The best way to predict the future is to create it.

– Peter Druckler

The Next Work Environment Competition is a transformative opportunity to shape the future of work environments for everyone, everywhere.

We invite creative minds from around the world to share their ideas as individuals or in teams up to 6. As we strive to create workspaces and experiences that inspire, nurture, and empower individuals, we offer an extraordinary incentive: the chance to make a profound impact on people’s lives.

You can define what’s possible.

Submit your best recently competed work, theoretical idea or prototype in any of the following categories today!

2025 Categories

Workplace

With traditional offices now competing with home offices, coworking spaces, and other flexible work options, design an inspiring and innovative workplace that allows employees to work their own way. Create a concept or strategic office that supports hybrid work while encouraging employees to come together, connect and innovate in person.

Submission Requirement: In 500 words or less, include an overview, location, design plans & challenges and final outcomes. Supporting documents should include a floor plan.

Experiential

As the demand grows for engaging, inspiring spaces, this category challenges professionals to design environments where the experiences or amenities enhance the lives of daily visitors, while also enticing patrons into the building for optimal ROI.

Inside Your Office

Does your office or showroom act as the ultimate living lab of what’s possible while highlighting your knowledge of the workplace? Take us behind the curtain and tell us what sets it apart in terms of design, function and experience. Think an architectural firms’ office, a construction company’s new HQ or even a flagship furniture manufacturer or dealer showroom.

Submission Requirement: Office must have been completed within the past 24 months or be completely theoretical.

Adaptive Reuse

Your goal is to transform the space to meet modern demands for flexibility, sustainability, and employee well-being, while preserving its architectural integrity. How can you integrate cutting-edge amenities, create functional workspaces, and incorporate sustainable solutions, all within the constraints of the building’s original design?

Submission Requirement: Include quantitative benefits or if this is a theoretical idea, suggest potential quantitative outcomes.

Pick a Problem

Identify and solve a specific issue related to work and our relationship with the workplace. Whether it’s making commuting more enjoyable, designing new collaboration spaces, creating ways to seamlessly connect remote and in office employees, or designing innovative solutions – this is your chance to get creative!

Submission Requirement: state the problem that you are solving for in the opening sentence.

Furniture

Whether it’s in the office, at home, or any space in between, we’re calling for pioneering solutions that highlight intentionality and ingenuity. Submit your innovative designs, prototypes, and groundbreaking ideas that not only enhance physical comfort but are also stylish, eco-friendly or supportive of a healthier work lifestyle.

2025 People’s Choice Award in 2025!

After preliminary rounds of judging are complete, top submissions in the Workplace category will be automatically selected for our People’s Choice competition which is conducted via Instagram starting on September 3rd.

Who’s Eligible?

The competition is open to all creative (human) thinkers.
Enter solo or in a team of up to 6.

Why Enter?

You have a chance to positively impact how work gets done. And just for entering, you’ll be added to the list of Future Shapers.

Winning ideas will be celebrated in September 2025 and beyond through unparalleled visibility and custom articles on workdesign.com. You’ll also receive a digital pack to share news of your win on LinkedIn and beyond.

New! Top overall theoretical idea wins a $1,000 prize.

Each submission should include:

Your contact(s) information including name, email, title, company and cell phone of the person submitting. Note: the actual submitter does not have to be part of the team.
A name for your solution or idea.
A description of specific idea or solutions (500-words). See specific requirements by category above.
AI-generated visuals are welcome, but your core idea must be your own.
Supporting images (up to 10 images max). You have complete discretion on the number, format and choice of visuals submitted. All images must be submitted in JPG format.
(Optional) You can include a supplemental video, link to a video, Instagram Reel , YouTube Short or TikTok as well. Suggested length: 7-30 seconds. Max length: 3 minutes.
In the interest of publishing as many winning entries as possible, by submitting you are giving consent for Work Design to share your idea with the jurors and the WD audience.

Judging Criteria

Our esteemed Jury will judge submissions based on their originality, functionality, and value it could bring future work experiences.

The 2025 Jury will be announced soon!

📅 Key Dates

July 22: Submissions Open

August 8: Early Bird Entry Fee Ends*

August 22: Submissions Close

September 3 – September 12: People’s Choice

September 19: Finalists Announced

September 26: Winners Announced & Features begin on WorkDesign.com

Entry Fees:

Individual Submission in 1 category: $100
Individual Submission – same submission in 2 categories: $150
Team Submission (up to 6 members*) in 1 category: $500
Team Submission (up to 6 members*) – same submission in 2 categories: $750

NEW! When reviewing your order, use code: EBCOMP2025* to earn 50% off your submission(s) through August 8th.

Note: Winners will be listed exactly as entered in the submission form. Additional members cannot be added to individual winning submissions. We realize more than 6 colleagues may have contributed to a project and space is limited so be sure to list up to 6 people would contributed to the most to the project or idea when entering. Names will be listed as is on the entry form.

Have a Question?

The 2025 Next Work Environment Competition for Professionals is generously supported by the following Partners:

Tango is a leading provider of Integrated Workplace Management Systems (IWMS), trusted by thousands of global businesses to optimize space management, lease portfolios, facilities maintenance, and more. As the future of work continues to evolve, Tango’s innovative software helps organizations navigate this change, offering solutions for office reservation, visitor management, energy and sustainability, and construction project oversight. With a focus on flexibility and efficiency, Tango empowers businesses to stay agile in a dynamic environment, providing the insights and tools needed to make informed decisions and drive operational success.

Kimball International is a leading commercial furnishings company with deep expertise in the Workplace, Health, and Hospitality markets. For over 70 years, our brands have seized opportunities to customize solutions into personalized experiences, turning ordinary spaces into meaningful places. Our family of brands includes Kimball, National, Etc., Interwoven, David Edward, Kimball Hospitality, and D’style.

National, a brand of Kimball International, joined the contract office furniture market in 1980 with a goal to be a standout. Determined to offer customers a better value with shorter lead times, National created a brand by successfully delivering innovative products that were on budget and on time. Today, that foundation still holds true. Our exceptional value, combined with design-driven products, on-time delivery, and our dedication to customer experiences has established us as a leader in the furniture industry.

Allwork.Space is the leading digital media platform dedicated to the Future of Work. For over 20 years, we’ve provided in-depth coverage, expert insights, and innovative solutions for professionals navigating the evolving workplace landscape. Our platform serves leaders in flexible work, workplace strategy, HR, coworking, and commercial real estate, helping them stay ahead of industry trends. Through our news, research, and partnerships, we empower businesses to shape the future of work.

Enter the 2025 Next Work Environment Competition for Professionals