COLLABORATIVE WORK ENVIRONMENTS ARE IN

It’s predicted that millennials will make up nearly 50 percent of the workforce in 2020. That’s right—80 million or so young adults, coming your way.

Are you ready?

Millennials want to be excited and inspired by their work. They need flexibility, they want to make a difference in the world, and they want a Holacracy—where power is evenly distributed. What don’t they want? Cubicles.

As we mentioned in the Top Workplace Trends of 2015, their impending arrival is transforming office design. Even the biggest and oldest corporations are starting to follow office design trends pioneered by younger startups and cool tech companies. These days, it’s all about collaboration.

In Baltimore, a national commercial real estate development company is opening up a 20,000-square-foot space aimed at early-stage companies to accommodate the growing demand for nontraditional, collaborative offices. In addition to encouraging collaboration, they’re also offering amenities such as craft beer, a game lounge and a full-service coffee bar.

We’re not sure how craft beer will help with productivity, but collaborative design may actually give a boost to productivity and team morale.

What are the benefits of collaborative spaces, you may ask?

Collaborative Work Environments Can Help With

Not everyone is 100% on board yet, but even the most traditional of industries are making moves towards breaking down the barriers between their people.

A law firm in Washington D.C. recently made headlines by veering away from the prestigious, corner-office culture and created a more egalitarian space; everyone gets the same size office, one guest chair and glass walls.

There’s no denying it—we are moving towards the workplace of the future.

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