The glass office: Why interior glass is thriving in office design
Interior glass has been gaining ground in the workplace and office design. And it’s not without a reason. Glass partitions have been recognized by architects, interior designers, but most importantly employees, for their practicality, adaptability, and transparency. But let’s take a closer look at the reasons why glass elements have been gaining such momentum; a momentum capable of replacing traditional walls and dry walls one and for all.
Glass elements allow for natural light
It all comes down to two words: natural light. Often underestimated, natural light can provide measurable health benefits such as improving sleep, boosting vitamin D, and keeping those Monday blues at bay.
More specifically, according to Future Workplace’s survey, over 1,600 employees ranked “access to natural light and views of the outdoors” as their number one desire for a workplace environment.
With that being said, using glass partitions within the workplace creates a brighter, healthier, and more enjoyable workplace. If that’s not a good way to boost employee morale and productivity, then what is? Food for thought.
Glass elements promote accessibility and transparency within the workplace
The days of bureaucracy and micro-management are gone for good. Modern corporate culture calls for openness, accessibility, and transparency; and glass interiors are just the perfect tool for bringing such a corporate message to life.
Without a doubt, we would all feel much more comfortable walking up to a colleague we can already see. We would all feel much more welcomed and much less intimidated to drop by our manager’s office for a quick question compared to having to knock on a closed door. Glass doors and interior glass walls can alleviate such barriers by allowing for eye contact and a greater sense of openness within the office environment.
Modern and elegant glass elements for an aesthetically pleasing workplace
The average full-time employee works 1,800 hours per year, most of which are likely in an office. In other words, a minimum of 8 hours per day are spent at work. But, have you ever thought about what difference it would make if you absolutely loved the aesthetics of your workplace versus if you absolutely hated it? Well, let us tell you this: it does matter.
Put simply, the design and decoration of your workspace can significantly impact your productivity and motivation levels. In fact, a recent survey suggests that virtually all (97%) employees believe that their existing workspace design drains their ability to focus, with nearly half (46%) describing it as ‘impacting heavily’ on their productivity.
Taking the above into consideration, having an aesthetically pleasing environment is a must for your peoples’ health, wellbeing, and motivation.
Glass elements are long-lasting and resistant to time
There is no shortage of disagreement that a primary factor for choosing the office’s interiors is cost-effectiveness. With this in mind, it’s vital that one invests in materials that stand the test of time without high maintenance bills.
Glass partitions, including walls and doors, not only are incredibly durable but they are also resistant to coloring or staining like other materials. This means fewer replacements and maintenance visits, and of course, fewer costs.
Glass partitions can reduce electricity bills
Having mentioned the importance of natural light within the workplace before, it’s also equally important to refer to the monetary equivalent of energy-efficient glass walls.
Simply put, installing glass partitions within your office space would allow more natural light to come in, which would, in turn, translate to smaller electricity bills.
Glass elements provide a wide variety of design choices
Sleek, sound-proof, or modern? Or how about all in one? When it comes to glass partitions, design choices are endless. Glass can be coordinated and matched with a wide variety of different fabrics, woods, stones, walls, and just about anything else. The choice is yours to decide.
So, whether you need a sound-proof meeting area, a sleek open-plan office space, or a contemporary kitchen for lunchtime, glass partitions have it all!
Final thoughts
People spend most of their time at work, which means that the office space is their second home. And this is exactly how it should feel like.
The work environment can significantly affect employees’ daily mood, productivity levels, and motivation; so, it’s, therefore, important to be functional, pleasing, and welcoming.
Glass partitions have been recognized around the globe for improving the aesthetics of the workplace, and they are undeniably here to stay. Yet, businesses choose glass walls not only because they offer contemporary and sleek aesthetics, but also because of their numerous financial and non-financial benefits.
However, keep in mind that an office design that is suitable for one organization might not be for another. Considering that each and every business out there has different needs and requirements, glass partitions can be customized to meet your expectations.