The workplace is constantly changing and to keep up businesses need to evolve and look for opportunities to improve. The physical workspace is an area that many organizations are looking to upgrade with collaborative workspace design.
Making improvements in the workplace has always been a focus. Often improvements are aimed at increasing productivity or improving morale in the office. The COVID-19 era was the impetus for many changes but one that really stands out is the hybrid office space.
From efficiency to morale, there are many benefits to adapting the office with collaborative furniture and more to better equip the hybrid workforce. By adding flex office space, increased technology, and additional collaborative office space, your team can thrive in the hybrid workplace.
Read on for more office collaboration space ideas that can elevate your office and improve productivity.
The Hybrid Workplace
The hybrid model allows employees to work offsite but still provides them with an onsite location where they can work. Sometimes the office is a shared workspace, a cubicle, a collaborative workspace, or a desk for reservation when needed. Some hybrid offices require attendance a certain number of days out of the week while others operate on an as-needed basis.
As you can see, the hybrid workplace can look vastly different depending on the organization. However, the common theme is to make work more flexible for employees.
Collaborative office spaces should be flexible and adaptable to meet the changing needs of the workforce.
The hybrid workplace gives the employee more freedom and more control when it comes to time management. Providing them with both in-office resources to complete their work and appropriate technology to connect with remote team members are key to supporting this model. This will be unique in each workplace depending on the actual day-to-day operations of the team.
While organizations cannot control the work-from-home environment, they can provide employees with the resources needed to create a productive home office. At the same time, they should create a collaborative office space to promote teamwork and communication when everyone is in the office.
The Collaborative Office Space
A collaborative office space allows employees to work together as a cohesive unit. A prime collaborative workspace design example is a conference or boardroom. A collaborative space, however, doesn’t need to be as formal as a conference room.
Some collaborative workplace settings are far less structured and more closely resemble a lounge room with comfortable seating and unique collaborative furniture. A collaboration area in an office also doesn’t need to be closed off. Organizations can be savvy with furniture design to create separate meeting spaces even in an open space office. This can help people feel more comfortable collaborating in a more neutral setting.
There is no one way to design a collaborative office space. In the hybrid office space, flexibility is key. Collaborative workspaces should be just as flexible and adaptable to meet the changing needs of the workforce. This type of office environment serves to provide an area suitable for groups to work together.
Flex Office Space
In the hybrid workplace, including flex office space is important. Flex office space is an area that can be easily changed to meet the needs of the workplace. And in a hybrid office needs change day to day, and sometimes even hour by hour!
Often, these flex office spaces include higher-end pieces of equipment that many may need to access, but that doesn’t make sense financially to have in multiple locations throughout the building. Flex office space is being offered as a significant attraction, to the point where buildings lacking a flexible space offering are increasingly regarded as having a disadvantage.
Flex space is supported by amenities, is tech-enabled, and incorporates individualized human-delivered services.
Flexible workspaces can be swiftly scaled up or down to accommodate teams of various sizes or readily reconfigured to accommodate shifting company objectives. Teams can work whenever, wherever, and however they choose while using these types of flexible working environments, which are often designed with collaborative office furniture to be utilized in combination with them.
Collaborative Office Furniture
Gone are the days of dingy conference rooms and dark cubicles. Offices are increasingly becoming aesthetically pleasing with collaborative furniture. Modern office furniture and bright colors are found more easily in the workplace. The new take on office furniture creates an environment that can be enjoyable to be in rather than one you can’t wait to get out of.
Modular furniture gives an office the ability to turn a space suitable for a few people into a space for many.
All hybrid models can benefit from modern collaborative office furniture. The majority of furniture found in offices now is modular or easy to move and rearrange. This allows companies to get the most out of their office space without having to expand and spend more money.
Modular furniture gives an office the ability to turn a space suitable for a few people into a space for many just by rearranging or adding a couple more units. Flexibility and adaptability is the name of the game.
Less formal workspaces are becoming more and more popular as well. Businesses are starting to transition towards more comfortable and ergonomic seating. Many offices have added couches and lounge chairs in collaborative areas.
This type of office setting fosters creativity and provides an environment that encourages collaboration in the workplace. Collaborative furniture does a lot for an office. It is not only the aesthetics that matter but also the functionality. Office furniture that serves several purposes and looks good while doing so is key to providing an excellent environment in the collaborative workplace.
What Do Workers Need?
As a result of the pandemic, many businesses showed they were able to operate via conference and Zoom calls. Although not ideal, it was necessary. Businesses responded practically overnight to create virtual meeting rooms and virtual gatherings.
Now that we are moving towards normalcy in our day-to-day lives, we are once again able to fulfill our need for social interaction. So much of the collaborative work that took place during the COVID-19 era was over Zoom calls. Businesses are now having to reinvent the collaborative workspace, because the workplace may never be like it was.
A well-designed collaborative hybrid office space provides a worker with comfort while at the same time, giving them the necessary tools to do their job.
Over the last few years, the collaborative office space was a person’s living room. People took advantage of the opportunity to meet with others from the comfort of their own homes. When returning to work, they still want that comfort.
A perfect collaborative hybrid office space provides a worker with comfort while at the same time, giving them the necessary tools to do their job. We know some workers are able to do their jobs sufficiently off-site. It is important to provide them with adequate resources to do their jobs when they are in person.
Build Your Collaborative Hybrid Workplace
A Gallup study recently found that hybrid workplaces are the future. More than one person in the office uses a collaborative space so there is a need for it to appeal to many. An office environment is a direct reflection of a company’s culture.
Whether hybrid workplaces are a short-term solution or a long-term solution, businesses must begin the transition and start exploring new opportunities with collaborative office design. Some companies might find it beneficial to only have employees come in for meetings and others might see the value in reducing their environmental impact by closing the office completely for a day or more throughout the week.
No matter the approach, it’s time for companies to get creative as they design the hybrid workplace of the future.
Ready to design your collaborative office space? Shop Contemporary Hybrid Workplace Furniture from StrongProject today.
Want to learn more about designing a hybrid office? Check out our comprehensive guide!
