Meetings on the fly: the key to working together in a hybrid environment. Tips for organizing the workplace

Companies are striving to keep up productive co-operation among personnel as the hybrid model is becoming more ubiquitous. While instruments and devices that allow to contact others remotely are essential, they are frequently not sufficient to replace face-to-face contact. Therefore the office design should encourage free discussion of ideas, not only being absorbed in one’s work. What it implies is that in addition to ordinary workplace stations, creation of areas for informal conversation that allow the staff to have casual exchanges of ideas or brainstorming would be an enhancement. Learn how minute adjustments of the workplace affect teamwork and well-being of staff.

Turn the workspace into a place to interact and connect

It is beneficial for organizations to deliberately design and manage the workplace to foster simple human interaction. Meeting other co-workers makes employees much more satisfied and constructive. The Gensler 2020 Work From Home Survey respondents said that in-person interaction was what they lacked the most during remote work. This helped reduce the co-operation time by up to 37% [1]. 

This reduction in face-to-face meetings impacts invention and underscores the significance of the hybrid office as a space for socializing and teamwork. Creating areas that inherently foster in-person contact should be part of tackling such obstacles.

Socializing – the incentive for travelling to work

Interaction with peers plays a vital role in enhancing significance of working in an office. The office environment indeed fosters human-to-human connections, which is different from the hybrid environment that can considerably decrease socializing chances. It is a significant cause for employees to consider coming back to physical workplaces. 

Companies can transform the office into an appealing workspace through concentrating on correct office layout and enhancements of the room acoustics. It allows to take full advantage of face-to-face co-operation. When people are physically in the workplace, meetings regarding projects and training become more constructive, thanks to casual interactions. 

Companies make the work more engaging and satisfactory for the personnel when they support workplace interaction. 

Creating an impromptu meeting place for people working in a hybrid model

Companies can adopt various inventive and appealing strategies to give hybrid workers an  office space for impromptu meetings. Upgrading the kitchenette with high-quality coffee makers and providing nutritional meals will help make it a space to take five and chat with others. The second stage is making the lobby an exciting area for interaction. To turn it into an ideal space for chats use plants, whiteboard and comfy seats. If there is not enough space or in case of noise, have a look at acoustic pods for working and meeting, such as hushAccess.L, which can accommodate a group of people and be set up as rooms to relax or to have a break.

What instills a feeling of familiarity in the staff are different celebrations of accomplishments, whether significant or not, through appreciative guidance and recognition of success. To improve working together and expertise discourse even more introduce a monthly group conversation that concentrates on different topics. 

Minimalistic acoustic rooms or pods: ideal for discussing concepts 

Conferences with a few participants can be held in compact spaces or Hushoffice acoustic pods. What makes them ideal for proficient co-operation and confidential chats is the superior soundproofing. They provide seclusion much needed in discussing delicate subjects, creative ideas, product debuts or company secrets. 

An adaptable choice to conventional gathering places are office pods such as hushMeet. There’s no need for a spacious conference area as these limited areas offer an ideal spot in case some members of the team have to convene, plan actions and resolve issues that arise.

Meet others and take a breather in a place created for you

It is vital for the office to contain areas that provide recreation, as well as peace and quiet, to make it a place enabling impromptu conversations. To establish such areas is to demonstrate that opinions of the personnel are heard and in effect strengthen all that brings people together. The furniture should be comfortable enough to have conversations, a coffee break and engage in rest and recreation through playing video games or table foosball. It should give the staff time for themselves, to distance themselves from current tasks, while they socialize with members of their team, certainly influencing improved understanding and collaboration among them.

Last Updated on August 7, 2024 by Icy Canada Team