Covid-19 has impacted every aspect of our lives and while we strive to get back on track, one issue that’s been thrown into stark relief by the pandemic is the future of work.
With the caveat that those of us fortunate enough to have not lost jobs during the pandemic are privileged to be in a position to be debating where and how we should work, it’s interesting to consider which types of workplace designs are most conducive to productivity, health and happiness.
If you’ve been wondering whether you want to go back to the same office environment post-lockdown and what the viable alternatives are, take a look at these five wonderful post-lockdown workspaces for inspiration.
- Eudaimonia machine
According to Aristotle, eudaimonia is the state of ‘the highest human good’.
So a Eudaimonia machine office design has several carefully composed chambers designed to perfectly enable peak performance for different types if work ̶ from sociable brainstorming all the way to solo, highly-focused tasks. Find out more in this article from Holtby Turner.
- Campus design
If you work for a tech giant like Google, you’ll probably be familiar with the campus-style office design.
More of a village than a workplace, everything you need is in one place ̶ from spaces for solo or group work to restaurants, gyms and chillout areas. If you’ve been feeling isolated, perhaps this social workspace sounds good post-lockdown?
- Collaborative space
High rental overheads and a lack of flexibility mean that some startup companies and solopreneurs can’t access traditional physical offices.
If you’re in that position, a collaborative work space like the 3M Buckley Innovation Centre might be ideal. This flexible, friendly and supportive space lets you plug into support from industry experts and potential enterprise allies.
- Home office
If you’ve been working from home during lockdown and it has provided a better balance between job and family duties, chances are that you’d like to stay there.
But whether you’re employed or self-employed, be sure that you’ve got a proper setup with a chair and desk that protects your posture and all the necessary IT. Also ̶ get outside for exercise as often as possible and set boundaries around when you start and stop work.
- Garden pod
The garden pod is the perfect choice for many remote workers. You’re close enough to home to be able to pop in for snacks and help out with childcare, but there’s enough physical distance so that everyone understands that you are actually working.
Garden pods aren’t cheap, but they can restore household harmony, ensure that you feel calm and productive, and become a sanctuary where you can switch off when you need to. Take a look at the pods on offer from Cuckooland to get a feel for your options.
As you contemplate where you would most like to spend your working days (or nights) during the ‘new normal’, hopefully these five wonderful workspaces provide food for thought.