Predictions for office design trends in 2022 look as if they will dive deeper into some of the 2021 trends such as eco-friendly design and personalized routines. With hybrid and co-working spaces growing and remote work being a welcomed part of many jobs, workplace design trends are entertaining new ways to get work done in a comfortable, modern manner. The outlook of flex office design trends in 2022 is a positive one that is embracing all types of people and all types of workspaces.
Outdoor Spaces
More and more flex office spaces and commercial buildings have turned to outdoor work spaces over the course of 2021—and it doesn’t look like this trend will slow down any time soon. On top of outdoor workspaces having better air circulation, getting away from your desk to enjoy natural greenery or work alongside a gentle breeze is great for mental health and productivity. Many workspace design trends include rooftops and courtyards as additions to office spaces where workers bring their tablets or laptops and work somewhere besides their desk.
Sustainability
Going off of the discussion above, outdoor spaces often include plants, trees and other natural greenery that bring forth many benefits. If the weather doesn’t allow for outdoor office space all year long, an office design trend in 2022 will focus on bringing the outdoors inside. Plants and small trees absorb excess noise and provide natural air filtration for the office space. Eco-friendly flex spaces have been a trend before COVID-19, but now more than ever, a sustainable office life is essential for many businesses. Workplace design trends in 2022 will definitely include reducing as many environmental costs as possible when doing business.
Home Amenities
Feeling more at home during the workday is a thought moving forward into the new year for many businesses and within many flex office spaces. Creating a comfortable, productive environment for those who returned to their offices was a priority in 2021. Now that many workers are beginning to get back into some kind of rhythm, modern office design trends for 2022 want to take it one step further. Offices are starting to bring in ways to mesh “work and home” into a flex office setting. This means including fitness spaces, food elements, personal library stations and more into the workplace. Designing an open office layout with sightlines to elements from home can bring forth a sense of comfort during the busy work day.
Schedule Flexibility
Schedule flexibility has been a huge topic of discussion since COVID-19 forced remote work upon many office employees. Now, after time spent living the remote work life and finding flexible ways to be productive, more and more offices are seeing the benefits of flexible scheduling. The future will only become more flexible when it comes to work because it has now been proven that most office jobs can, in fact, be done from home or not during the typical work hours. Of course, this is subjective and many jobs must work in-house and during strict hours. However, it is becoming clearer that flexibility within both office design and scheduling will continue to trend in the coming year.
Artificial Intelligence
The time has come to actually think about working alongside robots. Well, sort of. This thought is one many business owners have begun to really think about now that work life has made such drastic changes over the last year. It seems that many businesses are in the questioning stage when it comes to the thought of AI taking over simpler in-office tasks. Businesses are wondering what tasks robots could take on so that human employees wouldn’t need to. A question being pondered is in regard to balance and how to appropriately even out human employees and robotic systems. One thing is for sure, 2022 modern office design trends will definitely think about AI options when laying out office spaces and equipment.