If you feel like the world is shifting under your feet, you’re not imagining it. Things are evolving fast, especially in the workplace. Our partners at Haworth® recently completed a Global Evolving Workplace Study (surveying facility experts worldwide). The study sheds light on what’s working, what isn’t working, and what the future looks like.

We’ve broken down six major points from their studies, and why they matter for you.

Six Major Findings About The Evolving Workplace

1) Hybrid Work Is Holding Steady. Hybrid work isn’t a COVID-induced fad any longer. It’s here to stay. About 75% of organizations now offer hybrid work policies, while generally settling on a “three days a week in the office” model. The trend isn’t changing, and businesses can start planning spaces based on known patterns now rather than guesswork.

2) People, Aesthetics and Cost Are Driving Modern Space Redesigns. Offices aren’t just being redesigned today to save money, although that’s a factor. Modern businesses are also aligning workspaces with evolving employee wishes, and improving aesthetics. Employers seek to attract and keep top talent with comfort and style, while saving on costs.

3) Companies Are Seeking The Sweet Spot For Focus vs. Collaboration. The office is still the ideal place for teamwork and brainstorming, but they’re not always the quietest places. People value the connection in office spaces, but they prefer working at home for better productivity. Today, the goal of businesses is to mix collaborative hubs and quiet zones.

4) Office Layouts Are Becoming More Flexible. Rows of cubicles are disappearing as an office layout format. Businesses are moving towards a 50/50 balance of individual and group spaces, as well as assigned and unassigned desks. With that flexibility, teams can adopt the setup that works best for each situation.

5) Acoustics Are Offices’ Achilles Heel. Managers quietly worry about noise in offices today. With the busy open plan layouts, there’s plenty of potential for distraction, especially with the influx of video meetings. Haworth® called this the most common complaint. With this in mind, companies are adding call rooms, focus booths, and acoustic pods to the office environment.

6) Changes in Spaces Boost Morale. An interesting stat shows that 77% of organizations that made significant space adjustments in the past three years reported high employee satisfaction. That number was at 61% for companies that didn’t make adjustments.

How It All Adds Up

The upshot of all the findings is that hybrid work isn’t going away, and modern office-based companies need to adjust accordingly. Offices are pivoting from stale desk farms to thoughtful and human centered environments. The challenge remains giving employees both the collaboration they need, and the focus they want.

If you’re wondering how you can make hybrid capabilities work for your Philadelphia or South Jersey office space, the team at Bellia Interiors Group is here to help. Whether it’s planning, designing, or brainstorming the next perfect space, reach out to our professionals.

Click here to request your free workplace evaluation today.

Source: Haworth, “The Evolving Workplace: 6 Insights from Our Global Study”
Download the full study: https://www.haworth.com/na/en/knowledge/research/2025-evolving-workplace-global-study.html