Gone are the days when cubicles were the best setup an office had. Lunch break was the only time for people to interact and collaborate. But today, the scenario is different. If you are in the corporate sector, you may have noticed the transition to the modern-day office setup and culture. Want to know the reason behind this? In two words, it’s called coworking culture!

The concept of coworking has entirely revolutionized the conventional office setup. The trend is so intense, widespread, and demanding that it has set a benchmark in people’s minds. Today, workers don’t look for an office setup with cubicles but prefer a more lavish space to work in.

How did this transition take place and what are the elements of a modern-day office setup? Let’s find out!

Evolution of Coworking Culture & Spaces

The coworking culture began in the mid-2000s. Since then, it’s become one of the most discussed topics in the corporate world. The trend only accelerated as more people began transitioning to remote work, and as a result, the need for office space outside the home also increased.

Those new to working from home found it difficult to concentrate and began looking for places outside their homes where they could work peacefully but still interact with other people. This is how coworking culture started evolving.

With time, coworking spaces also started evolving from a simple desk in a coffee shop to a separate room or floor in an office building. Today, there are various types of coworking spaces available all over the world.

The workspace isn’t the only thing that changed. Coworking created its own that has changed the look and feel of offices everywhere. Most businesses are now designing office layouts based on the themes of coworking spaces in order to promote collaboration and creativity. This is why you will see a lot of open spaces in coworking areas compared to traditional offices with cubicles.

What are the changes? How are they different? Which elements differentiate modern-day offices? We’ll be discussing everything in the subsequent section.

Critical Elements of a Modern-Day Office Setup

There are a plethora of elements that depict the transition from conventional to modern-day office space.

Architecture

The primary differentiating element of a modern-day office setup is its architecture. As we said, it is not cubicles. Business owners are transitioning toward the open floor plan.

This is where the magic of coworking spaces is. You can set up the portion you rent according to your business needs. For example, you can keep meeting rooms for collaboration, a private office for important meetings, and an open floor plan to facilitate easy movement and communication.

Further, you can personalize the look and feel of the office space to make it feel like ‘yours’ and not just another rented space. You can opt for modern architecture with a mixture of glass walls, custom lights, graffiti walls, colorful recreational areas, and more.

Furniture

Gone are the days when stiff and boring office chairs were a staple in every office setup. Modern-day office spaces have upgraded furniture to enhance comfort and style.

Be it an L-shaped sofa for lounge areas or adjustable standing desks for employees; the furniture must have a WOW factor. The primary motivation of having modern furniture is to promote comfort and style. And, of course, to make a statement in front of clients and customers.

Open spaces

Unlike the traditional ones, offices today are more open. The term open here signifies the flexibility and freedom an employee gets in a coworking space.

For example, if you are working in a cubicle, there is no scope for collaboration. You can’t just leave your workstation and work from another place in the office. But in a coworking space, you’ll have the liberty to use any open space for working, brainstorming, or collaboration.

This way, you get to interact with other people in the coworking space, know their domain, and build a professional network.

Moreover, businesses tend to attract Gen Zers and budding entrepreneurs. That’s why most companies choose coworking spaces and customize them with modern facilities. The facilities range from meeting pods to private phone booths and from a garden cafe to a swimming pool and many more amenities.

Live kitchen

The conventional office spaces used to have either a small kitchen or an eating area. But, with the advent of coworking, the scenario witnessed a paradigm shift. The trend of coworking introduced unlimited coffee, tea, and snacks.

On top of this, some of the lavish coworking spaces of today also have a live kitchen where you can get your favorite food or salad made. Also, some coworking spaces have cafes and restaurants, so you don’t have to step out for lunch. Isn’t it great?

The primary motivation behind having a live kitchen is to promote healthy eating habits and socialization at work.

Recreational area

Before coworking, your laptop or desktop was the only device you could use in an office space. Employees were meant to work only at a dedicated place, so they couldn’t move much and socialize. Further, there was no way of getting that stress out of your mind.

However, with the introduction of coworking, the idea of a recreational area came into the picture. A recreational area at the workplace provides opportunities to socialize and play video games or indoor games like Pictionary, ping pong, etc. This way, you can take a break from work, refresh your mind, and return with new energy and ideas.

Events and workshops

If you’ve been a part of the conventional office setup, you would have attended only one or two events in a year. However, the coworking culture is way different from this.

Most coworking spaces conduct regular events and workshops to promote networking and socializing. For example, some common events are Friday happy hours, musical evenings, talk shows, etc. Also, many coworking spaces organize business-related workshops from time to time so that you can enhance your skill set.

Security and Safety

If you’ve worked in a conventional office, you might be aware of poor security and safety arrangements. In fact, some companies don’t even have a security guard at the entrance; CCTV is a distant dream.

But security and safety are the primary components of modern-day office setups. That’s why most coworking spaces offer sophisticated security systems to ensure the safety of employees and visitors. For example, many coworking workplaces have biometric security systems, CCTV cameras, a front desk attendant, and so on.

Some Excellent Examples of Modern-day Offices!

The coworking culture is so diverse and penetrating that it has influenced even the world’s top tech giants.

Google Office

Google has always been the originator of something new. When it comes to providing a new workplace environment, Google offices have it all. Google offices located in California, Zurich, Malaysia, Venice, and Tokyo, among others, offer something distinctive.

Google Venice office has a climbing wall. Zurich and California offices have slides. On top of these, Google offices worldwide also have gaming centers, gyms, volleyball, and even swimming pools.

Almost every office has an open floor plan where furniture, walls, and other things are spread out in various vibrant colors that constantly motivate people to do more.

Microsoft office

Microsoft is one of the biggest competitors of Google. However, it can’t be denied that the company has also done some great work in terms of setting up a modern-day office space.

The Redmond campus of Microsoft has countless unique features. It offers running and walking trails, soccer and football fields, a full-service food court, and many more things.

Not just this, but the company has also created a ‘treehouse’ for employees where they can take a break from their work and enjoy the serenity.

If we talk about work-related amenities, the office also provides small rooms and pods for employees to collaborate or focus on a task in solitude.

Apple Office

Apple is another tech giant that has set a benchmark of absolute perfection with its $5 billion massive park in California. The massive ring-like structure looks like a spaceship from above and has everything one can imagine in a modern-day office space.

The 2.8-million-square-foot building, The Ring, has some of the best amenities like a massive cafe, open space offices, walking, and running tracks. On top of this, Apple also offers employees facilities like a gym, wellness centers, and a couple of basketball courts.

The campus has a Steve Jobs theatre, an Apple store, and a visitor’s center, making it even better.

So, it doesn’t matter if you work for Apple, Google, or any other business. The defining feature of modern workplace design is coworking culture. Today, nearly every big or small firm is adopting this cutting-edge office infrastructure for commercial expansion and employee development.