Redesigning the office to create an inclusive and creative space
Almost 3 years after the first case of COVID-19 was detected, life is returning to normal in countries around the world. For businesses, returning to the office, and resuming productivity is a major priority – but since the way we work has been changed forever, companies need to consider redesigning their premium office space to boost collaboration and engagement.
Management is cool again: you’re the main attraction
In our previous article about meeting the needs of hybrid work teams, we touched on the issue of access to management and mentorship as a key enticing factor for employees returning to the office.
As your business reopens in earnest, you may want to embrace an idea that’s been floating around in management consulting circles this year: as a leader, you are the main amenity.
- Far from being unnecessary in the age of remote working, managers and executives are sought out by team members who need advice and want to build their careers in the post pandemic era.
- Giving your team access to management in a comfortable and welcoming environment is a win-win for every business looking to reopen in earnest in the new year.
Redesigning your office space so that hybrid workers can gain access to management and enjoy mentorship and training is essential. They’ll also need spaces to work and interact with their colleagues in a comfortable setting that doesn’t create a stark contrast with the remote working environment.
Let’s take a look at some of the ways you can re-create your office space for a bumper 2023.
Flexibility is the new guiding principle for redesigning the office
The trend for flexible working space, working styles, and working hours was already popular before the pandemic. In the era of hybrid work, it has become the new normal.
Much like the character of a good neighbourhood, from a design perspective, flexibility means creating an office where these types of spaces – that seem like opposites at first glance – can coexist in harmony:
- Public and private spaces. Workers are hungry for collaboration and will be keen to spend time together, catching up and sharing ideas. At the same time, they also require private spaces for confidential discussions and focused activities.
- Open and closed spaces. The line between closed offices with a “do not disturb” atmosphere, and totally open spaces that welcome engagement will need to be blurred without being erased completely.
Ensuring that these design features can coexist flexibly is an essential part of any effective office design strategy going forward.
What kind of office are we making this year?
Creating professional work spaces that are suited for the relaxed and innovative work styles that are emerging today means thinking creatively and making an office space that can be rearranged and re-designed and will.
From a practical point of view, this means that office space will need to contain a variety of flexible furnishings, room dividers, and space management techniques that let you reimagine your workspace like a director imagines a movie set.
Here are some ideas for companies that want to create a diversity of professional spaces to reflect the diversity of ideas and work styles that drive their organisations.
It’s time for executives to leave the fort
Traditional office layouts were often segregated, with management occupying the top floors in luxurious executive suites while employees toiled away in cubicles down below.
This outdated layout has been on the way out for a long time, and the remote working era has only hastened its demise.
At a time when many employees don’t get to see their team leaders and managers face-to-face at all except on select days of the week, the last thing management and executives want is to occupy a kind of fortress in the clouds that discourages junior team members from seeking their advice and counsel.
Designing your premium office space so that management has a direct view of the open work spaces where employees carry out their tasks, along with features like sliding doors to create a sense of privacy when needed, is the first step in making the top level management of your business open and accessible – when it wants to be.
Many companies are starting to employ technology to schedule discussion and meeting times. Computer screens placed outside management offices indicate free time slots for consultations and employees are encouraged to use these to plan discussion times on relevant issues, report back on important projects, or receive training and mentorship relating to a specific challenge.
Bring the lounge and veranda to the office
If open and accessible executive offices function as a kind of front porch where employees can interact with their supervisors, the office will also need a back veranda where team members can collaborate freely and exchange ideas among themselves.
Creating open spaces, which some companies have furnished using comfortable sofas, can shape a casual, but professional atmosphere for collaboration – especially if refreshments and coffee machines are within short reach.
- This type of space will be a social hub – slightly more casual by nature, and that’s a good thing. Creating this type of environment will allow remote workers to reconnect with their team members when they’re in the office and benefit from the essential bonding process that every company needs to create close-knit working relationships.
Leading off from the veranda should be a community business lounge where employees can continue their collaboration in a more structured way.
- This area will need to double as a video conferencing and boardroom-type environment without the strict formality that a traditional meeting room implies.
- You may want to equip this area with professional video conferencing equipment and large screens, and ensure that your office WiFi provides sufficient bandwidth to conduct Skype and Zoom meetings from this location or invest in a cable internet connection for fast connectivity.
When team members need to focus, let them head for their quiet space
Collaboration is an essential ingredient in the success of every team and it’s the one thing that many of us have missed during the pandemic.
On the other hand, an environment that only encourages collaboration and open communication can be very distracting for team members who need to carry out focus tasks like finance, accounting, and data processing.
When an employee is all talked out and ready to do some quiet, focused activity there needs to be a quiet space equipped with desks, work pods, and soft lighting (which should preferably be natural) and a quiet atmosphere to ensure that they’re able to focus.
Leading by Example – Finding the ideal flexible office space in 2023
The idea of an office space that can be remade to accommodate so many different activities and working styles is definitely exciting. But where can you find a space that brings employees back together in an environment that enables leaders to demonstrate the company culture and behaviour they expect from their employees in a creative space?
With demand for premium Cape Town commercial properties on the rise, tenants are snapping up Cape Town office space at a quickening pace. Identifying an office space that has sufficient floor area to give you flexibility, while keeping your overheads at a reasonable level, can be challenging – but not if you work with a team of area experts.
At Commercial Space, we have decades of experience in the commercial and industrial property market in the Cape Peninsula.
Our team has a wealth of contacts in the commercial property sector and a substantial portfolio of modern office spaces that lend themselves perfectly to being reconfigured for dynamic start-ups and medium sized businesses.
To view our portfolio and get started on your path to finding the ideal office space, contact us today.
