When it comes to clothing fashions, do you always follow trends? Do you rush out and buy the latest ‘in’ piece, simply because you have to own it in order to be considered fashionable? In your home, do you always follow the up to date interior design fashions? Do you furnish your house with the trendiest furniture options, simply to be on trend?
Of course not. We follow the trends which we feel suit us best, and the one which suit our price range. With that in mind, does your office space always have to follow design trends in order to be considered in fashion, or does it matter less than you think?
The bottom line is that no business has an endless pot of cash to spend on expensive Italian office furniture and constant renovations. In that case, it comes down to what the business can afford in terms of modern office supplies and furniture choices, and the trends it chooses to follow.
Aside from cash, a business also has to think about what trends fit in with its identity, and which aren’t a good fit at all. Having a creative and bright office might suit some businesses, e.g. those which deal in bright products, perhaps children’s toys and upbeat services, but it’s not going to work so well in an office which deals with a more sombre subject, perhaps anything to do with healthcare, etc. The office has to reflect the identify of the business’ brand, and that means colour, decor, layout, and every other aspect of design that you can think of.
Purchasing new office furniture for an office is something that should always be considered if your current chairs and desks are looking a little worse for wear, but that doesn’t mean you have to change the entire layout and look towards following a new trend. It can simply be that you create your own trend, one which works for you.
Despite that, exploring options is never a bad thing. You’re not being a slave to fashion by simply keeping your finger on the design pulse; you never know, you might find an idea which jumps out as perfect for your business, such as biophilic office design, or opting for an agile workspace instead.
If you’re going to change your office for a new trend, you should ask yourself these questions first:
- Will this trend improve the morale and productivity of the office?
- Will this trend be better for the health and wellbeing of our employees?
- Is this trend affordable?
- How much office furniture do we need to purchase in order to create this trend for ourselves?
- What is the advantages versus the disadvantages?
By weighing up the answers to these questions, you can decide whether the trend you’re considering is worth it or not. Some trends simply won’t suit every office; for instance, opting for treadmill desks is a good choice for some, but a smaller office simply won’t have the space and it will turn out to be a costly experience. In that case, perhaps standing desks is a better choice, and adding in new ergonomic chairs.
Every trend can be personalised to a particular office space, so it could be that you can take the basics of one particular trend and twist it a little, in order to suit your needs best. In that case, booking in for a design visit is a good choice, so you can receive quality and expert advice on how to be achieve your office desires, with minimal disruption and in a cost-effective way.
Changing your office to suit a trend isn’t a bad thing, provided you are doing it for a productive reason. On the other hand, changing your office to simply tick a trend box and be in fashion isn’t the best reason to go for it. Be sure you’re working on the right side of the line first and foremost