The future of office space has been changing before, and during, the current global pandemic. Coworking spaces have become popular among companies in recent years. The hope is coworking will encourage communication and collaboration among their staff. Coworking spaces are supposed to bridge the gap between coworkers, removing physical barriers to improve social interaction within the office. However, some companies are not seeing the results they were hoping for. A study by the Harvard Business Review found that in-person interactions fell by 70% when companies began to switch to open, co-working offices. The study shows that this new type of office space is doing the opposite of what was expected.
In addition to this new trend of physical office space, the professional world is seeing an exponential increase in interactions through virtual office space. Virtual clientele plans are becoming increasingly popular, such as the plans offered by Oval Offices DC. People are more available online through platforms like Zoom and Slack. This accessibility has workers come to the realization they are more distracted and less efficient, wanting more privacy and a chance to disconnect.
This ability to separate and improve performance has pushed firms to look towards private offices. Even before the pandemic, which has forced most professionals to work from home, studies show that professionals prefer private office space. A study by Plansponsor says 63% of people chose a private office over open work space and working from home. Office spaces, such as Oval Offices DC, are becoming the new trend. The trend of coworking spaces to encourage collaboration is a great idea in theory. However, in practice, professionals are finding that private offices encourage the most productivity and an ability to disconnect physically.
As a leader in this new trend of privacy, Oval Offices DC is creating the bridge between working from home to going back to working in person. We provide virtual office space, which gives companies a DC address, right across the street from the White House! Once companies decide to start working in person again, we will have office space that is private to boost productivity. Many of our offices have windows overlooking Connecticut Avenue, giving you privacy, while not feeling like they are stuffed in the office. This allows for the perfect balance of accessibility and privacy!
The pandemic has thrown companies a curveball and there is currently no definitive end in sight. As we head into uncharted waters, companies are unsure what the future holds for their employees and work space. What we are sure of is that it will not be a sudden shift back to “normal”. Scientists predict that it will be a gradual move back into in-person working. Private office space ensures individuals can continue to work at a distance to slow the spread of Covid-19. This form of office space, the future of office space, also increases productivity among professionals, giving them space to focus on their work and choosing to be accessible on their own terms.
-Brooke Alred