Design the office of the future! Our guide for the United Kingdom shows you how to create an attractive working environment with flexibility, sustainability and technology.
Discussions about the future of the office have changed profoundly in recent years. For a long time, there was speculation about whether the physical office still had a raison d'être in the age of digitalisation and remote working. Today, in 2025, the answer is unequivocal: yes, but its role has changed fundamentally. The office is no longer the only place where daily work obligations can be fulfilled, but has evolved into a strategic tool in the competition for talent, innovation and a strong corporate culture.
But what exactly is the office of the future, and what does it look like? We see it less as a specific style of interior design and more as an answer to a new, central question: why do we still come to the office at all? The answer to this question defines its form and function. It is a place that must justify the journey from the home workplace by offering experiences and opportunities that are difficult or impossible to achieve remotely.
The biggest change lies in the purpose of the office. It is transforming from a place of individual, concentrated work to a dynamic centre for collective activities. The office of the future is primarily a place for collaboration, social interaction and experiencing the shared corporate culture. It is the social glue that holds teams together, even in hybrid working models. Quiet, focused work can often be done more efficiently from home, but personal contact remains irreplaceable for creative brainstorming, complex project discussions, spontaneous knowledge exchange and the onboarding of new employees.
This new self-image has given rise to concrete developments that are shaping the appearance and functionality of modern office spaces.
The rigid arrangement of individual offices or endless rows of fixed desks is a thing of the past. As employees are no longer present every day, the principle of the personal workplace is giving way to the concept of ‘activity-based working’. This means that the office environment offers a variety of different work zones that can be freely selected depending on the task at hand. These include open, communicative areas for teamwork, acoustically shielded booths for phone calls and video conferences, cosy lounge corners for informal conversations and classic desks for periods of concentrated work. Desk-sharing systems that can be easily booked via an app are the technological standard.
If the office is the primary place for social interaction, it must also actively promote it. Shared spaces and communal areas are becoming increasingly important. High-quality kitchens and coffee bars are becoming central meeting places reminiscent of inviting cafés. Large project rooms with flexible furniture, terraces and multifunctional event spaces for internal events are no longer luxury extras, but essential components.
At the same time, employee wellbeing is increasingly becoming the focus of design. This manifests itself in ergonomic furniture that promotes movement, optimised room acoustics for noise reduction and the integration of plants, natural materials, colours and plenty of daylight. The aim is to create a healthy, stress-free and inspiring environment where people enjoy spending time.
Sustainability is no longer an option for forward-looking companies, but a necessity. This is directly reflected in the requirements for office properties. Energy-efficient buildings with appropriate certifications (e.g. Minergie, SNBS) are in greater demand than ever, as they not only serve ecological goals but also reduce operating costs in the long term. In interior design, attention is paid to durable, recycled or reusable materials. The choice of location is based on excellent public transport connections in order to make commuting sustainable, and the provision of e-charging infrastructure for bicycles and cars is becoming standard.
Technology is the invisible nervous system that makes the office of the future functional. A first-class IT infrastructure is a basic requirement. Video conferencing systems in all meeting rooms must be so good that the line between participants who are physically present and those who are connected remotely becomes blurred. Smart building technology controlled via apps makes it easier to book rooms and workspaces, control lighting and air conditioning, and find your way around the building. Sensors also help companies analyse the actual use of their space and continuously optimise what they offer.
The changes described above are leading to a clear trend in corporate real estate strategy. Many companies are finding that they need less square footage overall due to remote work. However, the space they do rent is of significantly higher quality, in better locations and offers more flexibility. The key figure ‘cost per square metre’ is increasingly being replaced by ‘value added per employee’ or ‘quality of experience’. The focus is shifting from pure space efficiency to the effectiveness of space as a tool for promoting corporate success.
The office of the future is not a futuristic prototype, but already a reality today. It is a multifunctional, flexible and people-centred place. It serves as an anchor point for corporate culture, a catalyst for innovation and a decisive argument in the competition for the best talent. Companies that understand how to design their office as a strategic tool that specifically addresses their specific goals and the needs of their employees secure a decisive advantage for the future. The question is no longer whether you need an office, but what for - and how to design it to best serve that purpose.
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