Office history

Year after year, office furniture has undergone a real transformation. Much more than just furniture, they are now symbols of a new approach to work and a lifestyle in the office. Furniture designers and manufacturers are redoubling their creativity to adapt to a constantly changing demand that is closely linked to modern work practices, employee well-being and health, and new technologies.

The 17^th century marks the birth of the office with the appearance of the first flat desks or writing tables. At the time, they were mainly used to maintain correspondence and were popular with women and men of letters.

‍

The first skyscrapers appeared on the 19th^thcentury with the invention of the elevator. Workspaces are structured in such a way as to facilitate the monitoring and control of the movements of employees. On the furniture side: long rows of desks and basic chairs follow one another. QWL is not a priority, the focus is on profitability! Businesses are hiring more and the demand for office production is exploding.

During the 20th century, ideas about collaboration and efficiency led to new office configurations. Open spaces and cubicles have become popular in larger businesses, offering a more flexible approach to working.

‍

Towards the end of the 19^th century and the beginning of the 20^th, in the United States and Europe, open spaces are making their arrival: large open spaces with as many offices as possible, organized according to the tasks carried out in such a way as to promote the continuous flow of production. Taylorist office design aims to improve efficiency by promoting production in administrative and industrial work environments.

‍

Between 1950 and 1970, in Western Europe, especially in Germany, workspaces were open and arranged in a more “natural” way: this is the arrival of open-plan offices (Bürolandschaft). Designers seek to break the rigid and inefficient structures of large bureaucratic institutions and to design the spatial organization of the office according to the needs of workers. Very often, plants function as a division between different areas of space.

In the United States, when the Bürolandschaft (landscape office) became too chaotic in the 70s: the “action office” or action office spread. Workspaces, desks and modular furniture are arranged in an open plan to promote freedom of movement while protecting the privacy of employees. Workspaces are often semi-enclosed with partitions.

In the 80s — 90s, following the oil shock, all over the world and more particularly in technology companies such as IBM or Microsoft, open spaces with dedicated individual offices separated by partitions now focused on profitability. We are seeing the emergence of cubicle farms. This layout gives each employee their own workspace while allowing the company to save money. Chest-height dividers allow managers to see what teams are doing.

‍

At the end of the century, the first coworking spaces emerged, offering a dynamic environment for entrepreneurs and self-employed workers.

In the age of globalization and digital technology, coworking spaces have established themselves on a global scale. Bringing flexibility, community spirit, and inspiration, these places embody a new way of working for entrepreneurs, freelancers, and small businesses. They are the symbol of the innovation and collaboration that characterizes our time.

‍

Around the world, the layout of open spaces is becoming more fluid with numerous common areas, offices with glass partitions. The digital revolution has happened there: the digitization of many jobs and the emergence of technologies give space designers a lot of scope to think about them according to the needs of employees who have become ultra-mobile. The 21st^th century marks an awareness of well-being at work. Spaces are becoming more informal: more spaces for relaxation and dining. In short, open space becomes welcoming, warm, like at home.

In order to help businesses establish levels of consistency in management, service delivery, and product development in the industrial sector, ISO and NF standards have been created since the 1940s.

ISO standards, created in 1947 to produce international standards, ensure the circulation of safe and quality products on the global market. Among the 24207 existing ISO standards, Hexagone has the 4 that concern professional furniture (ISO 9001, ISO45001, ISO 14001, ISO 26000).

The NF standards, regulated by the law of May 24, 1941 and decree No. 2009.697 of June 16, 2009, are managed by AFNOR (French Standardization Association). The NF certification of a product indicates a guarantee of safety and quality.

• The NF OEC (Office Excellence Certification) standard indicates that certified professional office furniture complies with current regulations.
• The NF EN 1335 standard sets the optimal dimensions of office chairs (height, seat, backrest...) for the safety and health of the user
• The NF environment ecological standard certifies products with a reduced ecological impact (energy, materials)
• The NF 35-102 standard certifies the excellence of the layout of the workspace (work surface, noise pollution, lighting, access to the work paste, temperature, etc.)

The FSC Label (Forest Stewardship Council®, or Forest Support Council®) created in 1993 and the PEFC label created in 1999 are the reference for all professionals in the wood sector, including office furniture manufacturers. These two ecolabels are a guarantee of the sustainable management of the forests where the wood used comes from. Hexagone has the PEFC label.

More recently the AGEC laws (February 10, 2020) and Climate and Resilience (August 22, 2021) aim to limit the quantity of waste, increase the environmental responsibility of waste-producing companies and promote a sustainable second life for furniture.

‍