As the dust settles following the last two years, many people have already or are making plans to return to the office, either on a full-time basis or more commonly as part of a hybrid office.
The hybrid office has become a very popular idea amongst office workers, with 85 per cent of working adults wanting to combine both home and office working in the future having seen the success of the former, according to an Office for National Statistics survey.
The key to the successful hybrid office is to cater for collaboration and inclusivity, creating a community spirit for those employees who relish the office but also including those who have thrived when working more autonomously.
Here are some top tips when designing a hybrid office.
Consider Who Is Not Here
Different hybrid policies will be used by different businesses. Some will require an employee to be in the office a specific number of days a week, whilst others will focus on prioritising where an employee works best and only having full teams in the office for meetings and other collaborative events.
Because of this, desks and meeting rooms alike need to be designed not only with the people using them in mind but to maximise the ability to collaborate with colleagues both in and out of the office.
This means a greater focus on social spaces for a work community, better compatibility with video conferencing platforms and an environment that focuses on collaboration rather than isolated work. People can go home to do that.
Emphasise Strong and Weak Community Ties
Marshall McLuhan famously wrote that “the medium is the message”, and a very similar concept could be applied to offices. The space we work in often dictates our priorities and shapes our interactions with other people.
If desks are lined up and divided then people will work in isolated silos. However, if you structure your desks in small groups for each team, you can help encourage a culture of collaboration and community, with strong ties to a team and weak ties to surrounding employees.
Both of these connections are important for creating wider inter-team collaboration.
For more information and advice about Liverpool offices, get in touch today.