The COVID-19 pandemic forced millions of people to work from home for close to a year before being able to return back to the office. Though numerous lockdowns saw many workers furloughed, for others, it proved once and for all that hybrid working was possible for a wide range of jobs across different industries.
The continuous development of technology has liberated employees from needing to work in the same place as their colleagues and many workers are now eager to minimise office visits where they can.
While working from home has its advantages, it cannot match some of the benefits office working still provides, which is why having an office space accessible to employees is critical in the modern world.
Below, we’ve created a list of the top 6 reasons why you still need an office space in a hybrid working world.
Company culture has been proven to influence business performance, growth, productivity, creativity, and employee retention. When employees have a quality working environment, they are much more likely to invest their energy and attention into achieving company goals.
Though it is important for employees to feel involved in the company culture regardless of where they choose to work, creating a culture of support and ongoing personal development is much easier when you have all of your employees in the same space.
An office space is, and always will be at the heart of any business culture. The office creates collaboration opportunities for meeting and group working, encourages relationship building between colleagues, and helps when it comes to training and development.
Collaboration is essential for many businesses, and an office can provide a space for your staff to work together.
While virtual collaboration tools have come a long way, they can never fully replicate the benefits of working together in person. An office space should provide a place for brainstorming sessions, meetings, and group projects, all of which are important for collaborative work.
When designing an office optimised for hybrid working, consider implementing flexible working solutions such as co-working booths and private working rooms that will allow your staff to collaborate without disturbing other individuals working in the
office. These areas should have ample seating and desk space where quick client and internal meetings can be held to allow new ideas and creativity flow.
Our work with Prestige Gifting shows how we can implement quality agile working solutions bespoke to the needs of your business – https://www.buildinginteriorsgroup.co.uk/our-work/prestige-gifting/
For many remote workers, it can be too easy to blur the line between work life and personal life. Even if your employees love their jobs, it isn’t healthy for them to feel like they should be working at every hour of the day.
An office space will allow employees to create physical separation between work and home, enabling them to leave their work at the office and fully switch off when they are at home.
Not only will this help to improve the work-life balance of your employees, but in turn, it will help to improve their mental and physical well-being, and reduce the risk of burnout.
Working from home can be isolating, and many employees miss the social interaction that comes with working in an office. An office space provides an opportunity for employees to interact with their colleagues and build relationships, which can lead to a more positive work environment and increased job satisfaction.
Though it is important to include design features in your office that will increase the productivity levels of your staff, at Building Interiors we also think it is important to incorporate recreational features too. This could simply be a ‘chill out’ area where employees can take a quick break from their desk, or it could take the shape of a games room with pool tables and other activities.
Contrary to popular belief, we really see the value in incorporating these features into an office design. More often than not jobs can become stressful, and providing employees with a place where they can decompress can actually be a positive thing. Not only is this positive for morale, but taking employees out of a non-work context can also help to spark interesting conversation and creativity between them.
An office space can help to maintain a credible image for your business. While working from home can be convenient, it can also be distracting and unprofessional.
Having an office space that is designed and decorated to reflect the company brand can help to establish a professional image and build trust with clients and customers.
Where many client meetings now take place in a virtual environment, it might prove valuable to create a dedicated space where employees can lead these meetings within your office. Whether this takes the form of dedicated phone booths, or cubicles separated by office partitioning, these areas will help your staff conduct meetings with minimal distractions.
Also, including your brand logo or simply just including your brand colours will really showcase your brand during virtual meetings with clients and prospective customers and will also create a sense of continuity for them when speaking to different members of staff.
While working from home can be comfortable, it may not always be practical and your employees may not have the resources needed to complete certain tasks.
An office space can provide access to equipment and resources that are necessary for certain projects or tasks. Having these resources accessible to your staff via an office space can help to improve efficiency and productivity, which can ultimately benefit your business.
Ensuring your office has excellent audio and visual equipment is essential so your employees can conduct quality virtual meetings. Further, providing comfortable office furniture such as
ergonomic seating and spacious work areas will allow employees to feel more comfortable working in the office too.
While working from home has its benefits, an office space is still important for your hybrid working staff.
Building Interiors can help you create a workspace that supports your hybrid working staff and helps them to be productive and engaged. Contact Building Interiors today to find out how they can help you create an office space that meets the needs of your business and your hybrid working staff. Our team will be happy to help!
Get in touch here: contact@buildinginteriorsgroup.co.uk | 0113 388 6522