What does the future hold for office design? Steelcase believes it has some of the answers. Considering that this is the largest manufacturer of office furniture in the world, they probably have some pretty good insight. After all, they’re betting the future of the company on it! Steelcase recently talked with the Commercial Investment Real Estate Institute about upcoming trends. Here are a few of the highlights:

Workstations may be circled around a central conference room/area to provide both a collaborative environment and some peace and quiet. For extra privacy, space saved with more efficient layouts and furniture might be used to create tiny lounge areas where employees could go to make a phone call they don’t want the whole office to overhear.

Workers who are in the office the most (regardless of “rank”) will get the most spacious cubicles. Small desks may be designated for “touch down” areas where employees who usually work remotely can plug in and get a little work done. Don’t miss the full “Top Ten” list! This kind of space design decision-making could be coming to your office soon.