Workspace Studio expands its showroom to reflect current trends in modern, employee-centric office design

Studies on the future of offices and work point towards flexibility, varied design and focus on employee needs. In this context, Workspace Studio, specialized in high quality office design and fittings and Certified Dealer of the MillerKnoll group in Romania, completed the expansion of its showroom located on the 18th floor of the Sky Tower Bucharest building, to reflect the current trends in modern office design. The showroom now has a total area of 850 sqm, compared to 580 sqm before the expansion. The investment in the arrangement amounted to over 300,000 euros.

The Workspace Studio investment is based on the premise that spaces arranged according to highquality standards, oriented towards employees and with a design that supports, inspires and stimulates creativity are a source of competitive advantage. They are becoming a necessity realized by more and more organizations in Romania.

In the showroom, customers can explore furniture design brands such as Herman Miller, Knoll, Hay, Muuto, NaughtOne, GEIGER or Maharan, sustainable acoustic solutions, but also the latest trends in ergonomic furniture and interior design solutions for offices, as well as inspiration for modern, personalized and innovative work areas.

“We highlight and present in the showroom these ‘customized and innovative work environments‘, because all the turnkey interior design solutions we propose are customized for each company, with an emphasis, of course, on ergonomics, sustainability and, above all, design centered on people, their activities and interactions. The objective of each project is to create spectacular offices, where people want to be, that inspire and stimulate their creativity and desire to create added value in the company“, says Horațiu Didea, Managing Partner Workspace Studio.

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The new role of offices: facilitator of connections and a mirror of the organizational culture

As hybrid and remote work stabilizes as the norm, organizational culture becomes an essential component of work strategies. Recent Gartner survey shows that business leaders believe that culture is the biggest concern in developing work policies. The company space must reflect this culture. That’s why any remodeling project starts from the discussion about the culture of the organization and how the work space can support it.

When asked to give reasons why they would choose to come to the office, 74% of participants in a global survey of 10,000 office workers highlighted camaraderie, community and connection as the top reasons. This shows us that the modern workplace must be ready to facilitate rich interpersonal connections between colleagues, whether these are made in physical meetings or in the virtual environment. On the other hand, 15% of employees go to the office to focus better on what they have to do, and 11% for visibility in front of management and career opportunities

These results of the Future Forum 2023 study, conducted by MillerKnoll and a group of companies from various industries, are also confirmed by the latest report Gensler Global Workplace SurveyComparison 2023. According to it, employees appreciate the office to focus on their work, meet with colleagues and have access to critical tools and people.

“The space is central to the strategy of bringing teams to the office. Thus, it becomes a destination where operational efficiency meets creativity, a place where employees can come together and collaborate in a productive way. Through this investment in the showroom, we aim to bring forward modern and functional solutions for companies that appreciate the positive impact that a well–thought-out work environment has on the productivity and satisfaction of employees“, adds Horațiu Didea.

The mix of spaces and experiences. fundamental role in making the office a more attractive place

Most employees who work in the office less than 80% of a typical work week say they would be willing to come to the office more often to access an ideal mix of experiences. These have been described as a variety of spaces inspired by restaurants, hotel and residential design, library-like focus areas, team collaboration areas and informal spaces for socializing and relaxing.

Moreover, the offices recently set up by Workspace Studio in Romania are distinguished by the same mix of solutions that contribute to well-being and support the current needs of employees. The generous collaboration and relaxation areas, with varied colors and styles, end up occupying almost 70% of the office space. The rest of the space is allocated to formats for individual work, which are distinguished by appropriate ergonomic furniture and tools.

Flexibility of work, but also of arrangement

The Future Forum 2023 study indicates that flexibility, defined mainly by where and when they work, is not only desired by employees, but an aspect with an immediate impact on retention. While 65% of employees want a hybrid office-other spaces model, 20% prefer a full-time office program, and 15% a full-time remote program. At the same time, 75% of respondents who want more flexibility in their schedule are inclined to look for a new job in the next year.

The need for flexibility is also reflected in the current design philosophy. The office arrangement must allow the customization of the workspace according to the needs of each moment, whether we are talking about adaptations on an individual level or changes in team spaces on an hourly or even daily basis.

“By the minute” change means that individuals or teams can adjust and adapt personal workstations or team spaces in real time to meet immediate needs.

Change “by the hour” refers to the situation where more significant changes are needed, and the spaces can be rearranged in a few hours to meet the specific requirements of an activity or event.

Change “by the day” means that organizations can plan and execute large-scale reconfigurations to support changes in strategy or workflow, with minimal impact on daily operations.

Planning changes at all three levels – minute, hour and day – not only strengthens the flexibility and resilience of the organization, but also helps to maximize the value of the investment in the work environment.

Examples of local office fit-out projects made by the Workspace Studio team are available here.