From the COVID pandemic, most companies are allowing their employees to work from home, which gives rise to hybrid office design to protect the people affected by the COVID-19 virus. There is a shift to hybrid work post-2020, and a study shows that 74% of U.S. companies are planning hybrid models. Many productive and quality employees are there who have to manage their home or child while managing their office work together due to problems in their lives.
There are many cases where employees have to travel a long distance to continue their work from the office, which leads to wastage of time and makes employees more tired, which affects their work and productivity. To eliminate these problems from the lives of employees and make them productive, there is a rise in the concept of work from home or hybrid office work and flexible workspace ideas. This allows employees to save their travelling time and utilize that in giving their best in office work.
In this blog, we will suggest strategies to create a flexible and efficient hybrid office. This blog will guide you to choose the right layout for your office and support both workstyles seamlessly while maintaining the efficiency of employees.
Understanding Hybrid Office Needs
Blend of remote and office-based tasks. A hybrid office design model is a blend of remote and office-based tasks, which offers flexibility in working conditions that helps in boosting employee engagement and productivity while maintaining collaboration and space utilization. In providing a hybrid working space, the company has to face challenges like unused desks, tech gaps, and poor collaboration spaces. These challenges can be tackled by designing an office that adapts to fluctuating attendance and fosters connection.
Flexible Furniture and Layouts
A hybrid office design raises the need for flexible furniture and layout in the office that would be cost-effective, and a company can make the best use of available resources. The arrangement of the desk in the office should be in a way that desks in the office shouldn’t sit empty half the week. Using the modular desks or hot-desking setups for shared use is the best flexible workspace idea that can be cost-effective for the company. A study conducted by Cisco Systems says that 58% of the company are wanted to adopt a hybrid work model to save office space costs. Adding foldable tables or rolling partitions helps to reconfigure spaces according to the workforce during the day.
Tech-Ready Spaces for Collaboration
An office equipped with tech that can give a better connection between the office and remote workers leads to better collaboration between employees and increases teamwork with efficiency. Equipping meeting rooms with video conferencing tools like wide-angle cameras, microphones can make it easy for the remote employees to understand the task and depth of the discussion. A meeting without any technical disturbance can lead to a better understanding that saves time regarding further discussion on the same topic. For virtual calls, add reservable huddle booths so that there is no break in voice during conversation. Also, ensure strong Wi-Fi and ample outlets everywhere for a strong and fast internet connection in the office. That will benefit in-person and remote teams to collaborate without friction.
Creating a Welcoming Atmosphere
For the employees who choose to work from home, it can feel uncomfortable to work from the office, but designing cozy break areas with coffee stations or natural light will give comfort to the eyes of the employees and can make them feel comfortable in the office space and enjoy the work. Incorporate biophilic elements like plants to boost mood and feel connected with nature, which makes them feel relaxed and more focused in their work. This will lead to an increase in the productivity of the employees and quality of the work performed. Design the office in a structure where employees choose the work from the office to feel the connection with the place and colleagues, they should not work from the office because of the obligation that can arise the dissatisfaction among employees and leads to reduce in productivity of the employees.
Conclusion
A hybrid office design can thrive when it is designed with flexible layouts, proper integration of technology, and an environment that gives inviting vibes and welcoming conditions. With rising inflation, the cost of office space is also increasing, which can lead to an increase in the overall cost of the product or service, which might lead to a decrease in sales and customers. Adapting a hybrid working space can become a better option for companies to save money and utilise it for the well-being of the company and can be used for other important tasks. The increasing population and fast-paced times are increasing the demand for the hybrid office space design and flexible workspace ideas that maintain the office cost and are easy to operate according to the workforce during the day.
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