‘Soft offices’ more popular with employees

Employees are increasingly looking for a "soft environment" in the workplace, office equipment manufacturers have claimed.

Michael Dunlap, an office furniture consultant, claims to have noticed that many workplaces are changing to meet the needs of 21st century employees.

He claims that offices are no longer daunting environments with individual cubicles designed to keep employees concentrating on their work. Instead, he has said that they have become much more fluid in an effort to produce a creative environment, with beds even making an appearance in some offices.

Charles McGrath, vice president of Structure Interactive, has backed the views of Mr Dunlap, adding that his firm’s office is designed with minimalist furniture to promote creativity.

Speaking to NPR, Mr McGrath said: "We wanted something that would say this is a place where work is being done, but that would also facilitate creative work."

The desire from employees for a "soft environment" when at work springs from the proliferation of hi-tech office equipment, such as laptops, PDAs and other portable devices, which have made working in more comfortable locations a reality, experts have claimed.

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