It is not just the world of work that has changed in recent years. Flexibility, improved work-life balance and mobile working have become standard. What many companies are still letting slip a bit is workplace design in the office. Because the office is taking on a new status, especially in the hybrid age. But how do you design the workplace in an office to offer employees a pleasant and productive working environment?
Key facts
- Companies must not only provide a good balance between office and home office, but also actively rethink workplace design in the office.
- Because the office is the central location of social interaction & productivity.
- The design of the office must be tailored to flexibility, ergonomics, collaboration and focus.
Putting your own spaces to the test: rethinking workplace design
With that hybrid work works, the hybrid office must be rethought. A superficial look is usually not enough here; after all, the system with shared workplaces not only requires good organization, but must also correspond to this working model spatially. The design of hybrid offices It is therefore given a new status.
A comprehensive analysis of existing areas is therefore required in order to develop a completely uniform space strategy. Therefore, when starting hybrid work, it is primarily about collecting data. In concrete terms, this means finding out the capacities and use of your own office.
Here can a Desk sharing software be of use to fully develop this dormant potential and Area optimization of your own office. This involves analysing the booking data of employees and comparing them to the jobs provided. This makes it possible to make better use of the land in the long term. This either results in savings of office expenses or for a new, more efficient interior design in the office.
What does the interior design of the hybrid office look like?
Office workplace design is an important aspect of promoting employee satisfaction and productivity. Good room design helps employees feel comfortable and can concentrate on their work. A concept for designing office spaces in a hybrid environment should consider various aspects:
flexibility
Office spaces should be designed in such a way that they can be used flexibly. The ability to quickly and easily redesign furniture and work areas enables employees to adapt to different working conditions. Mobile workstations or modular furniture, for example, can be used for this purpose.
ergonomics
The health of employees should be the focus of office design. Ergonomic workplace design can help to avoid incorrect loads and associated complaints. Height-adjustable tables, ergonomic chairs or special lighting systems can be used for this purpose.
Communication and collaboration
Good communication and cooperation between employees are important factors for successful teamwork in a hybrid environment. To promote this, office spaces should be designed in such a way that they support exchange and interaction between employees. For example, meeting rooms, open meeting areas or break rooms can be used for this purpose.
Creativity and inspiration
An inspiring work environment can promote the creativity and motivation of employees. A room design concept for the office should therefore also ensure that the workplace is designed in an inspiring and creative way. For example, paints, plants or works of art can be used for this purpose.
Productive working atmosphere
The design of the office has an enormous influence on the working atmosphere. To ensure that collaboration works despite high office load, the office should be equipped with materials that reduce noise levels. Partitions, carpets or sound-absorbing material on the ceiling should be included in workplace design.
However, entire office spaces should also be designated as “quiet areas”, in which focus work is actively guaranteed. If there is too much noise in an open office, employees can retreat here.
Office space design: This is what a possible solution may look like
One way to rethink workplaces is to make the office modular. In this way, the office can be divided into several zones, in which either individual or focus work is increasingly promoted and, on the other hand, space is available for collaboration.
For example, mobile workstations could be used here or the entire office could be equipped with height-adjustable tables and ergonomic chairs. Since several employees share a workplace in a hybrid office, there is no need to personalize their own desk. To ensure that teams still have a personal space, spaces with storage space can be provided. These could be lockers, for example.
In order to encourage employee creativity, inspiring elements such as colors, plants or works of art could be used in the office spaces. Some companies develop entire creative zones, which are designed according to specific room concepts or themes. For example, there are topic-related meeting rooms or lounges. Because a creative environment usually also stimulates the generation of ideas.
Another important aspect of designing office spaces in a hybrid environment is digital equipment. To ensure seamless collaboration between office and home office workers, digital tools and devices must be provided. Video conferencing systems, cloud-based document management or special collaboration tools, for example, can be used for this purpose.
