Corporate offices used to be depressing places filled with boring cubicles and isolated, overwhelmed workers. Today’s workplace culture has come a long way, and office designs have changed to accommodate it. Read on to find out about four progressive office design ideas that could help to foster a better work environment.

Use Open Floor Plans

Give employees a good view of the office. Nobody wants to be hidden away behind a drab cubicle wall. Traditional cubicles make it harder for employees to collaborate and move around the office, while open floor plans encourage open communication and trust.

Concerned about information security but don’t want that concern to impede the company’s ability to increase transparency and improve employee morale? Consider installing glass walls in conference rooms and personal offices. The glass will give higher-level employees the privacy they need to discuss sensitive issues without making average employees feel excluded or undervalued.

Create a Color Palette

Color psychology is the buzzword of the day when it comes to modern office design. It’s now a widely accepted fact that different colors produce different subconscious effects. Employees themselves need not understand the rationale behind this field to enjoy a well-chosen color palette.

Use complementary colors when choosing furniture and decor. Orange, yellow, and red color palettes make people feel energized, while greens and blues calm them down. Experiment with different color palettes in different areas of the office depending on their intended use.

Incorporate Multipurpose Spaces

Modern offices need to be versatile to function well and encourage collaboration and creativity. Keep in mind that each area of the office can serve multiple purposes. The same space that encourages co-working during work hours can provide a comfortable space for employees to relax during their breaks and meeting space with comfortable chairs or couches and some sense of privacy can also make a perfect employee lounge.

Incorporating multipurpose spaces helps office managers make the most use out of the space they have. It can also make employees feel more comfortable both on and off the job.

Incorporate Natural Elements

There’s an entire field of office design that focuses on incorporating natural elements like plants and natural sunlight into office plans. It’s called biophilic design.

Exposure to plants and natural sunlight has been proven to improve employee morale and productivity. They also purify the air and help managers maintain a stress-free work environment.

Not all biophilic design elements require constant care, either. Besides incorporating a few living plants, designers can also install stable elements like real wood paneling, stone accents, or even small water features. It’s worth investing some time and money in converting an existing office to reflect biophilic design principles since exposure to nature won’t just improve current employees’ morale but will also attract better talent to the company.

The Bottom Line

The right office design will inspire employees, attract new talent, and encourage collaboration and creative thinking. Each of the tips and design elements discussed above can be used with the others to create a unified design that really packs a punch.

Glass walls allow additional natural light into secluded rooms, helping plants grow and making relaxing green and blue color schemes feel even more appropriate, and multi-use spaces can be designed using the same design principles for maximum effect. Don’t be afraid to experiment, but follow these design best principles to ensure that the money spent on an office redesign will not go to waste.