The current trend away from closed offices and cubicle walls and toward open office layouts has been gaining considerable momentum in recent years. The idea is that by knocking down the physical barriers, like walls put up between co-workers, employees will have more opportunity to start casual conversation with one another, thus fostering greater collaboration and innovation. But what about the introverts? People who identify themselves as introverts are at their most productive when they are in quiet spaces with as few distractions as possible. Introverts and extroverts can be just as productive as one another, but because they respond differently to different levels of stimulation, they need to work in different types of environments.

Having trouble attracting new talent to your business? Looking for ways to improve how candidates, employees, and guests perceive your company? Whether you're starting a new business or want to improve an already established company, the physical appearance of your office may have a greater effect on the face of your business than you realize.

Traditional Branding Is a Thing of the Past

If you spend a ton of time and money updating your branded materials, you may want to consider allocating those dollars elsewhere. A study from IPSOS revealed that only 37% of millennials say a company logo impacts their view of a brand, while 72% of office employees ages 55 and older feel the same. In comparison, 82% of millennials say that a company's website somewhat or strongly influences their opinion versus 53% of employees ages 55 and older. If it's you’re after fresh new talent, your logo and branding may not matter as much as it does to baby boomers.

Attractive Interior Design Matters

If logos and other branded materials are losing importance, what can you do to attract those much-needed millennials? The answer is beautiful interior design that reflects your company culture and the image you want your business to exude. The same IPSOS study showed that 76% of millennials ages 18–34 feel that office design and aesthetics somewhat influence or very strongly influence their impression of a company. Women between the ages of 18 and 34 and adults living on the west coast of the United States appear most likely to be positively influenced by good commercial interior design. The research clearly shows that the younger the individual is, the more likely they are to judge your business based on the physical appearance of your office.

Office Employees of All Ages Wish for Change

Attracting millennials to your business is hugely important. After all, they're the face of the future in American business. But with a large portion of the workforce still comprised of Generation X and baby boomers, can you do anything to appeal to everyone? Although older generations don't find good office design "important," interior design implemented correctly will positively impact candidates, employees, and visitors of all ages.

While Gen X employees don't place as much importance on interior design as millennials, design influences their opinion of a business more than it does baby boomers, indicating a gradual trend wherein the younger the employee, the more the physical appearance of your office will come into play when it comes to their overall impression of your business. In fact, 70% of study respondents who work in an office state that they wish their current workplace would consider a design upgrade, suggesting that although a beautiful office may not make or break their decision to work for a certain company, a well-designed space would be appreciated by most.

Whether your business is targeting new millennial employees or you want to give your guests a positive impression of the business, good commercial interior design is a step in the right direction. Consider an office makeover, and check out these 10 office design trends to you started.