In the era of hybrid and remote work, emphasis on collaboration is more important than ever! There are lots of ways you can incorporate collaboration into your office design for both online and in-person employees. With over 40 years of experience in office installation, we’ve seen a lot of workspaces, and we know what does and doesn’t work. So, in this blog, we’ll discuss the best design tips for collaborative workplaces.
In-Person Workspaces
Let’s start with some tips for in-person workspaces. The first step is identifying how and when collaboration will be most productive for your employees. Consider when teams need to work together and when they need time to work independently, as well as how teams cross-collaborate. Once you understand this, you can start planning your design around your employees’ needs.
Use these tips to align with your employees’ needs and create an efficient and collaborative workspace:
- Create flexible workspaces – workspaces that can be reconfigured to suit independent, one-on-one, or team work allow employees to work together or separately easily, without having dedicated spaces that are not used
- Consider acoustic solutions – acoustic design allows employees to concentrate individually without being distracted or to work together without worrying about disrupting others
- Create visual collaboration – architectural glass walls or acoustic work zone dividers can create separation for individual work, while still allowing visual connection; if an employee knows their manager is not on the phone or in a meeting, they might be more likely to ask them questions, etc.
- Create comfortable spaces – ergonomic office furniture makes your employees feel more physically relaxed, which can improve their mental comfort; employees who are happy and comfortable might be more open to sharing and receiving information, creating a more collaborative, creative, and productive environment
Hybrid Workspaces
Just like with in-person workspaces, identifying the ways hybrid employees are or should be collaborating is a key step. What questions or comments do remote employees have that aren’t being communicated? Are employees being provided with and utilizing collaboration tools? Do employees feel like they can efficiently communicate with employees, even if they are not physically with them? Once you understand these hybrid needs, you can plan your design around them.
Although some in-person tips overlap, here are some design tips specific to maximizing hybrid collaboration:
- Technology integration – ensure your office and remote workspaces work well with your online collaboration tools, allowing employees to efficiently utilize them without interrupting their workflow (boardroom, individual desks, etc.)
- Prioritize acoustics – while acoustics are excellent in any workspace, they are essential in hybrid ones; if employees can’t hear each other or clients while on video/audio calls due to background noise, they will be less likely to use these collaborative options
- Consider the layout of your meetings – if your meeting spaces or meeting agendas do not incorporate the direct participation of remote employees, they are less likely to voice questions or comments that could be valuable to the whole team
By utilizing these tips, you can create a workspace where employees feel comfortable and willing to collaborate effectively and efficiently. Be sure to contact McIntyre Group for more design tips or your next installation project!
