When Tess, played by Melanie Griffith, walks to her desk to start her new job in the movie Working Girl, she passes rows of identical chairs and desks with identical computers that take up a sizeable portion of the work surface. The movie, released in 1988, depicts a set-up that would be almost foreign to any working person today.

Office ergonomics and layouts have evolved dramatically over the decades, shaped by advances in technology, changing employee expectations and, more recently, the rise of hybrid work after the Covid-19 pandemic.

The 1970s introduced cubicles and the first ergonomic chairs, reflecting a growing awareness of employee comfort and well-being. By the 1980s, bulky desktop computers meant that larger desks and dedicated workstations were needed.

The 1990s were all about open-plan offices, smaller workstations and modular furniture. Some of the biggest changes took place in the 2010s, as improved technology such as laptops and smartphones meant employees no longer had to be at their desks to do their work. Employers became increasingly focused on collaboration zones, breakout areas and wellness-focused spaces.

Then the global pandemic in 2020 forced the working world to rethink how it went about conducting business and ensuring productivity didn’t wane. Initially, the norm was solely work from home, but over time it shifted to a hybrid model. It started with employees returning to the office one day a week, but now many companies have gradually increased this to two or more days a week, while others have changed their policy to a full-time return to office. This has meant a further evolution of office layouts, with companies having to fit more employees into tighter spaces, and ‘hot desks’ and shared working spaces becoming the new normal.

According to the latest workplace research conducted by the commercial real estate services and investment firm CBRE, there has been a marked rise in office utilisation rates since the pandemic, reflecting the development of hybrid working models. ‘The global average building utilisation rate has dramatically increased to 53%, its highest since before March 2020. This is a significant jump from 38% in 2024 and 35% in 2023.’

The research further shows that average peak utilisation is 80%, meaning offices could be overcrowded during the busiest times. ‘This could negatively impact employee comfort, productivity and the consistency of attendance. The data paints a picture of a workforce adapting to hybrid models and an alignment of strategic approaches.’

The report adds that in the more than five years of tracking this metric, hybrid work’s prevalence has reached an all-time high of 111% – meaning more people are allocated to buildings than there are physical seats, which ‘demands strategic management of space and schedules’.

Desk sharing is now the norm, and the trend has moved towards optimising space, so organisations have had to rethink office layouts and design to mitigate the impact on employee welfare, productivity and overall work experience. It’s become vital for them to invest in flexible furniture, noise-reduction solutions, well-managed schedules and technology. The challenge is no longer simply fitting people into offices, but also creating environments that support a range of tasks.

Professor Andrew Thatcher from the Wits School of Human and Community Development says the layout of an office space should facilitate the types of work people are doing at different times of the day. ‘There should be a quiet space for focused working and then private spaces for meetings. Office spaces should allow for this flexibility,’ Thatcher, an expert in ergonomics, tells research magazine Curiosity.

He adds that working environments should also encourage flow and activity, such as taking the stairs and getting up from your desk to speak to a colleague. He explains that a well-designed office space can improve well-being, and that the ambient environment must be a priority. Thatcher also stresses the importance of enhancing office space for hybrid workers to encourage office-based activities. ‘We want the office space to facilitate social interaction and to foster creativity and productivity. The current trend is designing for activity-based working.’

Michael Davies, head of regional markets for commercial real estate and property investment firm JLL Asia Pacific, agrees that companies need to embrace activity-based working, along with designing for flexibility and prioritising focus work. ‘To encourage this collaboration, shift from dedicated desks to a hoteling concept, reduce the number of permanent workstations and allow employees to reserve shared workspaces based on their daily tasks. This will free up space for other uses and give employees more control over their environment.’

Ergonomics itself has also evolved. While the focus was once on the basics such as adjustable chairs and desk height, modern ergonomics encompasses everything from lighting to mental wellness. The goal is no longer to just prevent physical pain, but also to create environments that enable productivity and support employee health.

In SA, workplace health and safety is regulated through the Occupational Health and Safety Act, which requires employers to ‘prevent work-related health impairments, protect employees from occupational hazards, and ensure that workplaces are suited to employees’ physiological and psychological capacities’. According to the Consolidated Employers’ Organisation ,‘employers bear a duty to minimise occupational injuries and diseases arising from ergonomic risk, particularly in office environments where prolonged desk-based work may result in posture-related strain’ and repetitive injuries.

‘The Ergonomics Regulations impose a duty on employers to establish and implement programmes to manage and minimise exposure to ergonomic hazards for employees and any other persons affected by workplace operations. These focus on managing human well-being alongside organisational performance and were introduced to: reduce workplace discomfort and injury risks; improve productivity and efficiency; enhance employee engagement; promote a proactive health and safety culture; and contribute to organisational cost reduction,’ the organisation says.

‘The regulations reinforce the principle that ergonomics is not merely a comfort issue, but a workplace risk-management obligation.’

While employers may feel as though office design has become like a full-time job with all the factors they need to take into account, as with most things, it’s often best to just start with the basics.

‘At its core, the workplace is where we work, so any conversation about utilising this space should begin by examining the ratio of work activities being undertaken,’ says Davies. ‘In our Global Occupancy Planning Benchmarking Report 2024, we see organisations are evolving their workspaces through a range of design decisions.’ He says 26% reduced the number of dedicated or enclosed workstations; 35% increased the number of shared workstations in the office; 32% are adding alternative workstation seating; 38% have expanded the number of focused rooms or phone booths; and 40% boosted the number of collaboration spaces.

Daily office behaviour is now shaped by the hybrid work model, with offices having to support a unique range of tasks and preferences. ‘The evolution of office design shows that spaces must adapt to how people work, not the other way around… Modern offices continue to balance privacy, collaboration and flexibility while prioritising well-being, sustainability and efficiency,’ says Fola Adedeji, from office furniture and technology provider Office Interiors.

Tess from Working Girl would hardly recognise today’s workplaces, which are expected to accommodate many factors, ranging from collaboration to employees’ physical and mental health, often all within the same space.

As hybrid work continues to reshape office layouts and employee expectations, organisations need to realise the value in creating spaces that ultimately enable employees to be content, comfortable and productive.

By Philippa Byron
Image: iStock