Hybrid Office
The Hybrid Office is Here. Here's what you need to know.
The Future of Workplace Design: the Hybrid Office
The office of the future is a hybrid, without a question. It's somewhere in between remote and physical work environments, where creative collaboration happens seamlessly, and an organisation's team members are empowered to work where they feel most comfortable.
In today's increasingly competitive business landscape, companies that depend on the expertise and collaborative energy of a distributed workforce have realized that classic, centralized structures with strict hierarchies don't facilitate peak performance.
The workplace strategy that best supports the success of these organizations is a hybrid office. It's a workplace model that allows companies to embrace remote work by giving employees access to an environment that encourages collaboration and creativity. The result is not just happier employees but greater productivity as well.
Is it time to relook at your office interior design? Let's take a closer look at the hybrid workplace trend.
What is a hybrid office, exactly?
A hybrid office is a work space that meets the needs of both in-office and remote workers. The hybrid workplace model includes elements of a traditional corporate office, as well as other spaces within the interior design that enable teams to collaborate and communicate in modern, digital ways. More than just a place for workstations, the physical office space is now a cultural and social hub for people to hold meetings and events, participate in training or just simply meet and engage with each other, even when they usually work remotely.
Are hybrid offices new?
Even before COVID-19 disrupted how businesses have traditionally functioned, hybrid work arrangements had been gaining traction amongst some of the world's most agile companies. The remote working arrangements we've had to adopt during the pandemic simply accelerated this fundamental paradigm shift to a hybrid workplace.
Why are they so popular today?
As more companies are beginning to realize, today's best talent doesn't want to be limited by the traditional office. A new generation of workers has grown up expecting flexibility and mobility; they want to do their jobs, and meet their responsibilities, from anywhere. They value the freedom to work how and when it suits them best.
Mental health is another increasingly important consideration in the workplace. Some research suggests that open-plan office layouts, where people work alongside others in a communal space, can increase stress and decrease productivity. The right combination of in-office and remote work arrangements are, for many companies, an increasingly effective and sustainable way out of this conundrum. It creates a office space where you get the best of both worlds.
Why adopt a hybrid office model?
With more and more companies worldwide taking on remote employees, the demand for hybrid offices has surged. By allowing teams to work from home or anywhere they choose, businesses are able to hire the best talent regardless of location. Businesses that adopt hybrid work take on a more flexible approach to human resources, which will help attract and retain the most promising talent, and be rewarded with increased productivity and morale among employees.
This workplace trend benefits everyone, from the managers who are able to get more out of their teams by having greater flexibility over where and when they work, right down through every single person on staff. Office workers have more freedom than ever before; executives can focus on results rather than face time; and organizations are better equipped than ever before with the tools needed for success in today's competitive business landscape.
Business benefits of the hybrid office?
Beyond supporting employee productivity, an advantage of adopting a hybrid workplace is that it helps to future-proof your office space to a good extent. For instance, the hybrid office is designed with smart workplace technology in mind so that it can readily handle today’s rapidly evolving requirements. Office layouts are flexible, and no longer need to be subjected to cyclical operational changes. Seat counts can remain stable even if the staff strength grows. Overall, a successful hybrid workplace is agile, making it easy for quick adjustments amid changing business demands, or in the next crisis. All these provide cost efficiencies to corporate real estate.
How do you plan a hybrid office?
Our 4 guiding principles behind designing the hybrid office space:
#1: Technology comes First
Modern technology is revolutionizing the remote working environment, and it's at the heart of today's hybrid office. Non-negotiable requirements include the latest communication tools, software and hardware that allow teams to function seamlessly across all formats. Having a fully-functional office space means having the tools that enable remote collaboration at your fingertips, such as video conferencing capabilities, high-speed internet access, digital display technologies and more. Hybrid office layouts need to be designed with technology integration in mind and should include spaces where employees can make individual or group calls, hold video conferences and quickly share information.
#2: Design to Connect
Conexus Studio’s tagline, for good reason. As successful organisations worldwide know, the key to unlocking business value is by bringing their employees, their aspirations and capabilities together. The more effectively people are able to connect with each other, whether in person or through virtual means, the higher the levels of collaboration and innovation will be throughout your organization. Office space planning for the workplace of the future will revolve around how teams can interact with each other in more productive ways, regardless of where they are physically situated. In the office layout, this could mean adding more collaboration areas for informal meetings, or designing a community-driven environment which will encourage both chance encounters and get-togethers.
#3: Empower your Employees
Just like the Activity-Based Workspace, the hybrid office places a heavy emphasis on offering variety and flexibility where employees can work. Besides providing a rich array of facilities covering the spectrum from privacy pods to collaboration spaces, the office layout should be designed to offer a comfortable environment with plenty of natural light. The goal is not just to encourage creativity and productivity, but also to support wellbeing and better work life balance. This sense of empowerment will help to make your workforce feel invested in their organisation, and encourage a happy, healthy workforce who has the energy to perform at the top of their game.
#4: Own your Brand
The hybrid office is your organisation's physical manifestation of the future, which means that you need to design an interior fit for purpose. Take the time to assess what makes your business stand out from its competitors and what makes your brand unique. Your office layout and environment should reflect (and support) your company culture and strategy as well as engage those who work with you - so go ahead and plan for lifestyle areas or other social spaces. By embracing this trend you can help to attract and retain top talent, grow your bottom line, and remain a force to be reckoned with in your industry.
Anything not to do?
Remember: People before place. Involve your employees when designing the office space, and ensure that the physical environment is supporting its users, not hindering them. It's worth noting here, however, that not all companies adopting the hybrid work model are doing away with dedicated workspace and conference rooms. For some organisations, the traditional office environment continues to play an important role in enabling innovation and collaboration between teams. The idea is to create a culture where people can work how they're most productive, whatever it may look like.
How can we help?
Conexus Studio has developed a fully customizable hybrid workplace design program based on years of experience working with clients from around the world. Our workplace design and build process delivers customized, turnkey solutions that support all types of organizations and workstyles. We offer comprehensive support throughout the design process to ensure that your hybrid office space reflects your brand and culture, as well as catering to your team's future needs.
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