Gone are the days of the cookie-cutter cubicle and the generic, coffee-stained carpet. With the rise of online start-ups and an increasingly aesthetically minded workforce (thanks, Instagram!), companies are investing in design that broadcasts their brand and draws in the best talent.

Finding inspiration and executing slick design hasn’t always been so simple, however—a fact that frustrated Gilt Groupe founder Kevin Ryan throughout his years as a serial entrepreneur and inspired him to found Kontor, a new platform for commercial design and workspace interiors, along with eBay alum Mia Lewin.

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When there was no internet, people worked till the office doors closed and went back home, ate their supper and had a good night's sleep. However, technology has now changed a few things. We are living in the information age where our work lives intertwine with the innovations and technologies of the future. Therefore, it wouldn't come as a surprise, if in the future; the term office itself is rendered obsolete. This post talks about the various methods through which technology is changing workplace and workers.

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No one ever designs an office space thinking, "This is going to be the least productive space possible." But when employees don't understand the best ways to utilize an office layout, their thinking can quickly and unintentionally turn this way. For example, take the debate over open-office plans that's been brewing on social media. It's a hot one, sparking strong feelings from people either defending or hating the space where they spend half of their waking hours. Employers who choose this plan, however, see its benefits clearly.

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Here are quick fixes to your office design problems that don't require hiring professional help.

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When LPL Financial sought out to build its new San Diego headquarters in an effort to bring together its more than 1,500 area employees, the firm saw an opportunity for more than just creating space efficiency. The new workplace offered the chance to create an engaging, collaborative and inspiring workplace that would support employee well-being, demonstrate the firm’s corporate commitment to sustainability and further differentiate LPL as an employer of choice in the region.

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Sure, cool offices aren't everything. But if you're looking to attract great talent, it doesn't hurt if prospective employees leave their interviews fantasizing about being in your space. We talked with nine Chicago companies that go above and beyond buying foosball tables and beanbag chairs to create spaces their employees can feel at home in. Here's what they had to say. 

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It’s a long-standing debate: Which is better? Open offices or private ones? Increasingly, the answer leans toward, “Neither.” Why? Because as workplace researchers, architects, designers and workplace experts have discovered, both have their merits in how we work throughout the day.

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