Working from home became the norm when the world weathered the COVID storm. While it had many benefits to offer, it also led to easy misunderstandings, decreased interactions, distractions while working, and lack of communication, among others. It was unsaid yet evident that complete work-from-home is not the solution. There was also a clear realisation that the synergies achieved while working together could not be replicated when the workforce is operating remotely. Hence, slowly and gradually, a solution to all the problems of the employees and employers was found. It was the introduction of a hybrid working model.
The meaning of working in a hybrid setup is an employee-first approach to workforce management that boosts output and job happiness while tackling the fundamental drawbacks of remote work, such as loneliness and a lack of community. Employees that operate under a hybrid work paradigm have more freedom to work from home or any other location where they can be effective. It is the need of the hour for the corporate world to renew its rules and protocols and add a new hybrid working policy in its handbook.
What worked (or didn’t work) in the world before the pandemic does not work today. Businesses are seeing this as they transition from remote to hybrid workplaces and are considering getting help from interior designers for their office revamping. It is necessary to redesign the office space to make it conducive to various modes of working – together as well as individually.
Ideas to Redesign Your Office For a Hybrid Work Model
Preparing for a hybrid work model necessitates using a strategy that is radically different from what was previously considered standard. Before the pandemic, office architecture was problematic, and the change toward hybrid work presents an opportunity to reconsider and reassess workplace layouts with purposeful intent.
Modular Workstations
The arrangement of modular furniture is highly flexible and can take on a variety of forms. In general, it is simple to build and even simpler to move around. Because you can create it (and remodel it) to match the shifting requirements of your firm daily, it is ideally suited for the interior design of small offices and flexible hybrid workplaces. A blend of private and collaborative spaces perfectly represents the idea of redesigning an office for a hybrid work environment.
Communal Lounging Areas
Working from home has numerous advantages, the biggest ones among which is doing your work from the comfort of your couch, sofa and cosy bed. The cosiness of lounge chairs makes working at the workplace feel more like working from home. In addition, it creates a homely environment which fosters spur-of-the-moment collaborations and socialising. In fact, many researchers have found that working in office lounge spaces assists employees in being more productive than those in organisations that do not have such facilities.
Places For Gathering And Socialising
When employees worked from home, one of the things they missed the most was the informal banter that usually takes place in the workplace. Conversations over the water cooler or coffee have been sorely missed in these two and a half years! Hence, think about designing a hybrid workplace for the community that will attract people to congregate. Providing incentives like comfy couches, free food and drinks, gyming areas, games and books corner or even activities for employees to play in the break room, such as table tennis, carrom, or word scrabble, will support employees to be mentally active and physically fit. Moreover, it helps them channelise their energy and be more productive at work.
Enclosed Pods To Support Video Chats
Open offices are excellent for collaboration while offering several seating arrangements but at the same time, they can be a little loud. Mobile and meeting pods give employees a private area to take a video call, simply relax or attend a client call. These clear pods can be positioned anywhere in the office and resemble big phone booths. Individuals can drop in and out as required without occupying the complete office.
The workforce is on the fence about work from the office. So, when planning to call back your employees, it is significant to redesign your office space according to their evolved needs from the WFH phase. Versatile and inclusive workplaces will help maintain the work culture and team building. Keep these tips in mind so that your employees can happily return to the office without having furrows on their brows.
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