Ergonomically designed workspaces with modern aesthetics boost productivity

Offices that encourage interaction, spark creativity, and support employee well-being in equal measure are now reshaping workplace interiors.(Image: Recro Kardo)

Step into any contemporary office today, and you’ll notice that it no longer resembles the cubicle farms of the past. Modern organisations have realised that workspaces must be more than just functional but they need to inspire, motivate, nurture, and engage their people. Comfort, wellness, and aesthetics are no longer afterthoughts; they are central to how offices are planned and designed.

Offices that encourage interaction, spark creativity, and support employee well-being in equal measure are now reshaping workplace interiors. Rajat Kumar, Founder and Principal Architect at Recro Kardo Studio, explains how designing office furniture responds to a more collaborative and integrated approach in new organisations.

He points out, “The partitions between workstations have either reduced in height or disappeared allowing people to see each other, to talk and discuss and help each other. Cleaner surfaces like lacquered glass have not only replaced conventional white boards for brain storming but have also become norm for becoming table tops, especially of discussion tables where one can write and ideate on. Sleek and light weight structures for tables are preferred over heavy design, while heavy structure furniture like thick wooden legs and tops are used as bold statements in selected areas.”

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Playful and productive

This open, collaborative approach is visible not just in desks and meeting rooms but also in seating styles. Offices today are experimenting with amphitheatre-style setups, bean bags, poufs, hanging chairs, even simple cushions on the floor. This may seem playful at first glance, but the impact is significant. Switching between seating positions changes posture and work experience, keeping the mind fresh and energy levels high. In turn, this helps improve focus, productivity, and creativity.

(Image: Recro Kardo)

The focus on ergonomics is also more democratic than ever. Once reserved for senior management, ergonomic furniture is now seen as a necessity across the workforce. Organisations understand that when employees feel supported physically, they feel more connected to their workplace. As Rajat notes, “Colours range from pastels to highlighted vibrant colours and patterns. Texts and graphics become integrated with walls and furniture.

Shapes and forms of furniture are also played with to bring in variety and interest, from zig-zag running tables, upholstered benches, solid masses of stools, puffs. Simple things like accommodating right heights and postures while sitting and working through tables and chairs, having standing table work settings. Not having to bend down under the table to plug in your phones but having personal plug points on top of the table for easy access may seem simple things but they add up to saving human energy.”

Natural boosters

To make it more sustainable, reclaimed wood, bamboo, cork, recycled plastics, and renewable textiles are being embraced not just for their eco-credentials but also for the warmth and character they bring to interiors. Living walls, biophilic design, and green roofs are making offices greener in more ways than one and it helps in purifying the air, adding natural beauty, and boosting employee morale. Rajat informs, “Lacquered glass gives a wide colour range, brings in clean surfaces, practical for use as writing glasses, and adds a sense of space. Natural earthy materials like terracotta bricks and tiles, jute rope, cotton fabrics, bring warmth and coziness to the space. Acoustic boards also bring good and ready to install surfaces, and can be used for 3D cutting as they are homogenous material.”