The commercial landscape in Australia and other places around the world is constantly changing.
What works in one decade starts to fall out of style for something more efficient, which is what's happening now. Knowing these trends can help businesses plan out renovations to stay relevant.
Digital Connectivity
One important change happening in the commercial landscape is the focus on digital connectivity. It's gone beyond just being the cool thing to have. Australian businesses understand that digital connectivity gives them an edge. Now, there are a lot of ways to go about this.
Some businesses focus on energy-saving technology like light sensors that turn off when no one is in a room. There are many examples of these smart technologies; businesses can even turn off ACs in empty rooms.
Digital connectivity goes beyond saving energy. Some sensors track employees and collect data, which will help them improve creativity and health. Some sensors track noise pollution so that you're able to address it more effectively. Noise pollution hurts productivity, so being able to track and attack it can make a difference.
A Sustainable Building
The importance of sustainability continues to grow, and it doesn't show any signs of slowing down. Businesses across Australia have been recognizing this, which is the reason many are pivoting to a more sustainable business model. Customers are choosing eco-friendly establishments over others, but it goes beyond customers.
Employees want to feel like they belong to a company that's making a difference, and it starts from the ground up. Sustainable building practices are making a big splash in the commercial real estate world.
Some offices can use engineered-timber that allows the builders to use recycled material. Companies are also hiring zero energy builders that focus on using the least amount of energy possible. This is done through solar and wind power as well as installing better ventilation systems to reduce the need to rely only on AC systems. A business that does this enjoys better employee retention because workers will feel proud to work for a company like this.
Clean and Open Space
The way a commercial building looks is also important. For a while, companies just cared about function and didn't pay too much attention to appearance. Well, that's starting to show cracks. People want to feel like their workplace matters, and the appearance of their office can help with that.
Today's offices are embracing openness, beauty, and cleanliness. A business may invest in things like stone benchtops or thin porcelain steps to help create a clean and beautiful environment. These types of design decisions show employees they belong to an organization that matters. This is the kind of environment employees can't wait to come to every day.
You'd be surprised how important it is to build a welcoming environment, especially when many employees are willing to move on. Open space also encourages employees to interact with each other and feel more like a family. This is another effective way employers are improving employee retention.
Getting the Look
The layout of an office is vital, just as the interior design, but there's another trend rising as well, and it deals with the look of the commercial building. More companies are investing in architectural art. Some are doing so by adding large scale murals to adorn at least one side of the office building.
Other businesses are creating buildings with curves, sometimes unexpected curves or rounded edges. It seems the business world is letting go of traditional strong edges and corners. They are embracing a bit of playfulness, which creates memorable office buildings.
There are a lot of reasons why this might be trending. For one, companies want to stand out. In the digital age where everything is photographed, there's no better way to stand out than with a design decision that makes the building unique. It's important that you meet with a potential architect to make sure they've delivered impressive designs before and will do the same for you. Look over their portfolio before making a decision.
Hopefully, you can see why knowing these trends can help you plan out renovations if you have your commercial space or can help you plan out a great new building. Continue to pay attention to the trends because they tend to change every so often, and you don't want to miss your chance to evolve.
