Hybrid Working and Office Design
Over the last 5 years, hybrid working has become the dominant working model in the UK. This huge shift in how people work has had a big impact on how and when staff use the office. However, very few companies have an office that is designed to maximise the performance of a hybrid workforce.
At Zentura, we design spaces around the needs of the businesses and people that use them, to enable them to improve performance. Every day, we speak to companies that haven't changed their office design in the last 5 years and are now facing serious issues as a result.
Today, we’ll break down how offices need to change to maximise the potential of hybrid working, in terms of the design itself, technology, and workspace experience. By the end, you'll understand how hybrid working has changed your office, and how to adapt your office to suit that.
Design Changes for Hybrid Working
The most obvious change brought about by hybrid working is the layout of the office itself. The role of the office in the hybrid working model is very different to the traditional office. Today, the office is a networking and collaboration hub, rather than the place where all work is done. Here, we’ll go through the key areas of an office space, and how they have changed due to hybrid working.
Collaboration Spaces
Collaboration is much more than communication – it’s about working together as a team. That’s why collaboration rarely happens in conventional meeting rooms. Collaborative spaces are informal environments designed for flexible use by smaller teams.
The main change to collaboration spaces caused by hybrid working is their importance. in the 2010's, about 10% of an office was devoted to collaboration. Now, that’s more like 30-45%! Allowing enough space for you people to collaborate is crucial to a successful hybrid space.
Breakout Spaces
One of the main reasons staff come into the office at all is to socialise with colleagues. If your space provides opportunities for staff to network and relax together, it will improve their relationships which are so important when working together.
In many offices, the only breakout space is an undersized and outdated kitchen. However, given the value that staff socialisation can provide, your breakout space should be an attractive space tailored to your culture. Typically, we recommend that such spaces comprise 10-15% of your office space.
Focus Spaces
Desking areas used to (and often still do) dominate offices. However, in the age of hybrid work, this is no longer the most effective design. Your people will spend much of their time either working remotely or collaborating, so they don't all need to have an assigned desk.
You should, however, consider other types of focussed working spaces. Other types of focussed spaces include phone and working pods, as well as bookable individual offices. Typically, we design spaces with around 30-40%of the space designated for focused working, 50-75% of which is devoted to desking.
Meeting Rooms
Meeting rooms may be inappropriate for collaboration, but they still have a role to play in the hybrid office. Meeting rooms can also include hybrid meeting suites, equipped with A/V technology to enable high-quality remote or hybrid meetings.
Meeting rooms are very space-inefficient, and most offices have far too many. For your space to be as effective as possible for hybrid working, you will likely want about 5-10% of your workspace devoted to meeting rooms.
Individual Offices
Individual offices are another feature that take up too much space in many offices. They are very space inefficient, and are typically used less than half the time. In many cases, individual offices are also located in prime areas of the space such as near the amenities or on the external walls.
In a hybrid office, private offices are largely irrelevant, as much of the work that requires a private environment is best done from home. That said, shared or bookable offices can provide a more efficient solution if some individual spaces are needed. These would typically take us less than 5% of a hybrid office. Certain industries, such as law, may require a higher percentage.
Technology
In the hybrid workspace, technology is more important than ever. To adapt your technology package for hybrid working, your people need portable technology. This will enable your people to work equally effectively, regardless of their environment – whether it be home, collaboration spaces, or focus spaces.
Audio-Visual (A/V) technology that allows easy and glitch-free hybrid meetings is also important. Many meetings are now held virtually, including client meetings. Creating a good experience in these meetings is essential, and your A/V technology is central to this.
Space technology is also important in the hybrid workspace. Smart access control systems allow your staff to navigate throughout your office, using their smartphone. Occupancy sensor software enables you to get a detailed understanding of how, when, and where your people are working. A smart workspace will enable you to understand how your people work, and optimise it accordingly.
Workspace Experience
To maximise the potential of hybrid working, you will need to go further than updating the office design. You will need to consider the entire staff experience your people have when in the office. Staff experience covers every detail, from the location to the coffee. For your people, it is all part of coming into the office. If you can make that a better experience, your staff will perform better as a result.
Despite the many benefits of in-office work, many staff are reluctant to return to the office. This is mainly due to two reasons: the commute is very unpleasant, and the office doesn’t provide a better working environment than their home.
To make a real success of adapting your office to hybrid work, you will need to provide your people with an experience they can't get at home – one that makes it worth the commute. 87% of staff say they would come into the office to socialise with colleagues, so capitalising on this will help attract your people back, whilst building your culture.
Improving Your Hybrid Office
Hybrid working has created a huge change in the role of the office. If your company has not adapted to this, you will likely be seeing declining staff productivity, as well as poor talent attraction and retention. As a result, your business performance will suffer.
By adapting your office layout to suit the role of the collaboration and networking hub, you will create a space that meets the needs of your people and company. An effective technology package will also boost their performance. As a result, your workspace will provide a much better staff experience, and staff will be less reluctant to come to the office.
Does your office need adapting to suit hybrid work? If so, get a copy of How to Plan an Office Refurbishment. It's a 7-step guide to help you plan your office refurbishment. This will take you from defining your brief right through to signing the contract. Get your refurbishment guide here.
If you're still unsure whether hybrid working is the best model for you, read about the Top 3 Working Models for 2023 and Office v Remote v Hybrid Working - Which is Best?
