Are Private Offices Going Away?

As interior design advances along with technology and these modern ideas of "working", the open floor plan has become increasingly popular. So much so, that many CEOs don't even use private office for themselves anymore. Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Group, says "in 30 years time, as technology moves forward even further, people are going to look back and wonder why offices ever existed."

The truth is, most young talent coming into the workforce is already immersed into this culture of working remotely. With technology's hand in nearly every aspect of our lives, the office could be just a reach away at any point in time, literally, right there in your pocket. Though this may sound alarming for us in the "office furniture" sector of the business, we're not too concerned. Sure, technology is taking over a bit, but we're not convinced that offices will be completely extinct any time soon. Many successful owners, managers, CEOs, etc. prefer to be mobile and out in the open areas of their employee spaces to provide a secure sense of camaraderie among the office and really get a sense of what's happening with the business - which is extremely smart.

Jack Dorsey, the master mind behind Twitter and Square, says "I don't have an office. I don't have a desk. Mainly I am just walking around the office. Sitting down with people. Figuring out what is going on. What the biggest challenge is. What we've built. Resolving any issues that occur. I have my space in my iPad, I have my space in my head."

So, office buildings in general won't be going away any time soon. Businesses still need a place to get work done and a productive space in which to share ideas. However, the more open the floor plan, the more technology utilized, and the more modern the ideas for collaboration...the better - and we're planning on being around through that shift.

Branson adds, "The key for me is that in today's world I do not think it is effective or productive to force your employees one way or another. Choice empowers people and makes for a more content workforce."

How do you utilize these new ideas for your own workspace?