The Future of Office Design After COVID

We're at an inflection point in our conversation about the office. For nearly a year now, many office workers have been holed up at home with a return to the office just a distant prospect. But with the arrival of COVID-19 vaccines, we can finally see the office again on the horizon.

But heading back to the office isn't as simple as getting a vaccine and re-starting the daily commute. Work has changed and so must the office. Ryan Anderson, vice president of global research and insights at furniture maker Herman Miller, joins us to talk about what he's learned from the last year of working from home and what our imminent return to the office means for how we work.

"The game has really been changed because for the first time, maybe ever, the attitudes among work team leaders and managers in 2020 shifted, in that a majority of them now do believe that work can successfully be done outside of the office," Ryan says.

In this episode, Ryan shares a bit about the history of office design and why now is a pivotal moment in the way we think about work. Highlights of the conversation include:

How desktop computers became the center of office design and what to do about it. Why this is a moment to rethink work, not just the office. The three factors reshaping how we should think about office space. Tips for making the most of your home office environment. 

Plus, co-host Siobhan Fagan reveals that she lives in a kind of Herman Miller museum and Mike Prokopeak shares why West Michigan is one of the best kept-secrets in the U.S. Listen in to find out more.

Have a suggestion, comment or topic for a future episode? Drop us a line at [email protected].