Hybrid working is the post pandemic trend we are seeing in offices everywhere. Companies are adopting this new way with their workforce, offering employees the choice of a more flexible lifestyle. With many employers making office working optional, the question is – how to make your office appealing for employees.

There is little denying that companies are seeing a rise in employee output with workers having more time from a reduced commute. This not only allows more time for working, but more importantly – allows more personal time which can help reduce fatigue. It is however still vital that an appropriate office/home balance is found as staff need that interactivity with their fellow team members.

By creating an appealing working environment, employees will be naturally encouraged to choose to work in the office vs working from home. Hybrid working has become a positive change from the chaos of the past two years. 

With the option for staff to work from home, it is perhaps more important than ever to get your employees excited about coming into the office. A negative or dull working environment could push staff to choose to work from home over visiting the office.

Cirque has noticed a trend occurring from our customers’ furniture purchases in the last 12 months, to help make their offices a more appealing environment to work from. We’ve highlighted three areas we believe should be focussed on to help encourage staff back to the office more often.

Flexibility

There has been an increase in ‘cooperative furniture’, such as collaborative tables and furniture pods that can be easily moved and transformed. This adds more versatility to workspaces allowing employers to explore new layouts within the office. We are seeing more flexible working environments being created by our clients in their office space.

There has been a huge rise in sales of furniture pods such as the ‘Alcove Plus Desk’ from Vitra, which offers the setup of multi working environments.

Hot Desking

With staff splitting their time between locations, they no longer require a permanent desk to work from. Hot desking has therefore become very popular with our clients. This not only gives staff the flexibility to choose their desk for the day, it may also enable stronger relationships to be built between colleagues. In the past, staff were stuck at the same desk for months or even years only building relationships with those in their immediate vicinity. A reduced office based workforce also gives the option to remove desks entirely, allowing more room for collaborative work areas and better recreational space.

Cirque are now working with clients to supply more versatile furniture to help support a changing mindset in the workplace. These new work spaces allow for better team collaboration or can be used as a spot to touch down for a few hours to get work done.

Hub Offices

There is now a greater emphasis on community and staying local since the pandemic hit. Companies are recognising this by creating hub offices in regions outside of major cities. Big city HQ’s are being downsized and smaller satellite offices are being setup around the UK to allow a reduced commute for employees.

These changes are a considerable switch from what was the norm just two years ago. We will continue to see a shift in the landscape of how businesses operate for many years to come. 

With these changes to working life, it is an exciting time for the furniture industry. There is now more room for innovation and people are more accepting and open to change. Cirque continues to lead by example with their modern approach to office design. To discuss how your office can benefit from a hybrid working layout, please get in touch.