The future of work. In a year where the rhythms of daily life have been upended by the COVID-19 pandemic, the workplace has migrated from the office to the living room, kitchen table and – if the Zoom camera is off – even our beds. But as Canada and countries around the world cautiously move towards re-opening their economies, a gradual, socially distanced return to the office beckons. So how should it all look?
When it comes to the office evolution, Teknion is ahead of the curve. Harnessing decades of innovation, the design-driven manufacturer’s flexible portfolio of workplace solutions is optimally positioned to create spaces that ensure employee safety while fostering learning, community and wellness.
In the short term, precautionary physical distancing necessitates reduced occupancies and new layouts, along with an evolving mix of in-person collaboration and remote work. Promoting safety and privacy, Teknion’s screens and walls offer a degree of separation with an emphasis on comfort – and style.
Studio TK’s elegantly streamlined Lite Wall is a case in point. The lightweight, mobile screens can quickly be configured to suit a range of contexts. Incorporating concealed magnets, the screens can be seamlessly combined – and repositioned – to create visual and acoustic separation. Available in three height options, the Lite Wall accommodates sitting, standing and lounge applications.
The Behind-You Screen and Zones Desk-Edge Screen are likewise tailored to enhance comfort and safety as workstation boundaries. A solution that can be added to both panel based workstation layouts and desking configurations, the Behind-You Screen introduces a door to open plan workstations. Compact and moveable, the screen simply slides back into the workstation when not in use.
Through a simple and aesthetically refined intervention, the protective Behind-You Screen equips offices to meet a new reality. “COVID-19 has shifted perceptions about comfort in the workplace,” says Steve Delfino, Teknion’s Vice President, Corporate Marketing & Product Management. “While many elements in an office work environment impact employee health and well-being, sensitivity to physical cues and personal control has been heightened.”
In a similar vein, the Zones Desk-Edge Screen offers sophisticated open plan privacy. As a more casual option, the screens introduce a pleasantly domestic ambiance to the office, reflecting an ongoing shift to more comfortable office environments – a phenomenon likely to be accelerated in a post-pandemic culture where remote work becomes more common.
The Desk-Edge Screen forms part of Teknion’s marquee Zones collection, which is conceived as a comprehensive yet flexible furniture collection that fosters a more community-driven, humanistic work culture. Comprising seating, tables, easels, accessories, screens and semi-private enclosures, Zones supports environments where people can freely network, meet, retreat or gather for a presentation or sociable conversation.
Developed in collaboration with PearsonLlyod, the welcoming and ergonomic Zones collection is designed to support a wide range of work styles and situations, offering an adaptable solution that promotes the longer-term evolution of the workplace.
And then there’s the Bene Box. Created in collaboration with European office furnishings company Bene, the modular system can be arranged and re-arranged to suit any context. Lightweight and stackable, the namesake plywood boxes can be combined to become a bench, a table, a desk, a cabinet or a platform. Professional yet refreshingly informal, the nimble and unpretentious design responds to a fast-evolving professional ecosystem. It’s also warm and friendly: In a year that’s brought so much of the office to our homes, Teknion is bringing a bit of home back to the office.
This content was published by Azure on behalf of Teknion.
Home/Office: Teknion and the Workplace Evolution
These flexible workplace solutions combine simple, short-term adaptability with a prescient eye to the ongoing transformation of office culture.