Many factors make an office a modern workplace. The look, the way to conduct the operations, the culture, it all falls under the category of a high quality office of the 21st century.
The space that you consider an office can affect the quality of your work and the way you feel, as an owner or employee. If you wish to change your office space in order to fit in with the current trends and standards, here are some of the things that you should immediately get rid of.
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Less paper, more digital
Caring about the environment is a constant theme for this century, and it applies to the office space too. Running a business requires you to produce a lot of different reports, documents and data. When you think about it, your office produces endless numbers of sheets of paper that could be replaced with a single file. We live in a digital age, and with the introduction of cloud computing, storing data has never been easier. Stick to one printer per office and introduce a digital system to handle the paperwork. Please note that there are a lot of apps and programs dedicated to this movement already on the market, like Faxburner App, for example, among many others. Choose the software that will suit your managerial style and say goodbye to piles of papers.
Fake plants are a no go
Decorations are a massive part of the overall vibe of the office. You want your office to feel a little bit homier and inviting. The environment surrounding you makes a difference in the way you think about your workplace.
Adding plants is an excellent idea to enliven the room. However, going for artificial flowers and plants is a definitive no. You want to avoid being associated with fakeness at all times. Real plants keep the quality of the air at the right level, and their vibrant colour lightens up the office space, where fake plants are only there to collect dust.
Too many walls
Open spaces are, for sure, the immediate association with the term modern office. You should make sure that the working area you provide is inviting and sets up the cooperation atmosphere in the company. An office with fewer walls appears as if it was cleaner and more organized. You want to introduce a feeling of inclusivity, and one of the ways to achieve that is by knocking a wall or two.
Throw away all the distractions
The biggest drawback of a collaborative workspace is an increased level of distractions in the office space. It is definitely challenging to get rid of not-work related stuff and clutter, but perhaps introducing a distraction-free area in the office could be a good idea. Also, make sure to take off the old posters and flyers, and don’t even consider purchasing a TV for the cafeteria. It is recommended to follow the minimalist approach when decorating and organizing a workplace.
Keep the office supplies in a storage
Following up on trying to keep the office organized and clean, take some time to manage your office supplies. Go for quality instead of quantity and have a designated closet for maintaining the necessary supplies. Do not buy pens and sticky-notes in every colour possible; your office doesn’t need it. Setting up an office supplies store is far more effective than having a secretary or assistant supplying them to the workers. It is a little bit embarrassing to ask for a pen or a piece of paper when you can simply take it yourself when needed.
Dark colours are considered old fashioned
Another trend when it comes to office design trends is to keep the workspaces light and lively by painting the walls with clean and bright colours. When your office is equipped with dark-coloured walls, over time, it will start to feel depressing, especially during those winter months when it gets dark quickly. A modern office doesn’t feature dark walls or wallpaper with strange patterns. The 21st-century office is clean, bright and full of energy, and not a dark place full of shadows. If you have dark walls, please consider repainting them as soon as possible to ensure a great working environment.
A modern office is a simple yet productive environment. It strives to be inviting and hopes to provide an atmosphere of collaboration and positivity. Let’s face it, in the 21st-century majority of your time will be spent in your workplace. The way it looks and feels will affect your productiveness. Sometimes, all it takes to provide an excellent workspace is to get rid of a few things and replace old with new. We recommend you to take some time and think about the quality of your office space and introduce some upgrades that will win your company the status of being modern.