Is it possible that currently the desk is only used for 40% of the time spent in the office, and about 25% of desks are not occupied by employees at all? Changes in management models, the increasing importance of project work and the use of different competencies and natural predispositions of employees mean that traditional offices are becoming anachronistic today. We are in the midst of a revolution in thinking about office space and the organization of new workplaces. An expert in this field is Louis Lhoest from the Dutch office of Veldhoen & Company International, who promotes the idea of Activity Based Working. Balma, which has moved from designing office furniture to holistic thinking about the architecture of business space, where the center is the person and their work style, promotes the latest trends in this field. Louis Lhoest's lecture will take place on June 14 in Warsaw on the occasion of the opening of Balma's new showroom.

Mega trends, or changes happening in the most important areas of life that will affect how our surroundings and lifestyle will look like in 15-20 years, are now a strong tool for building long-term business strategies. They introduce solutions that may seem like science fiction today, but are becoming a new reality before our eyes. Mega trends for the next decades that will have the strongest impact on world development relate to the development of digital technology, the natural environment and resources, the growth of entrepreneurship and the global market, urbanization, raw materials and natural resources, and health protection. One of the most rapidly changing areas is work. The economic conditions and new societal needs affect how we work today, how long and in what organizational system. The most important values influencing these changes are innovation as a necessity, the growing importance of personalization, rapid technological development and its use to facilitate communication, teamwork and sharing of competences, multidisciplinarity and combining competences, sustainable development, and caring for health and well-being. The consequence of these factors is the transformation of the traditional work model. It is now standard to participate in a specific project, move away from permanent employment and attachment to a single employer, practice remote work more often within a certain scope, and also to increase the importance of new management models with less hierarchical structures that assume the combination of competences of different people in the company on an equal basis.

What is causing these changes? It is primarily the challenges posed by designing workplaces. The question of whether small rooms with traditional desks are better or if open spaces are outdated today is no longer relevant. The search for optimal office space goes much further. What is most characteristic of the modern work system, regardless of the industry, is the high variability of activities throughout the day. This is combined with the mobility of workers and the need to alternate between tasks that require independent work and focus, and meetings in teams. Therefore, designing office space should begin with an analysis of the specifics of work in the organization. Does the company primarily carry out individual tasks at independent workstations, or does its activity require a shared space that allows employees to have free contact and constant exchange of information in less formal places? The development of new technologies also strongly influences the change in office organization. Often, all we need to perform our tasks is a laptop or phone. New habits and ways of working in organizations are also generational in nature. For example, millennials are used to working in shared offices, but also in their favorite cafes. The growing trend of BYOD (Bring Your Own Device), which means using personal mobile devices at work, concerns them. Being mobile is natural for them. Sometimes, their office is simply a phone, which also serves as a notebook, diary, and element that allows them to be in constant contact with the communities they belong to. This generation is no longer attached to their desk.

How to deal with this stream of changing needs? Designers who follow the Activity Based Working methodology developed by the Dutch firm Veldhoen & Company, whose expert is Louis Lhoest, assume that employees themselves know best what they need at any given moment. Therefore, by adopting general assumptions based on knowledge about the specific nature of organizational activity, we should provide them with a space in which they feel...at home, that is, in a space where they have complete freedom in arranging a place perfectly tailored to their individual needs.

What is Activity Based Working? It is about creating the best conditions for work in which employees can utilize their skills to the fullest extent. The goal is to make work more efficient and effective, while also more enjoyable for both the employee and the company. To achieve this, it is necessary to change the way of working and the organizational culture in companies. This is not about style, but designing spaces that are functional and tailored to the specific needs of the organization. Research confirms that unfavorable working conditions are not just a minor inconvenience. Lack of acoustic comfort and the ability to separate oneself from a distracting environment (or conversely, an environment that does not support teamwork) directly affects the productivity of employees, which translates into specific financial losses in terms of working hours. Modern workspace design that centers around people, their needs, personality, and work style yields tangible results: increased productivity, cost reduction, higher employee satisfaction, and their development.

An example of implementing modern trends consistent with the Activity Based Working concept, as well as the Design Thinking project methodology focused on defining real user needs, is the Balma PLUS system, which is the result of collaboration between specialists in organizational management, designers, and independent experts. Operating in the field of work psychology, ergonomics, and proxemics, a system of solutions for office space has been created. The work of the multidisciplinary team was translated into the language of design by the duo of designers, Wiktoria Lenart and Piotr Kuchciński. Balma PLUS consists of modules that can be combined as needed. It is a response to the challenges faced by modern offices. It allows for the design of a multifunctional space for individual and teamwork, formal meetings and creative work, as well as rest and building relationships between employees. It is an idea for a flexible office that allows for quick changes in space depending on the current mode of work and enables the user to open and close to stimuli, depending on what they currently need.

An important element of the PLUS system are desks with electrically adjustable height. They can be controlled from a computer using an application and a USB connector. The helpful application suggests when, according to ergonomic principles, we should stand up and change our work position from sitting to standing. Raising the desk encourages the user to stretch their musculoskeletal system, which has a positive impact on their condition and, as a result, their efficiency. The desks can be arranged to create a shared workspace and quickly transformed into separate, isolated workstations using aesthetic acoustic deflectors, which are one of the main elements of the PLUS system. The felt construction makes them lightweight and easy to adjust to any position on the desk. Mobile upholstered screens in various color variants are used to create a more intimate space for individual work. On one hand, they provide comfortable conditions for work requiring focus and concentration, and on the other hand, they efficiently organize work because they can be equipped with hanging shelves, baskets, and magnetic organizers to keep everything within reach and easily moved to another part of the office if needed. The system also allows for arranging alternative meeting places using modular sofas and chairs to create less formal spaces for creative work and relaxation.

PLUS is the embodiment of the Think Pro philosophy, which the Balma company has been implementing for years in three dimensions: user (Pro Client), investor (Pro Business), and space (Pro Design). The project combines the highest quality materials, thoughtful, functional design, aesthetics, and the possibility of adapting the shapes to different styles of contemporary work.

The Balma showroom at Pańska 96 Street is not a store but a meeting place for architects, investors, and individual clients. The interior, designed by architect Aleksandra Mętlewicz, reflects the idea of Activity Based Working. Here, every space is designed as a workspace. In the entrance area, guests are welcomed by a green wall with natural moss, then we move to the co-working area. An important element of the salon's architecture is the centrally located and prominently displayed kitchen area, usually hidden or less attractive. Here, it was given a special status as a specially designed conversation area, a place for informal meetings. Where else but over a good cup of coffee are the best ideas born and sincere relationships built! In the main salon, the open space equipped with the PLUS system is the primary workspace, which is why the availability of places for informal meetings is so important, such as a comfortable chillout area. The only closed room is the conference room arranged in an energizing yellow color scheme conducive to creative sessions.

In the salon space, there is also an exhibition area where the latest PLUS furniture system is presented, as well as the brand's most popular collections. Notably, the H2 tables designed by Piotr Kuchciński, which were awarded the prestigious Red Dot Design Award, are also exhibited. Upholstered furniture from the sister brand Noti and accessories from other manufacturers, such as carpets and lighting, are also displayed. The interior of the salon is an excellent source of inspiration for how to arrange a workspace and meeting place to ensure that work is comfortable and efficient.