21st Jan 2019

2019 Predictions: Office design and workplace wellbeing

In January, our Chairman and Founder, Rob Day was invited by Business Link East Midlands Magazine to provide his predictions for 2019. Here are his predictions for office design and workplace wellbeing…

Wouldn’t it be great if we could end all internal email, in particularly the need to be ‘cc’d’ in office communications? Well, that is what I am predicting will happen in some tech savvy companies by the end of 2019.

Technology has always been a driver of change, but because of the continuing innovation and enhancements in workplace apps, I believe we will see a significant reduction in the use of tradition communications and a significant shift towards business focused software for day to day communications, voice and video calls, file collaboration and other announcements.

In February, I’m visiting the Integrating Systems Europe (ISE) conference in Amsterdam and I expect to come away with yet more revelations about the latest workplace technologies that will further streamline workplace communication and operational effectiveness.

I also think that 2019 will be the year the penny drops with employers that investing in their workplace to ensure they have a happy and motivated workforce can deliver commercial returns by way of increased productivity, a reduction in absence and savings in recruitment fees due to greater employee retention rates. There is now substantial factual evidence to prove better work environments improve commercial returns.

Recent surveys prove that the return on investment for spend on wellbeing initiatives is £4.17 per £1 spent! So, I think we will see more companies refurbish their premises not just to improve appearance but to also achieve employee wellbeing objectives.

My final prediction is that the tide will turn considerably on people’s attitudes towards recycling. In the office fit-out industry we see time and time again offices being ‘fitted-out’ in order to make them attractive ‘to let’, only for the new occupant to rip out almost everything to meet their own design specification. I think buyers will become much more aware of what they are buying. Attitudes will shift significantly towards using sustainable materials and ensuring office furnishings can be recycled.