In recent years, office spaces have witnessed dramatic changes, reflecting developments in the way we work. More companies are opting for open designs and are encouraging employees to personalise their workspaces. Here are five office trends we expect to see as the year unfolds, writes Frazer Butcher, managing director of Humanscale Mena, pictured, an ergonomics design company that manufactures products to improve health and comfort in the workplace.
Breakout spaces
In an effort to buck the trend of shorter employee lifecycles, companies should prepare for a new generation of employees and an increasingly mobile workforce. Businesses need to respond to lower engagement and younger members of staff who are more likely to leave a job within five years. Among both the modern workforce and progressive employers, there is an acceptance that work should not be a daily grind. Rather, the office should be a pleasant space that motivates and encourages staff, making the job more enjoyable and boosting morale.
To this end, offices are incorporating more breakout spaces to give employees a chance to take a breather and return to their work refreshed. Breakout areas featuring bright, stimulating colours and exciting design features will be more common this year, with organisations embracing the examples set by tech giants such as Google and Facebook, by creating lounges and even games rooms to improve employee satisfaction.
Healthier workplaces
There is no let-up in the move towards more health-focused workplaces and active office furniture. Businesses are becoming aware of the role they have to play in creating a healthy work environment and a more active lifestyle. Although not new, sit-stand furniture continues to increase in popularity because it encourages greater levels of activity, helping to reduce the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and obesity as well as musculoskeletal problems, such as back and neck pain. This boosts productivity, creativity and job satisfaction, which has a positive effect both for the individual and the business.
Adjustable desks allow employees to change the height of their desks in seconds, so they can alternate between sitting and standing through out the day. There is no doubt that 2019 will see companies utilising ergonomic seating and surfaces as a preventative rather than a curative measure. Forward-thinking employers will also encourage healthy behaviours such as taking regular screen breaks and being more active throughout the day.
In addition, biophilic design will play a more significant role in corporate environments, so expect greenery and more impressive examples of plant-based design to become more prominent this year. In a recent Human Spaces report, data shows employees who work in offices with natural elements – including natural light – reported a 15 per cent higher level of well-being and were 15 per cent more creative.
Multifunctional furniture
As firms seek out ways to maximise profits and decrease costs, commercial property is one area that presents the potential to reduce outgoings dramatically. As well as the increased popularity of hot-desking, companies will look to cut down the space each employee needs while at the office, minimising the total room required. As a result, there will be an increasing demand for spaces and furniture that can adapt to different needs in the office, creating more flexible workspaces. The same trend will be seen in furniture, too, with an increased demand for multipurpose pieces, such as sofa pods with built-in tables and conference tables that can also be used for bench-desking.
Room for the cool kids
The oldest members of generation Z are only 23 years old. However, experts estimate that they will represent more than a third of the total global workforce by 2020. Organisations need to adapt recruitment strategies to attract and retain these employees, who expect sophisticated software and technology strategies. Attracting the best talent from among the younger generation is competitive, and technology and gadgets are seen as a key way of engaging the cream of the crop. Installing relatively inexpensive gadgets to workspaces, such as advanced monitor arms and USB docking stations, can propel the daily working environment into the next decade.
Home offices
As more employees enjoy the benefits of flexible hours and remote working, home is becoming the new workplace for many. According to the latest statistics from Global Workplace Analytics, regular work-at-home among the non-self-employed has increased by 140 per cent since 2005, and 4.3 million employees now work from home at least half of the time. Humanscale can confirm that the statistics in the UAE are similar to global trends and, according to a 2018 study by International Workplace Group, 60 per cent of UAE employees work remotely at least one day each week.
To facilitate this shift, employees are seeking shared spaces or utilising home offices. As employers continue to look for top talent, many are offering remote working and flexible hours as an incentive, which is reflected upon by the demand for the burgeoning variety of home-office furniture solutions in the market. Increasing numbers of companies will offer more flexible working solutions such as this in 2019 in order to remain competitive and maximise job satisfaction for their top people.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
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The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
The biog
Hometown: Cairo
Age: 37
Favourite TV series: The Handmaid’s Tale, Black Mirror
Favourite anime series: Death Note, One Piece and Hellsing
Favourite book: Designing Brand Identity, Fifth Edition
Company Profile
Company name: Yeepeey
Started: Soft launch in November, 2020
Founders: Sagar Chandiramani, Jatin Sharma and Monish Chandiramani
Based: Dubai
Industry: E-grocery
Initial investment: $150,000
Future plan: Raise $1.5m and enter Saudi Arabia next year
Europe’s rearming plan
- Suspend strict budget rules to allow member countries to step up defence spending
- Create new "instrument" providing €150 billion of loans to member countries for defence investment
- Use the existing EU budget to direct more funds towards defence-related investment
- Engage the bloc's European Investment Bank to drop limits on lending to defence firms
- Create a savings and investments union to help companies access capital
PROFILE
Name: Enhance Fitness
Year started: 2018
Based: UAE
Employees: 200
Amount raised: $3m
Investors: Global Ventures and angel investors
Naga
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Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989
Director: Goran Hugo Olsson
Rating: 5/5
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Tips for used car buyers
- Choose cars with GCC specifications
- Get a service history for cars less than five years old
- Don’t go cheap on the inspection
- Check for oil leaks
- Do a Google search on the standard problems for your car model
- Do your due diligence. Get a transfer of ownership done at an official RTA centre
- Check the vehicle’s condition. You don’t want to buy a car that’s a good deal but ends up costing you Dh10,000 in repairs every month
- Validate warranty and service contracts with the relevant agency and and make sure they are valid when ownership is transferred
- If you are planning to sell the car soon, buy one with a good resale value. The two most popular cars in the UAE are black or white in colour and other colours are harder to sell
Tarek Kabrit, chief executive of Seez, and Imad Hammad, chief executive and co-founder of CarSwitch.com
The specs
Engine: 3-litre twin-turbo V6
Power: 400hp
Torque: 475Nm
Transmission: 9-speed automatic
Price: From Dh215,900
On sale: Now
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THE SPECS
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
Power: 420kW
Torque: 780Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh1,350,000
On sale: Available for preorder now
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
Bharatanatyam
A ancient classical dance from the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Intricate footwork and expressions are used to denote spiritual stories and ideas.
Uefa Champions League play-off
First leg: Wednesday, 11pm (UAE)
Ajax v Dynamo Kiev
Second leg: Tuesday, August 28, 11pm (UAE)
Dynamo Kiev v Ajax
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
RESULTS
Main card
Bantamweight 56.4kg: Mehdi Eljamari (MAR) beat Abrorbek Madiminbekov (UZB), Split points decision
Super heavyweight 94 kg: Adnan Mohammad (IRN) beat Mohammed Ajaraam (MAR), Split points decision
Lightweight 60kg: Zakaria Eljamari (UAE) beat Faridoon Alik Zai (AFG), RSC round 3
Light heavyweight 81.4kg: Taha Marrouni (MAR) beat Mahmood Amin (EGY), Unanimous points decision
Light welterweight 64.5kg: Siyovush Gulmamadov (TJK) beat Nouredine Samir (UAE), Unanimous points decision
Light heavyweight 81.4kg: Ilyass Habibali (UAE) beat Haroun Baka (ALG), KO second round
THE LIGHT
Director: Tom Tykwer
Starring: Tala Al Deen, Nicolette Krebitz, Lars Eidinger
Rating: 3/5
Banned items
Dubai Police has also issued a list of banned items at the ground on Sunday. These include:
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Political flags or banners
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Bikes, skateboards or scooters
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Straightforward ways to reduce sugar in your family's diet
- Ban fruit juice and sodas
- Eat a hearty breakfast that contains fats and wholegrains, such as peanut butter on multigrain toast or full-fat plain yoghurt with whole fruit and nuts, to avoid the need for a 10am snack
- Give young children plain yoghurt with whole fruits mashed into it
- Reduce the number of cakes, biscuits and sweets. Reserve them for a treat
- Don’t eat dessert every day
- Make your own smoothies. Always use the whole fruit to maintain the benefit of its fibre content and don’t add any sweeteners
- Always go for natural whole foods over processed, packaged foods. Ask yourself would your grandmother have eaten it?
- Read food labels if you really do feel the need to buy processed food
- Eat everything in moderation
TOURNAMENT INFO
Women’s World Twenty20 Qualifier
Jul 3- 14, in the Netherlands
The top two teams will qualify to play at the World T20 in the West Indies in November
UAE squad
Humaira Tasneem (captain), Chamani Seneviratne, Subha Srinivasan, Neha Sharma, Kavisha Kumari, Judit Cleetus, Chaya Mughal, Roopa Nagraj, Heena Hotchandani, Namita D’Souza, Ishani Senevirathne, Esha Oza, Nisha Ali, Udeni Kuruppuarachchi
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20NOTHING%20PHONE%20(2A)
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AGL AWARDS
Golden Ball - best Emirati player: Khalfan Mubarak (Al Jazira)
Golden Ball - best foreign player: Igor Coronado (Sharjah)
Golden Glove - best goalkeeper: Adel Al Hosani (Sharjah)
Best Coach - the leader: Abdulaziz Al Anbari (Sharjah)
Fans' Player of the Year: Driss Fetouhi (Dibba)
Golden Boy - best young player: Ali Saleh (Al Wasl)
Best Fans of the Year: Sharjah
Goal of the Year: Michael Ortega (Baniyas)
North Pole stats
Distance covered: 160km
Temperature: -40°C
Weight of equipment: 45kg
Altitude (metres above sea level): 0
Terrain: Ice rock
South Pole stats
Distance covered: 130km
Temperature: -50°C
Weight of equipment: 50kg
Altitude (metres above sea level): 3,300
Terrain: Flat ice
The Brutalist
Director: Brady Corbet
Stars: Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones, Guy Pearce, Joe Alwyn
Rating: 3.5/5
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