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Workspaces: The offices built today are different: what do they have? - La Nacion Propiedades
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Espacios de trabajo: las oficinas que se construyen hoy son diferentes: ¿qué tienen ?
El mundo del trabajo cambió luego de la pandemia y el diseño de las oficinas se adapta también a las nuevas necesidades
www.lanacion.com.ar
June 23, 2024
The world of work changed after the pandemic and the design of offices also adapts to new needs
By Maria Josefina Lanzi
The work changed and with it the design of the offices
After the pandemic, professions changed radically and established paradigms were transformed. Work spaces were not left out of this metamorphosis and had to be converted to survive.
“Employees began to be able to choose a hybrid way of working, alternating in-person with the home office . It means a great transformation that had been brewing, but that accelerated and became established almost as a norm,” says Paula de Elía, an architect specialized in the interior design of work spaces.
In that sense, today not only the work environment, the economic compensation and the opportunities for professional growth that are offered are valued, but also the spaces where the work will be carried out, something key in the case of attracting and retaining young talent.
“The market changed substantially and, even more so, after the pandemic, and companies compete for talent with organizations from all over the world,” indicates a 2022 investigation by the Family and Business Conciliation Center of the IAE Business School, which surveyed young students and professionals, between 18 and 30 years old, in 11 countries in the region. The study also adds that “ new generations expect to be able to combine home office and time in the office, with flexibility to decide when and where to work.”
After the pandemic, the need to reinvent workplaces became an urgent task
Spaces , a leading English company in flexible office services for work, points out from a survey they carried out in their 4,000 headquarters that “85% of employees expect to have a hybrid work and 77% of workers want to work close to his house".
Today, the challenge for companies is to generate an experience rather than simply providing a specific space or workplace . “Nowadays, companies are recognizing the importance of creating work environments that are more like a cozy , young and fresh home, rather than a cold traditional office,” explains Florencia Nardini, project management manager at Newmark.
Faced with this panorama, the need to reinvent work spaces became an urgent task. In that sense, three architects, specialized in the interior design of workplaces, share the current trends in the market.
Home office, but I also find
Working from home saves expenses and travel time, allows you to receive orders and do household chores in parallel. Even so, experts agree that the need to combine with presence is still present.“While the home office offers flexibility and comfort, working in the office encourages collaboration and the exchange of ideas . Personally, I find that finding the right balance between the two is essential,” explains Nardini.
Office design today responds to the need to generate an experience rather than permanent jobs Project: Paula de Elia (PES) and Associate Architects: Milagros Irastorza, BMA – Methanoia PH: Ioana Menendez
Working in the office can strengthen connections with colleagues and promote a strong company culture. “I believe that combining both options in a flexible and adaptive way can maximize the productivity and well-being of both employees and the company ,” adds Nardini.
“Contrary to what was initially thought, the offices did not disappear ,” shares De Elía. He explains that in some companies people did not want to go to the office to work if they could do it from home, but “the majority lack space in their homes and technology, and need to go out and socialize.”
More collaboration, less verticalism
The transformation of workplaces also requires creating attractive spaces for employees, so that they want to spend time in the offices, despite the disadvantages of being in person, such as long travel distances and the inconvenience of public transportation.To captivate the public, Nardini explains that it is essential to address two needs: first, the social; In that sense, providing collaborative spaces is essential, since they provide opportunities for interaction between colleagues and other departments of the company . “It encourages teamwork, creativity and strengthens professional ties,” adds Nardini. Secondly, he explains that offices must offer spaces designed for relaxation, rest and concentration , to guarantee “a more pleasant and stimulating work environment.”
“People seek to have pride and want their workplaces to be unique so they can tell where and how they work,” says De Elía and explains that it is very important to offer offices with identity , where employees can move, as he explains that the positions fixed ones are gradually disappearing.
Permanent positions in offices continue to disappear Project: Paula de Elia (PES) and Associate Architects: Milagros Irastorza, BMA – Methanoia PH Azul Zorraquin
Camila Cazes, industrial designer and founder of Anca, shares this view and points out that today, instead of fixed places, “inns” are used: large tables, with rotating places. She also explains that they seek to create relaxing places, where there are armchairs, which allow the teams to have more relaxed meetings. Finally, she explains that she thinks of “neighborhood” places: spaces that can be the “concentration neighborhood,” where there is more silence; the “sociable neighborhood” , where there are armchairs or a ping pong table, which allow for more relaxation.
Sustainability, the key to success
More and more companies are incorporating sustainable practices in the design and construction of their offices, as part of their commitment to reducing environmental impact and promoting corporate responsibility. “They include the use of lighting control systems, efficient sanitary fixtures and low-consumption appliances, as well as the preference for local materials to avoid unnecessary transportation of resources,” says Nardini.Additionally, since the beginning of the projects, many of the buildings selected to house these offices are certified by programs such as LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design). These certifications set strict standards in terms of sustainability and well-being in the workplace, ensuring that companies that set up shop on their floors promote the health and productivity of their employees.
“This is already a mandatory issue, and the new generations are already in charge of promoting it; It is a one-way trip,” says De Elía.
Sustainability becomes a must for the design of company workspaces
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