Anyone who deals with the topic of the office of the future will quickly come across all sorts of innovations. Promoted creativity in the hammock, focused work thanks to a desk/desk combination and lounge levels as relaxation areas. But how revolutionary are the developments mentioned and other developments really and how do they change the way we work and work in large and small companies?
The office of the future – no longer a strict workplace
Beats by Dre Headquarters in Culver City, west of LA – Design by Bestor Architecture
Who used to be inworked in an office, was used to sitting at his desk focused and more or less productive at certain times and dealing with his incoming tasks. In between, a few coffees, maybe a cigarette break and the long-awaited lunch break and the end of the day.
In the office of the future, however, daily work will look significantly different. The focus is not on the strict workflow and strict rules, but rather on effectiveness, work-life balance and thatcreative and developed thinking.
Coca-Cola's headquarters in London - design by the English studio MoreySmith
But how do companies like Apple, Adidas, Microsoft and Co. support their employees and create their own “offices of the future”? Quite simply – with plenty of scope. In many companies there is
- no fixed working hours
- no permanent jobs
- Creative spaces
- Lounge corners
- Playroom
- flexible home office options
and much more. This not only makes employees happier, but also more productive. HimselfStudies already show thisDepending on your personality, “working more freely” has a very positive effect on your own productivity, but can also mean significant cost savings for the company. TheAdidas company lets their employeesFor example, put all your utensils in a locker in the evening so that you can look for a new place to work the next morning.
But it's not just working hours and work spaces that play a major role in effective office design, but also the general workplaces.
Unimaginative workplaces vs. innovations of the future
Standing in a normal officePlants on the windowsill, the fan makes its rounds and in open-plan offices there are tables upon tables where employees go about their work on the same office chairs. But the market now has much more to offer than monotonous office furniture.
It's not just abouteven more ergonomic chairsor tables that can be raised if necessary to make it possible to work while standing. This is already standard practice in many offices.
Desk-chair combination from Altwork
Instead, we are talking about a multifunctional workstation that represents more than just one function. A perfect example of such a station is the desk and chair combination from Altwork.
The company takes the position that an employee should be free to choose the position in which they want to work.
– Sitting
– Lying down
– Standing
Yes, lying down. The Altwork station offers a mode in which the desk can be used while sitting. Alternatively, it is possible to work standing up or move the device and the chair into a lying position.
Worth knowing:Three functions are not all that the Altwork desk has to offer. A neck and lumbar support, a support for the feet and a backrest angle are also included in the equipment, which is intended to offer an ergonomically perfect experience.
The desk-reclining-standing desk design will not be released until 2016. Until then, primarily ergonomic office chairs will be availablefrom the desk chair shopand tables with standing functions dominate the market. Added to this is the fact that the sit-stand-recline combination from Altwork will cost more than 5,000 euros and will certainly not be the first choice in companies when it comes to equipping their offices.
But in general it will take a while before small and medium-sized companies rely on new products. It is important that attention is paid to the ergonomic and therefore health-promoting posture of one's own employees. This has a positive effect on their feelings, but also on their work performance and, last but not least, on the company's profits.
What to look for in an office chair
Anyone who is already faced with the decision to purchase a sensible but ergonomic office chair should pay attention to a few well-known purchasing criteria. These include:
| criterion | Description |
| Marke | The brand alone does not determine quality, but you should not rely on the cheapest production from distant countries either. |
| Model | It doesn't always have to be the latest model in a chair series. The previous model also often offers a number of useful and convenient functions and is available for a lower price. |
| Preis | A high price does not mean that it is the best office chair. A really good office chair doesn't necessarily have to be expensive, but with a higher price you usually get a variety of functions that in turn have a positive effect on comfort. |
| mechanics | You can choose from synchronous mechanics, rocker mechanics, asynchronous mechanics and permanent mechanics for office chairs. |
| Relation | When it comes to covers, you usually choose cotton, microfiber, leather, mesh or Softex. The material should ideally be flexible and breathable, but should not require too intensive care. |
| pad | Do you prefer to sit firmly or softly? This is exactly the decision you have to make when choosing an office chair. If you are light, soft upholstery is usually more suitable - heavier people, on the other hand, prefer harder upholstery for their office chair. |
| Settings | Pay attention to the possible settings that actively affect comfort. It is important that the seat can be adjusted, and optionally the armrests too. If the backrest can also be adjusted, even better adjustment is possible. There are some models where additional settings (for example lumbar support) are possible. |
| Support | Different types of supports are useful for better ergonomics. The head and neck support, for example, is very valuable and should also be able to be adjusted in height. |
When buying an office chair, pay attention to the different settings, the cover, the right upholstery and make sure that it is made of high-quality and durable material.
Office chairs are an important element in an office
So you are for yourpersonal office of the futurealready a little better equipped to at least optimally cover the ergonomic area of future working methods. We still have to be patient for real innovations in the office chair and desk industry, but companies like Altwork and Co. are on the rise to drastically change the current perception of work.
The goal is to use feel-good mechanisms and offers to improve and simplify daily work and to balance effectiveness and health - and not at the expense of employees and work-life balance.
Image sources:
PlusONE – 180915590 / Shutterstock.com
Monkey Business Images – 275800256 / Shutterstock.com
LBCHM – 251827306 / Shutterstock.com
