With the lifting of many restrictions and more openness towards workplace engagement, many companies are looking to bring back their employees to the office, at least partially. To facilitate this, they need flexible solutions to promote productivity while maintaining safety.
Having a hybrid workplace means both in-office employees and remote employees can connect to collaborate effectively. For this to happen, equity must be established to support workers in both places, each with their own particular requirements.
In-office work may offer an interactive and inclusive environment, while remote working can be more singular. To create a hybrid working environment, employers must find a way to bring remote workers into the office environment. Likewise, office workers require tools that allow them to connect virtually as well as an environment that supports on-line presence including considerations of acoustics and lighting.
Employers need to rely on an office furniture company that can create a space to satisfy the needs of workers irrespective of where they work.
The Three E’s of Hybrid Collaboration
According to Steelcase, there are three main concepts for improved hybrid collaboration that will help employees work in a multi-modal environment. These three concepts can help employers plan and evolve their workplace within the changing hybrid landscape. An office furniture company can provide the right office furniture and audio visual technology to support hybrid collaboration.
- Equity: Employers must provide an equal experience for both office and remote employees.
- Having multiple camera views – room view and close up – allows remote employees to connect to body language and eye contact in a similar way that office employees can read the room they are physically in.
- Employing mobile office furniture that can move around the space provides flexibility and supports equity.
- Angled conference tables help remote and in-person team members see everyone in the space.
- Keep remote employees and content on separate displays, so remote employees are not always “on stage” next to content.
- Engagement: Employers can use a multitude of virtual platforms to nurture interaction between office and remote employees.
- According to Microsoft’s Steven Bathiche, the evolution of technology allows surfaces in the workspace to be used as building materials to put information where people need it. The more work surfaces an office has, such as media walls, the more it will empower the workforce and boost employee performance.
- Utilize Steelcase Roam mobile stand so that office employees can engage with remote colleagues on the Microsoft Surface Hub 2S.
- The layout of the room should provide optimal sound and lighting for viewing, and encourage people to participate in conversations. Consider deploying enhanced remote conferencing with a speakerphone, and the Yamaha Video Sound Bar, which has dynamic light optimization, wide angle, people counting, and automatic lossless digital zoom.
- Ease: The day-to-day operations of hybrid collaboration should run smoothly.
- Shared and personal devices should connect easily.
- Add QR codes to conference rooms to help people learn or relearn the technology.
- Spaces should be easy to navigate. Flexible modular office furniture allows for better movement and viewing to support meetings between office and remote workers.
An Office Furniture Company Can Help You Adapt to the Future
Hybrid solutions that align with the interests of employers and workers will help companies compete and grow.
In the event of another wave of the pandemic, companies could face additional delays and restrictions. Employers might have to again shift workers from the office to home. A hybrid workplace with flexible office furniture can help mitigate the impact; it will help future-proof the day-to-day operations of a company.
An office furniture company can help you adapt to a changing future. For more information on building a collaborative hybrid workplace, contact the experts at POI today.