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Employees Working In Office And Remotely? 5 Tips For A Hybrid Office

The Covid-19 pandemic ushered in a new urgency for businesses to shift to a hybrid office style combining both remote workers and in-office work. How can you make a success of this working configuration within the physical office you maintain? Here are five key tips to make it work for everyone.

1. Keep a Smaller Footprint. The good news for employers whose employees are partially remote is that there's no need to pay for unused workspace. You can downsize your square footage by estimating how many and how often people will be working in the office. Combine this with shared, flexible spaces and you can right-size your needs. 

2. Use Flex-Desking. Flex-desking means no longer assigning specific workspaces solely to certain employees. Flex-desk arrangements allow employees to work where they want and usually when they want, saving space in the office. However, it can be more complex to work out, so you'll need a plan such as online scheduling or grouping departments together. 

3. Boost Videoconferencing. If a significant part of your staff will be working remotely at any given time, make sure they can all work together as much as needed. This means more videoconferencing connections with better technology and in more spaces. Rather than simply have one room — such as the conference room — set up for videoconferencing, wire multiple areas of different sizes or purposes. 

4. Help People Navigate. Because people won't be working in the office day after day, they may not be as familiar with where everything is. Give them a hand. Add signage around the office showing where rooms and certain pieces of equipment (such as the printer, fax machine, or office supplies) are. Create virtual maps everyone can download. Clearly mark shared or flex spaces. 

5. Mix Up Workspaces. Don't just plop down a bunch of desks for people to choose from. Instead, offer different ways to work. This might include comfortable chairs in quiet niches, small meeting rooms for one-on-one conversations, large counter spaces for collaboration, and client meeting rooms that present the right look. Work with employees to find out what they would like to see when they work in the office. 

By reconfiguring your office to trim out unneeded extra space and make it more practical and welcoming for everyone, your team can make the transition to hybrid life successfully. Start by touring office buildings available for rent in your area today. No matter what you choose, your focus on the work style of the future will benefit your company for years to come.  


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