The Hybrid Office Design Trend - DENTON

December 2024 update: While there has been a further shift in the way we work, with around 1 in 4 UK workers now adopting a hybrid work week, it’s evident that the concept of hybrid working is becoming more ingrained in the professional landscape. In a 2023 survey by Standout CV, it was found that only 10% of hybrid workers expressed a desire to return to a fully remote work model, highlighting the lasting appeal and preference for the flexibility that a hybrid approach provides, and the need for an agile office space which suits a hybrid workforce.

Read on to discover more about Hybrid office design for your hybrid workers.

Hybrid office design for your hybrid workers

Following the pandemic, employee expectations have changed. They expect flexibility from their employers, and paramount to this is being offered the opportunity of hybrid working – defined simply as a split between days in the office and days working from home. An October 2024 survey revealed nearly 41% of UK employees work remotely for part of the week, with 28% following a hybrid work arrangement and 13% working exclusively from home.

Working from home proved just as productive for many during the pandemic, and their work-life balance improved significantly as a result. However, this wasn’t the case for everyone, and not everyone wants to work remotely. So, how do we create a hybrid office design that simultaneously supports in-house and remote workers? We share our insights and expert advice below to help inform your next hybrid office fit-out.

Contents:
1. Merging the digital and physical experience
2. Creating a destination
3. Open spaces vs private spaces
4. Benefits of a hybrid office design
5. DENTON, the fit-out experts for your hybrid office design

Merging the digital and physical experience

We’ve all been in a call with a bad connection, whether it’s our own, a client’s or a colleague’s. And that’s just one simple example of the difficulties we all face with the new hybrid work style. Investing in suitable equipment and various software solutions contribute to an easier, more seamless hybrid collaboration experience for people in and outside the offices.

Here are some of our top tips for merging the digital and physical experience within your hybrid office:

1. Improve meeting rooms with collaborative AV
   
   
2. Provide ample power supplies
   
   
3. Install whiteboards – consider interactive and digital screens
   
   
4. Supply technology which easily transitions from home to the office
   
   
5. Next-Gen Collaboration Tools including AI-powered meeting tools helps integrate remote and home workers
   
   

And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Read more about what it’s like designing for the future workplace in our recent whitepaper, or get in touch for more advice.

Creating a Destination

“It is a necessity to design a destination based on the needs of the people to create a place where people can leave at the end of the day feeling a sense of accomplishment and a sense of community,” Richard Douglas, Director.

Now, more than ever, the office should be a place where people want to come. It needs to not only allow them to complete their tasks but make it easier and more suitable for them. Rooms or zones with clear purpose and employing an agile style of working enable employees to choose the best place for them – for whatever they need to achieve.

And it isn’t just task-focused – creating hybrid social spaces for co-workers to communicate & team-build whilst working promote community and boost creativity. Instilling your culture within your hybrid office design is vital in creating this sense of community. When implemented correctly, it can vastly improve staff retention and attraction, as well as, for some, provide a welcome respite from the home environment.

Wellness, mental health, and creating spaces that promote relaxation, creativity, and personal wellbeing are also increasingly important. This could include spaces for mindfulness, stress relief, or wellness activities. Learn more about wellness rooms.

Open spaces vs private spaces

Both open and private spaces are important in an office design but have very different requirements. When designing an office for a hybrid work style, both must be considered to allow flexibility and suitability for your employees.

Flexible open plan work areas provide all the resources needed for day-to-day tasks and promote collaboration, creativity, and community. This area can, and should, be split into clear zones including, but not limited to;

• Break out areas and refreshment zones
  
  
• Quieter areas for more ‘deep thought’ tasks
  
  
• Areas with lots of seating for team collaborations
  
  
• Welcome area for any guests
  
  

Private, acoustic spaces allow for more focused work, as well as provide an area for private conversations without disturbing the rest of the office or unwittingly sharing personal information. Learn more about office acoustics.

Fundamentally, the office we return to must offer people a better experience than what they have at home and what they had before, and that means giving employees the right mix of spaces for the types of work that need to get done. Businesses that create hybrid workplaces that adapt, flex, and thrive will attract and retain the best talent and benefit from innovation and growth. The future hybrid office will be a competitive advantage for organisations that take advantage of this moment in time.

Benefits of a hybrid office design

So, we’ve shared some of our insights into what makes a great hybrid office design, but what are the advantages of a hybrid office design to you and your employees?

The answer is, there are many, and while we are sure to cover this topic more thoroughly in a future blog (check back on our office design insights page), for now, here are our top 4:

1. Improved work-life balance & employee wellbeing

It’s no secret that working from home reduces the commute time for many. This alone allows employees more time to work on the life part of the balance, whether it’s spending time with their kids or going for a morning run. No wonder a hybrid office design also leads to a marked improvement in employee wellbeing as we recently discussed in our blog.

2. Increased Productivity

As a direct result of the improved employee wellbeing and a better work-life balance from introducing hybrid working, staff are also shown to become happier both in and out of work. This, in turn, has been shown to increase productivity by up to 13% – so in other words, happy staff are productive staff.

And that’s just enabling hybrid working. If you can provide bespoke spaces within your office designed for certain tasks, you will see an even greater jump in productivity!

3. Improved employee retention & attraction

This one is easy. Offering flexibility is key to attracting new and exciting talent who will invest in your company and make a difference. Installing your culture within your brand and office space ensures you attract the right talent whose values align with your own.

4. Increased flexibility and scalability

With the future of work being more dynamic, offices designed for adaptability can align with and embrace future workforce shifts and technological changes.

DENTON, the fit-out experts for your hybrid office design

As the longest-established design and build company in London with offices throughout the UK, we’ve partnered up with businesses and organisations of all shapes and sizes to design and craft incredible bespoke offices which suit your hybrid workers whether they are at home or in your hybrid office.

Let’s work together. To discuss your next office refurb or fit-out project, drop our friendly, experienced team a line today.