By the year 2020, 40% of the workforce will be comprised of millennials.  Since millennials have entered the workforce, the way companies do business has changed.  Gone are the days of staying at your office late, putting in long hours stationed at your cubicle, and working hard to try and get into the corner office.  Today, the office landscape has changed. With the influx of millennials into the business world, remote work and flexible work hours have replaced long hours at the office.

Not only has the way we work changed because of the millennials, the design of the workplace has changed as well.  Here are some of the office design trends in the modern office that are here to stay because of the millennial influence on the business environment.

Environmentally friendly design

Because the new workforce is aware and focused on sustainability of the environment, they want the design of the workplace to reflect this.  Companies have followed this trend and adopted green environments by using sustainable and energy-efficient materials.  Not only does this practice appeal to the new workforce, but in turn costs are reduced.

Biophilic Design

Incorporating elements of nature into the workplace is a hot new trend.  Using elements of nature like more plants in the workspace, access to natural light and the use of organic materials has a number of benefits including including increasing productivity, boosting creativity and decreasing employee absences. While millennials find this design aesthetically pleasing, they also believe in its power to promote a healthy workplace.

Ergonomic design

Millennials want to work in a healthy and comfortable environment, ergonomic furniture follows that thinking.  Including comfortable, ergonomically designed chairs, ergonomic keyboards, stability balls and sit-to-stand desks will create a flexible and positive work environment.

Design for work and fun

Creating an office environment that is comfortable and provides your employees with a place to relax, will increase productivity and help them stay motivated.  A flexible environment with comfortable seating areas, breakout spaces and even home-inspired elements will inspire your employees to work harder.