05/17/2022 - The office as a “Place to meet”

As hybrid working concepts have become established, new habits and aspirations for the world of work have developed. As people return to working in offices, the office is now more than ever becoming a place to meet. For it was this very sense of togetherness that many people missed while working from home. Dauphin is catering for this trend with an innovative and creative furniture collection that delivers lounge vibes to offices, central areas and meeting spaces and so encourages interaction, creativity and agile working.

The demand for social interaction and therefore also people’s willingness to return to the office is marked. This is demonstrated by the results of the Fraunhofer studies entitled “Office Analytics” and “Homeoffice Experience”. The studies reveal that the key reasons for people wanting to return to the office are in particular the opportunity to spontaneously engage with colleagues and work together on projects. “In view of the amount of time it takes to commute to and from the office, companies will also need to increasingly look at innovative office concepts in the future to make it more attractive for workers to return to the office,” is the conclusion of the latest study by the Fraunhofer IAO entitled “Homeoffice Experience 2.0”.

Creativity, innovative strength and therefore competitiveness also thrive on teamwork in the office, according to the “Back to the Office” study. Another aspect is that the office is a crucial factor in workers identifying with the values of their company. A working environment which encourages communication and in which employees feel at home is a crucial selling point for employers, especially at a time when there is a shortage of skilled workers.

Changing office requirements therefore mean we need to change the way we think about the world of work. For example, in the future more than 50 per cent of office space will be used as a place for employees to meet. The working environment needs to stay flexible to meet the changing requirements of new everyday working. It needs to be possible to combine different groups of furniture flexibly. Comfort, a variety of materials and colours and not least sustainable materials and the durability of the furniture are a key element of the new work culture.

Too cosy to stay at home

Dauphin’s new lounge solutions place these requirements centre stage: Environments for coming together facilitate agile working and a spontaneous exchange of ideas, creating an atmospheric, homely ambience and making the office a “place to meet”. The possibilities range from lounge elements from the modular Reefs flex product range which can be combined flexibly to portable, non-slip Allora poufs in different sizes which can be transformed with clever accessories to create convenient side tables. Comfortable Atelier cocooning furniture which can easily be moved from one place to another on castors at any time creates a relaxed working atmosphere.

The fully upholstered Fiore club chair blends into homely office environments; the sustainably produced Indeed office chair provides an ergonomic “backbone”. Flexible possible uses and a wide array of different colours and materials help to make the office a source of inspiration, encourage creativity and help employees to identify with their work. Too cosy to stay at home.

More information at www.dauphin.de