On 24 January we invited our audience to ponder on the subject of the Future of Workplace. Not an easy one to crack. There is a multitude of facets to consider: form, structure, environment, culture, corporate identity, productivity etc. What really interested us though was to find out what are the key trends in workplace design, and most importantly how do these trends help to build a truly “creative” workforce of the future. We invited two speakers, both from design industries, to unpack all this for us.
Florian Rittiner, co-founder of Spark Labs and Project Head at Witzig Office Planning, summarised the key workplace developments. Firstly, we are seeing a more flexible approach to work, with home office on the rise, reducing travel time and cost. Secondly, our world is increasingly digital, and that further facilities remote working and virtual teamwork. Thirdly, people are actively seeking opportunities to co-work, and the chance to collaborate in spaces that inspire creativity and innovation, an example being the INNOSpace in Bern.
Christoph Peter, workplace Consultant at Vitra, stressed that, whilst all these trends are promising, if we are to design truly effective and inspirational workplaces, companies need to move beyond formulaic, mechanical approaches that focus predominantly on space efficiency, and instead start to think of space as that something that “drives our thoughts and feelings”. Space is complex, it is a product of careful design that considers people culture, functionality, and yes beauty – our workplace should be a place we really do want to spend time in.
We had some truly great questions put forward from our audience, many of whom had their own amusing workplace stories to tell. It was yet another great evening at the Creative Space.
February’s “Passions” talk will challenge our audience to think about what really drives them, what they are truly passionate about, and how this impacts their life and career. Curious? If so then join us on 21 February, at 6 pm at the Creative Space. Register here.
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