Last Monday, we talked about small business trends for 2014. This weekend, we’re reading the tea leaves to predict office and office culture trends for the coming year. It seems that things could be much more flexible and fluid for small business offices in 2014.
Any Device Will Do — In 2013 and before, it was helpful to have everyone on staff using the same kind of computers and phones. If your business is big enough to have your own IT person or an IT service on contract, those folks would still tell you it’s easier for them to troubleshoot, fix and answer questions when everyone is using the same make and model of technology. But with many large and small businesses now using the cloud for their applications, network and content environments, your workers can easily connect, share and work, regardless of the device. As an employee, this should make for a more collaborative environment and allow you to work on the device you are most comfortable using. Both could help make you more productive.
Any Office Will Do — Forget “year of the horse,” 2014 could be “the year of the remote worker” (or maybe “remote work horse”). In the same way that the device doesn’t matter, it’s no longer that important that every employee work in the office from 8-5 every day. Excellent online conferencing options, instant messaging, Skype and Google Hangouts all make it easier to maintain good communication between those who are working in the office and remote workers. If you work out of the office for all or part of the day on a regular basis, make a conscious effort to check in with in-office staff to keep your finger on the pulse of what’s going on in the office and to build relationships. If you have a remote co-worker, try to remember that they’re missing out on the hallway conversations that could make their job easier. Keep them in the loop!
Any Desk Will Do — Now that we’ve established that what device you use and where you are when you use it doesn’t matter (as long as you’re working), you should also know that another 2014 trend is desk sharing. There are a variety of desk share opportunities out there. Like real-time rideshare and room rentals like AirBnB, if you’re looking for a short-term office space to use, resources like LiquidSpace, Desks Near Me and our sister companies’ Minneapolis, MN designers’ solution, DesignWorks™ Studios, help mobile workers find a desk or conference room to use for a couple hours or an entire day. Plus, this idea could allow your small business to earn some revenue if you have unused space you’d be willing to rent out. These temporary resources are a great way to find a professional workspace on a temporary basis and can also be a great place to network. (Don’t forget to bring your 123Print business cards with you!)
Any questions? Maybe this all sounds too loosey-goosey to you? Or maybe it sounds like heaven? Our predictions are actually informed guesses, so please tell us what you think the 2014 office trends will be. Leave us a comment below, tweet us, or post something on our Google+ page or the 123Print Facebook wall.