Office workers increasingly value privacy. Photo: New York Times.
Private, closed workspaces like boxes were a popular office design trend in the 1980s. At that time, this form of dividing workspaces was considered unintelligent, preventing collaboration. connection and communication between workers.
However, this trend reappeared strongly when personnel returned to the office after the pandemic. The need for confidentiality and privacy is increasingly emphasized in the office environment, according to New York Times.
Separated spaces are popular among today’s office workers. Illustration photo: The New York Times.
The trend of preferring privacy among office workers after the pandemic
After working at home due to the impact of the epidemic, employees want to enjoy a quieter space when returning to the company.
According to Janet Pogue McLaurin, head of the office division of interior design group Gensler, the group’s work efficiency declines when the space is noisy and lacks privacy.
According to a report conducted by market analysis company Business Research Insights in 2022, due to the needs of the workforce, the value of the subdivision furniture market reached 6.3 billion USDis likely to continue growing.
Manufacturers believe that workers value privacy at the present time, despite the need for cooperation and teamwork in the office environment.
At the office of the auditing firm Grassi based in New York (USA), 500 employees are arranged in semi-private areas. Previously, businesses developed many open spaces to increase connection between employees. However, currently the company’s office has a combination of open and private space.
Human resources value privacy and prefer private spaces when returning to the office after the pandemic. Illustration photo: Pexels/RDNE.
Decorating the workspace motivates employees. Illustration photo: The New York Times.
From ‘home addiction’ to office decoration addiction of office workers
Workers’ requirements for private working areas have changed a lot compared to before. Office workers want space dividers that can be flexibly moved, adjusted, and supplemented with sound measurement features.
Furniture company Steelcase has even developed some types of noise-reducing, noise-cancelling partitions. Support devices that help change the height of the computer screen to accommodate video calls are also widely used.
After being “addicted” to home decoration during the Covid-19 pandemic, employees returned to the office and brought with them the desire to renovate the workspace, creating inspiration and motivation. They want to stick pictures of relatives and pets around the work corner to improve mental health at work.
Lucas Mundt, an analyst working at Simple Modern cup and water bottle design company based in Oklahoma (USA), started decorating his work corner into a tiny wooden house, creating a relaxing feeling. like going on vacation. Loving the idea, Mike Beckham, CEO of the business, sponsored all the staff 250 USD to decorate and decorate the working space.
The working space is arranged according to preferences to improve working spirit. Illustration photo: The New York Times.