HQ Trends Defined

It seems like every day there is a new headquarter trend out there claiming to solve all of your company productivity problems. We've broken down some of the most common ones floating around and can help you navigate the rough terrain when it comes to picking which trends and building features will work best to help you reach your company goals without breaking the budget. 

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Work Space Variety

In the modern workplace, variety is a key factor to a successful workforce. When employees can use different spaces for different types of task their productivity and happiness go up. Adding variety is worth the investment. 

• • Flex Spaces | Spaces that can be used for multiple purposes. A flex space could be a staircase turned into an open work space, small collab stations that can be used for meetings or as a quite working zone. Allowing for flexibility in the space so it can be used in the most productive way. 
  • Huddle Rooms | Small collaborative rooms that resembles a conference room in terms of enclosure and tech capabilities but on a much smaller scale. Most meetings only have 2-4 attendees, this type of room uses space to better fit the actual needs of employees. 
  • Benching | A modular desk design that allows space for more than one person at a work space. The bench enables quick collaboration at a personal workstation.  
  • Quiet Zones | Dedicated quiet spaces for working, thinking, or decompressing. Quiet zones can improve average productivity rates by 38%.
  • Outdoor Work Spaces | Picnic tables, benches, and outdoor desks add variety to your employees work place choices. The outdoor work space design should factor in ways to play nicely with mother nature so your employees can stay productive. 
  • Focus Rooms | Small spaces that are dedicated to be used when users do not want to be interrupted. Can be individual spaces or similar to huddle rooms. 
  • Large Assembly Rooms or Town Halls | Have a space where you can gather your entire company for company meetings. These regular presentations help further your brand and company culture. 
    
• Building Features
• There are a lot of options out there so you should create a wish list of everything you want in your new space. Not everything will work for what you need and some items will have to be dropped to keep your budget on track. 
• Glass Walls | Beautiful and modern, but make sure to add glass appliqués, etchings or designs for safety. You can even transform the space more with switch glass or screen-cloaking technology to make the space useful for multiple work tasks a groups collaborating on secure or sensitive files. 
• Natural Elements | Windows, indoor plants, and water features are good options to add interest. Bringing in natural light improves employee's moods and can help productivity. 
• Logistics | Consider storage room, waiting spaces for visitors, and other needs you will have in your new building. 
• Security & Safety | Entrances, windows, and data security. Headquarters with a branch built-in will also need special considerations to make sure the branch is operational and compliant. 

• Staff Amenities
• While expensive upfront, these amenities pay for themselves with staff engagement. A 2-4% increase in employee performance will cover these accommodations.
  • Innovation Hub 
  • Phone rooms 
  • Library 
  • Cafeteria 
  • Break room/lounges
  • Gym/Wellness/Recreation areas

Trends to Leave Behind 

Not all trends are equally valuable for your team. Some might sound good on paper but trust us, we've seen them in action and they can cause more harm than add value. 

• Living plant walls | They look great but the upkeep can be costly and difficult. 
• Indoor slide | Typically these don't get a lot of use and they can pose a risk. 
• Open work spaces | When there is no privacy or focus areas, a completely open floor plan can be toxic. Not having a work space that you can focus in makes it difficult to be productive as an employee. 
• Private offices | While these may encourage focus some times it does not with allow for open collaboration. Discouraging collaboration and preventing serendipitous conversations from happening isn't good for your company's bottom line either. 
  

Need to keep track of all of your wish list items and project needs? Get the checklist to keep all your thoughts in order and make sure you don't leave anything off your to-do list. 

Source: Gensler Research, 2019 Workplace Survey