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Creating a hybrid office design

Blog
Adam Parker
28 Jun 2023

It's about creating the right hybrid office for your team and company. Hybrid working is more than just allowing your team to work at home. Working at home is just part of hybrid working; hybrid is about working successfully from multiple locations. The design of any successful hybrid office is to create and develop a work experience that allows a team to be supported, empowered and able to collaborate with colleagues wherever they are working.

So before considering an all-return-to-the-office policy, the world has changed, and the talent market is more competitive than ever. In the UK, there are more jobs than candidates. So, to be competitive and attract talented, diverse candidates and retain your existing talent, a hybrid working scheme needs to be in place. It's expected now. Understanding the needs of your team, the way they work, and what is important to them is the first part of any hybrid working. Speaking, listening, and understanding will ensure any changes to ways of working will succeed. This could be done through surveys or observations.

Did you know that only 35-50% of the average workplace is utilised? So it's essential to know how your office is used to make the right decision. Once you have the buy, it's not about cutting space because of hybrid working. It's about using the space and your team's time better. How often have you been searching for a spare meeting room or an empty desk? Studies have documented that 40% of office workers waste up to 30 minutes a day searching for space to collaborate.

When creating a hybrid office design, you need to know the following:

Understanding whether a room, desk or any space is used and if it is when – this allows you to make sure you have the right type and size of facilities.
What resources do people use and need to do their role – then, a suitable investment can happen.
How do people work and communicate
When workspaces are not used – alternative options to your current design, such as hot desks and collaboration zone. Are rooms just used for quick private calls or meetings?

When you know all the facts and understand the team, process, technology and space, you can start to draw up a plan and make some decisions.

Firstly, start with the functionality and look at the following:

Space and rooms you need.
How do you book rooms, and with what system?
How do we communicate
What technological requirements do we need?

Once you know that, you can think of the aesthetics – the fun part!

However, knowing where to start with all your technological requirements can be challenging. Our dedicated team at YPO can support you with our Software Application Solutions framework. This framework provides software application solutions developed from extensive public sector customer and supplier engagement and designed to meet the needs of all public sector organisations, including Local Authorities, Education, Housing, Charities, Central Government, Emergency Services and NHS Establishments. The simplified lot structure allows for purchases based on solutions and outcomes.

Each lot covered includes software applications, services, and additional hardware, which can be tailored to meet your specific requirements and provide you with a delivery of standalone or full-service solutions using technologies currently available and those which evolve throughout the lifetime of the framework agreement. If you want to discuss your requirements further, please get in touch with the team!

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Author

Adam Parker

Business Development Manager

Ricoh