack away everything before you renovate or move to a bigger space, but even your chosen removalists will already be aware of trends and will be able to complete your move in less than two months. It’s plenty of time for you to move into a fully-functioning office space and resume operations, only this time you have an office that unleashes the child in you in all the fun ways.
Lines Are Blurred
Gone are the days of employees being called into the C-suite offices. Now, your supervisor or the CEO might be one table away, and no one thinks this is strange. Younger companies are implementing a startup approach when it comes to bridging the gap. The fact that younger people may also hold managerial positions help cement the idea that open door–or no door at all–policies should be the new norm. With the accessibility of people in powerful positions, the office climate is expected to be less formal, which goes well with the office redesign to be more fun and collaborative.
Offices Are More Than Just Workspaces
If you think offices have become more social, you are right. They are not just a place where you clock in at the start of your shift and clock out at the end of the day. Look at the bigger picture if you care for the wellbeing of your employees. The office is where they spend most of their waking hours. Humans need to socialize, but because they have work to do, their social engagements take a backseat. That is unless the office leaves room for these opportunities. Offices that plan outings for everyone or have events that celebrate employees know that this helps keep the engagement of employees high. If they are with the people they are comfortable with, they will not feel isolated, and they might even be in a good mood when they report for work.
One could argue that the work-life balance means work should be strictly for work. Still, while employees are at the office, it would be nice to see them interact in a more relaxed manner.
