Shorter, more open furniture is populating the modern workplace as professional offices change their look to meet the needs of the millennial generation.
As those born after 1980 enter the workforce with a highly developed instinct for collaboration and inherent experience with technology, office furniture is changing to meet this style. Businesses and manufacturers are changing their office design from an individualistic perspective to more unified and shared space.
Workstations used to be around 65 inches high, encompassed by boxy panels, blocking communication and sunlight. Now, workstations average a height of 54 inches, and most are free-standing desks rather than paneled, said Larry Feldman, vice president of sales for Hartford workspace distributer Office Resources. That makes the furniture more open for collaborative and fluid interactions, Feldman said.
The millenials as a generation need to be approached differently by companies who desire their approval, said Feldman.
“The millennials grew up with technology, and never experienced a time before computers,” said Feldman. “This group of people approaches the world differently than the previous generations, as they are not married to private offices or the need for hierarchies as older generations are.”
The term plug ‘n play describes how the advancements of technology change the workplace. Over the past decade, furniture designers steered away from the cubicle design and moved toward connected desks that encourage sociability among professionals.
“You’re seeing more collaborative workspaces as a result of technology, with less focused spaces for individual use,” said Feldman. “Things like lounge areas, small conference rooms, technologically-enhanced meeting spaces, and kitchen areas are being brought into the workplace to provide collaborative environments as they are demanded.”
Offices still need personal workspace, but as the millennial generation continues to be mobile and global, there is a growing demand for sharing of information, said Feldman. No longer do employees feel anchored or tethered to their workstation, and the flexibility of accessing company databases in any environment excites the employee.
“Now, more so than ever, employees are coming into the office when it’s a good time for them to touch down and use the workspace provided,” said Rob Wilson, chief executive officer and vice president of operations at Manchester furniture recycler Transfer Enterprises. “They do what they have to do, move on from the project when desired, and another employee then comes to the same workstation to repeat that same process.”
This trend allows businesses to cut costs as the size of personal work areas shrink. Ten years ago, the average employee occupied the equivalent of 235 square feet. Today, the average employee occupies 135 square feet, and this figure is projected to continue to decrease, said Feldman.
“The world is now in our pocket,” said Feldman. “Employees have the opportunity to multitask with their technologies, and it’s possible to get the same amount of work done at home or in your car as in the office.”
Workers are constantly on the road and between different cities. This population is adding to the trend of decreasing the need for physical workspace because they simply need an office to touch down at every once in a while. These employees are independent, and don’t need physical space dedicated to their usage, said Feldman.
In addition, businesses project to be paperless in the near future. When paperless, the less need for storage will create another opportunity for even smaller office spaces.
“Major corporations are recognizing the importance of maintaining an open and collaborative environment to attract and retain the most employees,” said Feldman. “The generation entering the workforce places high value on their surroundings and millennials are much happier with a pleasant environment rather than a structured one.”
New York City manufacturer Vitra is on the forefront of this new shorter, smaller, more open furniture design — helping employers catch the next generation of workers, said Kat Weisflog, spokeswoman for Vitra.
“When recent prospective employees are choosing between two companies to work for, they tend to choose the company with the best work environment that matches their needs,” said Weisflog. “And, since the millennial generation is all about collaboration, that is where employers need to focus their efforts to receive the most candidates and employee satisfaction.”
A heavy Vitra furniture user is REV, a new professional support company based in New York City, providing independent professionals a physical location for technologically advanced collaboration to occur.
“We all live in a wireless world,” said Jeff Gunther, chief executive officer of REV. “With a mission of helping professionals love the way they work, we have designed a collaborative workspace that incorporates furniture conducive to sharing ideas with the most modern and advanced technology for easy and smooth collaboration.”
In the 2,000-square-foot worksite, REV provides broadband Internet, printing, scanning, faxing, and other important conveniences for the independent professional. The focus is on using technology as a solution that enables professionals to better collaborate together. REV’s newest product, AirShare, stresses the demand for wireless connection. This appliance connects to your power source, connects to a projector or display screen, and also provides REV’s wireless network. Once connected, team collaboration with digital content is easily sharable.
