Design Insights
2022 Trend Predictions
Eco-Aware, Hyper-Hygiene, Inclusive Co-joined Spaces, Wellness-in-Work.
Haven’t heard those phrases before? You will do in 2022.
Discover the 2022 trends in workplace wellness, design, inclusivity, and productivity before anyone else.
Eco Aware
2021 saw a huge transitional shift in public opinion towards sustainability and the need for us to become more eco-conscious in our individual and corporate decisions. This did not catch anyone by surprise, sustainable practices and materials have been steadily becoming more mainstream and popular for the last few years.
We predict that 2022 is going to see a further acceleration of sustainable, mindful, and eco-friendly practices becoming established within all aspects of our lives. Whether that means responsible local shopping, electric vehicles become more commonplace on our roads, or the use of sustainable, eco-friendly materials in new washroom design, in the face of climate change, we can all make small changes to do our bit to help protect the environment.
Making more eco-conscious, sustainable choices about the materials you incorporate into your washroom design can start by using more sustainable, eco-conscious materials and processes.
Sustainable materials are classes as materials that can be used in large quantities over a long period of time, with appropriate planning and development, without significant environmental impact.
Some well-known examples of sustainable materials are straw, timber and products containing recycled concrete aggregate.
There is also an abundance of innovative start-ups, creating new surfaces from upcycled materials, that are a fantastic addition to any sustainable design.
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However - just because a material can be sustainably sourced doesn’t necessarily mean it’s eco-friendly.
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To be eco-friendly, a product must have a positive impact (or at least no negative impact) on the environment and living things. This covers the manufacturing process, transportation, installation, along with its daily use.
At Maxwood Washrooms, we design commercial washrooms with both your needs and the environment in mind. We offer a variety of materials for you to choose from, including several sustainable solid surfaces, and are always happy to discuss and explore sustainable options.
Read more about our pledge to improve sustainability:
‘Striving for Sustainability - what we’re doing to minimise our impact on the environment’
Hyper Hygiene
It is hoped that in 2022 the Covid-19 vaccine will significantly reduce the threat of COVID-19, but there is powerful evidence that people will continue to be more focused on health and hygiene than they were before the pandemic.
The pandemic has reset our relationship with the physical world and the expectations of spaces we interact with. For example, a recent government research study found that the Covid-19 pandemic was a “moment of change” for handwashing. Whether it is personal hygiene expectations or societal pressures, in a microcosm this study demonstrated the change in public opinion on increased post-pandemic hygiene.
The influence of social distancing in 2022 will not simply disappear. This awareness of personal space has prompted a re-examination of our relationship to physical space, none more so than in the washroom. Washrooms, along with shared food preparation places, are often cited as the spaces that the public value hygiene above all others, and with consumers becoming more aware of high-touch surfaces, 2022 will see a continued acceleration in the adoption of touchless systems such as hand driers, soap dispensers and automatic doors.
While recent research suggests that the comfort levels in doing things like shopping, eating out and socialising in groups, is undoubtedly increasing compared to the previous 12 months, the continued awareness of hygiene practices seem to be here to stay. It seems that the main catalyst to this confidence level is that these experiences look much different to how they used to, with people comfortable to establish new routines under the guise of increased safety. Employers, and customer facing spaces, will also need to meet this enhanced hygiene expectation and update in process/design within communal spaces such as washrooms. Whether that means utilising non-touch technology, improving personal space with individual cubicle spaces, or developing washroom designs to reflect the need for additional hygiene expectations, it is our belief that improved hygiene levels are here to stay in 2022, and way beyond.
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Discover how to use technology to enhance the hygiene experience in the washroom:
Inclusivity
Gender neutral washrooms are due to become more commonplace in 2022. Washrooms will transform from being purely functional spaces, into inclusive environments, reflecting the changing needs of a progressive society and the brand values of the business they sit within.
As well as engendering themselves to modern society, gender-neutral bathrooms make more economical and operational sense, too. A single, larger bathroom utilises floorspace space more effectively than two segregated bathrooms, and standardisation of facilities and utilities reduces the costs of building.
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This co-joining of traditional washroom spaces doesn’t necessarily mean a decrease in privacy. By intelligently designing your washroom space to incorporate individual stalls, with floor-to-ceiling doors for additional privacy and bins for hygiene products in each will ensure everyone feels safe and confident in the new gender-neutral space. It may even be possible to include a dividing wall for additional privacy can serve to divide a communal bathroom without segregating by gender at the door.
More economical use of floorspace, easier to maintain and clean, plus more inclusive for a modern society where individuals are free to become less entangled to a single gender.
All these benefits without any intrusion on individual privacy, we believe that expertly designed gender-neutral washrooms are set for a surge in popularity in 2022.
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Find out how Superloos can help promote inclusivity within your washroom:
‘Find out why Superloos are the ideal solution for post-pandemic washrooms!’
Wellness
The Bupa Global Executive Wellness Index 2021 indicated British employers are planning to increase spending on employee mental health and wellbeing by as much as 18% compared to 2021!
In 2022 it is our belief that the new flexible, hybrid workforce will require innovative and better ways of thinking from employers when it comes to ensuring employee wellness and increasing retention. After working remotely for much of the previous 18 months, the increase in anxiety, stress and depression is well documented across the globe. The need for employers to find innovative ways to improve employee morale and wellbeing has never been as pronounced as it is today.
As 2022 starts it has become almost impossible to turn on the TV, read the news or log onto the internet without seeing an article about the necessity to improve personal wellness and mental health. As individuals there has been an inevitable clamber towards health and wellbeing trends focussed on combatting the mental tolls of the previous 18 months. Whether it is ‘improving your gut health’, ‘tracking your stress levels’ or ‘mindfulness exercises’, 2022 will see the public becoming even more vigilant towards personal, and mental wellbeing.
As employers this trend has the power to dramatically boost your workforce and productivity. We all know that workplace wellbeing affects organisational health, so providing adequate spaces and processes to support your teams will become ever more important in 2022.
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The modern workspace is defined by set of technological, physical, and psychological support systems and spaces aimed to achieve employee satisfaction while maximising productivity and efficiency of businesses.
Stimulating your teams with a modern workplace has now become a necessity, especially considering generational expectations being rapidly accelerated as top young talent expect a level of flexibility, work-life balance and employee understanding of mental wellbeing.
Providing high quality, hygienic washrooms, changing spaces and workplace showers has become less of a ‘perk’ and will become more of an expectation in 2022, and beyond.
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Understand how to attract, retain and boost employee wellness:
‘The importance of choosing the right facilities in creating a workplace wellness programme.’
