Insights
What Office Fit Out Companies are Doing to Address Hybrid Working
The rise of hybrid working has changed the standard working day almost beyond recognition. It’s safe to say that it’s inspiring a tidal wave of change and encouraging businesses to reimagine how they approach office design and use. Fit out companies are right at the forefront of this revolution. Their solutions are reinventing the future of offices in their search for the perfect blend of creating a connected sense of community and space. Working with innovative materials and designs, these spaces are shaping the changing future of work by ensuring employees have a say. Here are some of the key pillars for effective hybrid office design.
Connection and Community
One of the biggest dilemmas associated with hybrid working is how to bring people together when employees are only in the office at different times. Fit out companies are tackling this by creating spaces that encourage people to come together, even if they’re not in the office all the time.
Their open-plan offices encourage the random, spontaneous gathering of colleagues that will help strengthen relationships. Meanwhile, communal areas such as lounge, café and break-out spaces are designed to become focus points where employees can congregate, whether it’s for collaboration on a task or a coffee-break catch-up.
Flexible and Multifunctional Spaces
Essentially, flexibility is at the core of hybrid working and fit out companies are creating spaces that lend themselves to change. Rows of desks in the same shape and style won’t cut it in the hybrid office. Today’s fit outs must have some flexibility.
The purpose of these spaces is to be easily configured so that they can serve a whole range of different activities and ways of working. For instance, a meeting room could also be used as a solo task-work space, or a communal area could quickly be repurposed as a workshop or training space with the re-configuration of walls and tables, and the change of lights. Multifunctional furniture, furniture on wheels, and movable walls are currently being used in this way.
While the emphasis isn’t so much on physical flexibility (though this is changing too), scheduling flexibility is important. Fit out companies are working with businesses to divide the space in organic working patterns, from set-ups that are conducive to early morning workers and late-night workers, to the types of configurations (business zones, kitchens, storage centres, and so on) that cater to all kinds of work styles (from noise and activity to silence and reverence).
Design for Different Types of Work
Hybrid working means that employees are juggling more tasks than ever before and that they need different types of space to complete these tasks. Fit out companies will be designing offices that cater to the way that many of us work.
Some ways that different spaces can cater to different work are:
- Quiet zones or private pods for those who need to be ‘in-the-zone’
- Open-plan areas with comfortable chairs
- Whiteboard space for those who need to come up with new ideas together and collaborate
- Hot desks that allow people to shift between environments as they move between tasks
- Flexible meeting rooms that can be easily reconfigured for different group sizes and purposes.
- Tech-enabled collaboration spaces with integrated audiovisual systems for seamless remote and in-person communication.
- Casual breakout areas designed for spontaneous brainstorming sessions or informal team discussions.
Fitout companies are designing workplaces that incorporate research on our everyday behaviour.
It also improves productivity, since the availability of many different spaces to support different activities means employees can always feel cared for, whatever work they might be working on. The profusion of fit out companies that supply these flexible, modular offices means businesses can satisfy the work patterns of their staff, whatever the day might bring.
Employee Well-being
Employee well-being has become a top concern in office design, and it is something that fit out companies are a lot more conscious of when creating workspaces. Fit out companies are increasingly incorporating ergonomic furniture, biophilic design and other elements to promote both the physical and mental well-being of employees.
Ergonomics plays a key role in ensuring that employees can work comfortably, whether they are in the office full-time or just a few days a week. Fit out companies are adding desks that adjust, chairs that offer better spinal support, and workstations that flex to better fit the needs of employees. Beyond helping posture and physical support, it also helps with making the office more aesthetically pleasing.
As well as physical comfort, fit-out companies also focus on design elements that promote mental wellbeing, like natural light, greenery and neutral colour schemes for reduced stress and enhanced moods.
What’s more, fit out companies are recognising the need for spaces that facilitate socialising and decompressing. The provision of breakout areas, wellness rooms and outdoor space within the office environment recognises the need for some employees to be able to take a moment through the day and step away from their workstations.
Paving the Path for Modern Workplaces
Fit out companies are playing an important role in shaping the future of collaborative working and employee mental health by creating workplaces that support the hybrid working model. Through thoughtful design and innovative solutions, they are helping businesses navigate the challenges of this new way of working, ensuring that employees remain connected, productive, and healthy.
As hybrid working continues to evolve, fit out companies will undoubtedly continue to innovate, finding new ways to meet the changing needs of modern workplaces. Whether it’s through creating more flexible spaces, designing for diverse work styles, or prioritising employee wellbeing, these companies are setting the standard for what the future of work can look like.
If you are looking for expert advice from a fit-out company on how you can transform your office, get in touch with us today.
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