The benefits of having a ‘team space’ where people work together and interact in a shared, collaborative space are obvious. When people work together, they’re generally happier, work more efficiently and feel more connected – not only to each other, but also to the organisation they work for – which may also explain why those who work remotely tend to move jobs more often.

As ‘home’ and ‘hybrid-working’ become increasingly common, it’s more important than ever for people to have somewhere they can work together, interact, and have a sense of shared purpose, and ‘connection’. However, things are changing fast and the way ‘team spaces’ are being used has changed quite dramatically in recent years.

So, what’s driving this change?… Well, the first thing is technology. Not so long ago, we all had computers with data cables that tethered us to our desks – But now, with the convenience and portability of laptops, mobile phones, and Wi-Fi, we are no longer ‘hard-wired’ and can work from almost anywhere; the office, our home, or even our favourite coffee-shop…

The second big ‘driver for change’ was the global COVID pandemic which accelerated over a ‘decade or more’ of work-style changes into just a few short months. Almost overnight, video conferencing and virtual meetings became commonplace, whilst remote telephone systems and ‘cloud storage’ enabled people to work at home. However, as we quickly discovered, many people don’t thrive when they work alone and feel isolated. Temporary workspaces and poor ergonomics could also negatively impact on our productivity, our physical well-being and even our mental health. However, maybe the most important thing we all learned was the real value of having daily ‘connection and human interaction’ within our personal, social, and working relationships.

The consolidated effect of these changes is already affecting the design of open-plan office spaces. Whereas having ‘more desk-spaces’ used to be the priority, it’s now more about providing ‘the right kind of space’. We’re seeing ‘home-style’ elements increasingly being introduced in our everyday office environments – Textured fabrics, natural foliage, soft-seating areas, and tall open-shelving units that help visually ‘break-up’ desk-arrays whilst also improving acoustics and creating a softer, far more ‘home-inspired’ feel for your workspace. It seems that the ‘office of the future’ will be very different from the bland, utilitarian offices of the past, which isn’t a bad thing at all.

We all thrive on everyday human interaction, so the simple but effective collaborative nature of a communal workplace can help create a real sense of togetherness, community, and belonging. In a world where you can work from almost anywhere, it’s important to have a designated social workspace; somewhere people can come together, work effectively, and feel part of a team.