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Senior Content Manager
Content specialist in office design and build.
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To remain relevant in the new world of work, the office must become truly adaptable. With hybrid working now for people now a well-established model in many organisations after a few years of experimentation, there’s an expectation on the workplace to meet the demands of a workforce seeking greater control and comfort day-to-day.
According to the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), more than three-quarters (78%) of organisations have hybrid arrangements in place, while various surveys confirm UK employees’ preference for this way of working.
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Hybrid working only really works when the office is designed to support it, with interiors, spaces and technology that accommodate employee behaviours and dynamics. And while 66% of leaders say their company is considering redesigning office space to support hybrid arrangements, only a minority have actually put these plans into action.
In this blog, we’ll dive deeper into how the office can be designed to support hybrid working—whether that’s creating reliable spaces away from desks to enhance productivity or focusing on comforts that make the transition from the home to the workplace more seamless.
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Contents
1. What is hybrid office design?
2. What are the benefits of hybrid office design?
3. How to design a hybrid workplace: 4 key principles
4. Office design for different workstyles
5. Flexible and multifunctional workspaces
6. Connection, community and the role of the office
7. Employee wellbeing in the hybrid workplace
8. How technology supports hybrid working
9. The guide to the hybrid workplace
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What is hybrid office design?
Hybrid office design is the process of shaping a workplace around the needs of a hybrid workforce – where employees split their time between remote and in-office work. It’s not just about reducing desks or adding call booths; it’s about rethinking how space and technology come together to support flexibility and functionality. A well-designed hybrid office ensures the space works for everyone, no matter if they’re in the office every day, a few times a week or just occasionally.
Download the guide to the hybrid workplace -
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What are the benefits of hybrid office design?
Hybrid office design means creating spaces that work for both in-office and remote employees – supporting flexibility, focus and collaboration. When designed well, hybrid workplaces can offer a range of benefits to both employees and employers:
- Improved performance and productivity: with greater control over their working environment, employees can choose the settings that increase their focus and productivity.
- Enhanced recruitment and retention: according to research, two-thirds of people aged 25-34 would not consider applying for a role that did not offer hybrid arrangements.
- Lowered operational costs: through increased efficiencies and reduced real estate requirements, companies adopting a hybrid model can reduce their office size by as much as 50%.
- Better workplace wellbeing: by improving work-life balance, hybrid working supports employee wellbeing and happiness, which leads to greater engagement and job satisfaction.
- Smarter space utilisation: with employees rotating their in-office hours, companies can be more efficient with space. Fewer workstations free up areas for alternative uses – such as communal activities or events.
A report from the Hybrid Work Commission (HWC) states that the hybrid model saves UK businesses between £6.9bn and £10.3bn annually, and results in employee work-life balance and wellbeing gains thought to be worth £13.5bn a year.
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How to design a hybrid workplace: 4 key principles
With people splitting their time between the office and remote locations, time spent in the office has to present real value to employees to ensure they benefit from those days in the office. To support this more transient and dynamic workforce, office design needs to evolve. We’ve put together what we see as the four core pillars of hybrid office design.
“Hybrid design is about rethinking the workplace as a responsive, living environment. The most effective spaces are those that flex with the people using them, adapting to the ebb and flow of daily life and work.”
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1. Office design for different workstyles
In a hybrid office, employees’ needs vary. Flexibility is essential to support these varied needs and create a space that adapts to people, not the other way around. By providing a range of settings within hybrid office layouts, companies can support different types of work and diverse employee requirements. For example, open spaces and communal areas are perfect for collaborative activities, such as brainstorms, presentations and meetings. Meanwhile, booths, cubicles, niches and nooks provide the perfect spaces for solitary work, ensuring maximum focus and minimum distraction.
What’s important is to understand how teams work; by speaking to departmental managers, leaders can ascertain what different teams need from their work environment, and then design their hybrid office space accordingly. These varied settings enable people to shift from community to seclusion throughout the day depending on their needs.
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2. Flexible and multifunctional workspaces
Under hybrid working arrangements, office occupancy will fluctuate. Some days will be busy, others less so, with different numbers of people in the office at different times. With businesses moving away from permanently allocated workstations, scheduling is key to ensuring capacity control. So too is the adoption of flexible and multifunctional spaces that enable companies to adapt their interiors to varying work requirements.
Agile design schemes that incorporate folding office walls or sliding partitions mean businesses can expand or contract internal space as needed. Kitchen or reception areas can double up as event spaces or breakout zones. A mix of formal and informal settings also enables companies to flex for different types of meetings and ways of working. Meanwhile, modular seating and moveable furniture mean spaces can be reconfigured to support different activities.
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3. Connection, community and the role of the office
Now hybrid working has become the norm, the office has redefined its role as a space for connection and collaboration. Beyond providing a place to work, the office plays a vital role in building social networks, promoting knowledge sharing and reinforcing company culture, all of which helps employees feel a greater sense of purpose and belonging.
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Hybrid office design and workplace strategies should therefore place employee experience at their core. Outdoor social spaces, lunch and café retreats, conference rooms and breakout zones, for example, can all be used to encourage interactions and build a stronger community at work.
Recent research from Gallup shows that hybrid employees report the highest engagement rates, compared with fully remote and fully in-office workers. This reinforces the importance of meaningful in-person experiences within a flexible working model.
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4. Employee wellbeing in the hybrid workplace
As mentioned above, hybrid arrangements enable employees to gain a better work-life-balance and, for two or three days a week, work from the comfort of home. This can deliver a major boost to wellbeing, reducing stress and fatigue, eliminating the daily commute, and enabling people to have control over their work routine. But how do companies ensure their physical workspace supports health and wellbeing when employees are on site?
Various factors influence workplace wellbeing. These include:
- Physical: whether it’s the selection of snacks or office ergonomics, companies can help employees to maintain good physical health.
- Environmental: good lighting, space, acoustics and air quality can all be achieved through design. Biophilic design elements and greenspace are also known to promote a sense of wellbeing and calm.
- Psychological: by helping employees manage stress, companies can address a major barrier to workplace wellbeing. Quiet rooms, meditation spaces and recharge areas can support psychological health, while low-stimulation spaces and low-traffic areas help to minimise social anxiety and meet the needs of neurodivergent employees.
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How technology supports the hybrid working model
For hybrid working to be successful, connectivity is crucial. Companies require tools and technology that enable seamless working across home offices, coworking spaces, conference rooms and satellite offices. WiFi and bandwidth to support multiple mobile workers and devolved activities is vital, while AV integration in meeting rooms helps to engage both in-person and remote participants.
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Plug-and-play facilities at flexible workstations and hot desks also mean employees can hit the ground running when they’re in the office. Tech developments are evolving at pace in support of hybrid working models; to succeed in this era, companies need to ensure they keep up.
The shift to hybrid working presents huge opportunities for businesses. But the process needs to be well managed, and spaces need to be appropriately adapted to create an experience employees want to leave their homes for.
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Hybrid Office Design FAQs
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Why is hybrid office design important?
With hybrid working now the norm, office spaces need to reflect new working behaviours and expectations. Good design increases client retention and helps people stay connected and engaged.
What are the benefits of hybrid workplace design?
Hybrid office design can reduce real estate costs and improve employee wellbeing by giving people more control over their environment, in turn, boosting productivity.
What technology is essential for a hybrid office?
Strong WiFi, plug-and-play desks, video conferencing tools and cloud-based systems are all key to keeping hybrid teams connected.
What’s the difference between hybrid and agile workspace design?
Hybrid design focuses on flexibility between in-office and remote work, while agile design focuses on flexibility within the office itself (e.g. moveable furniture, multifunctional spaces).
Can hybrid offices reduce operational costs?
Yes, companies can reduce space needs and cut overheads by using flexible layouts, desk booking and shared zones instead of fixed workstations.
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Want to know more about the hybrid workplace?
Get in touch with a workplace advisor
020 7553 9500
info@oktra.co.uk
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