Evolution of Offices In Last 5 Decades & A Look Into the Future
Offices have evolved a lot over the last 5 decades. We went from a typical cubicle system to a more collaborative open office. In the future, offices will be even more collaborative and flexible.
There have been many designs and technological advancements in office over the last few decades for transforming an office into a more acceptable place. It is now possible to work from anywhere, with an array of digital tools accompanied by IoT (Internet of things), without the need for a physical office space.
Some companies are exploring what it would be like to have no physical offices at all. Instead, they use an app that allows them to connect remotely with their team members and collaborate on projects whenever they need to.
In the future, offices will be even more collaborative, flexible, and reasonable in several aspects. The trend is towards smaller offices with smaller teams that can share everything they need in one space.
In addition to that, there is an increased focus on designing workplaces for more flexible, independent work too.
Let’s have a look at how the Office culture evolved over decades and a look into the future.
1. Typical office people in 1970 – 1980
This decade saw the ascent of the free-spirited hippie way of life, which significantly impacted social, cultural, and professional ideals. But, unfortunately, the office atmosphere was rife with sexism, and it was a time when women were unable to join offices or advance in their careers.
The 1970s was the era of cubicle layouts in offices. The decade characterized long lunches, chat near coffee machines, and multiple cigarette breaks.
Office designs continued to empower individual workers with greater flexibility to work autonomously and creatively.
2. Office Vibes of 1980 - 1990
Pop culture exploded in the 1980s with innovative, inventive, and groundbreaking art, coinciding with office space's 'settlement'. Microsoft Windows software and Apple's Macintosh machine were introduced simultaneously. At this moment, digital cellular phones have also made an appearance on the scene.
But, the inside mechanism and operations of an office were still highly physical labor dependent. From the mid to late 1980s, fax machines were all the rage, and every document had to be typed out on the typewriter because the concept of soft copies of papers was a decade away dream at the time.
The 1980s marked a turning point in women's rights, as they began to have the freedom to express their pain points and concerns without the fear of losing their jobs.
3. Office environments in 1990 - 2000
In the 1990s, everything became more modern; a shift in era meant a shift in attitude toward the workplace, which significantly impacted today's office settings. Coworkers desired greater integration. Thus a more social workplace arrangement was implemented.
Employees would frequently have to transfer from their computer to their paperwork as the more social environments came into their own and people worked at more expansive stations.
The well-being of employees has started to be prioritized in the mainstream from this decade.
4. Evolution of Office Culture from 2010 - 2020
The 2000s witnessed the rise of mobile phones globally. Mobile devices became more portable and pocket-sized. So, employees used this opportunity to leverage increased and effective communication instead of devaluing it.
Desks got less cluttered as email became the dominant means of communication followed by other business management software, resulting in fewer papers being found throughout the company.
Furthermore, there was a movement toward informality. Casual workplaces were created to encourage personalization. These spaces were designed to accommodate workers who worked long hours processing data, developing visuals, and more.
In addition, employees' attire became more informal. As a result, office layouts matched the new definition of 'formal'.
With quicker connections, sleeker PCs, and, most importantly, more powerful mobile devices, the Internet has altered how we get work done. In the last decade, a tech-savvy employee can finish his tasks from anywhere, even their homes.
In the last 1.5 decades, we have witnessed more comfortable and aesthetically cozy office interior space, crafted with soothing colors and textures, compacted with couches, bean bags, swing chairs, and whatnot.
5. The evolution of the office in 2021 and beyond
The COVID-19 epidemic has expedited a number of commercial real estate trends developing over the previous decade. These qualities are expected to be reflected in the office design language of the future.
The year 2020 will be known as when everyone adopted work from home culture. That's where the concept of coworking space, aka, shared working space became more prominent and saw a rapid rise in global scale.
Companies are already adapting their office designs to fit new health and safety regulations in a changing world, resulting in the evolution of the workplace.
Employees may soon be forced to keep their workstations clean by bringing their own devices to work and limiting unneeded desk things to a bare minimum to keep the office clean and disinfected regularly.
This policy could complement remote working by offering a clean open space or co-working spaces where employees can finish their work when they arrive at the office. It's also possible that assigned seating will be phased out in favor of open-seating, maintaining the social distance.
I am the CEO of a Coworking Office Space in Jersey City, committed to bringing happiness, wellness, and leadership to our community. My company is recognized by the name, WorkSocial. My mission is to serve businesses in a socially conscious way. My purpose is to help the citizens of the world lead a life of optimism, respect, and love.