September is the month that marks a return to sharing and socialising in the workplace. 2024 is seeing a brand-new situation, with global trends appearing to confirm that workers want to get back to the office. It is, in fact, clear that collaboration between people stimulates company performance and productivity, as highlighted by research presented by Gensler in the 2024 Global Workplace Survey. At the same time, hybrid working methods are persisting, evidence that flexibility remains an essential factor.

The efficiency of an environment is no longer, in itself, a measurement of the effectiveness of a workspace; the value of the experiences of the people who work there is also influential: welcome to the era of the “social office”.

This trend is also being seen in Italy, where it is estimated that 31% of employees are now spending more time in the workplace than one year ago. The reasons are stricter company policies, an increase of in-person meetings and the growing participation of people, creating a “virtuous circle” of involvement.As a result, organisations are having to invest in layouts that combine the efficiency of individual space with the need for collaboration, in order to respond to all operational demands and render the “space” a “nice place to be”.

What does the new “social office” consist of? The byword is ergonomics; all the components have to guarantee extensive freedom in use, allowing the spaces themselves to be quickly adapted. This means easy furniture that can be reconfigured on a daily basis, favouring more flexible ways of working such as hot desking, which allows people to change workstations from day to day, and office pods, which offer dedicated space for individual activities that require more privacy and concentration. Then there are wall systems, modular partitions that allow spaces to be quickly reconfigured as needed, and lounge areas for hospitality, relaxation and socialising.

In short, assigning the office the additional role of a “social melting pot” of experience and professionalism leads to a reflection on the interpretation of the workplace as a veritable PROJECT in which every item of furniture tells a different story according to how it is configured.