You Might Need More Space Than Expected in a Post-Pandemic Hybrid Office Model

The pandemic has fundamentally changed workplace strategy. The new office standard will likely become a fluid model with a combination of at-home and in-office work models. While some companies are embracing change, others are hesitant to eschew the old ways. However, Rick D’Amato, design director of workplace at LPA Design Studios, says that the biggest mistake that companies will make is to return to their former office strategy.

“The biggest mistake is when companies decide to go back to business as usual, instead of exploring how the pandemic has impacted their workplace strategy and the ways they can use these lessons to make their business better,” D’Amato tells GlobeSt.com. “Some companies plan to open their doors and see what happens, even if it means losing employees, which shows an incredible lack of concern for their people and their business.”

He envisions a future were employees are not restrained to their desks in either an office or home setting. This is an more progressive take on workplace strategy than existed in the past, even among companies that already had a hybrid model. “We’re designing spaces to be completely flexible from a technology and infrastructure standpoint and anchoring that design around how companies and their employees operate,” says D’Amato. “This allows everyone to work exactly the way they want at any given time in a seamless way. Giving employees the freedom to choose an optimal workspace for any given task results in immense user satisfaction. This is an important lesson we’ve learned from the pandemic and it’s critical that companies take advantage of it.”

Returning to business as usual isn’t the only mistake that office users are making. D’Amato says that many companies are reducing their office footprint too early. Many of the changes that come with a hybrid model might require the space. “I’m also seeing some companies downsize their space to reduce the square footage allocated per worker, without any concern for common or flexible spaces and how a hybrid working environment changes the spaces people need to effectively work,” he says. “It’s the same mistake some companies made when implementing open offices.”

He actually expects that companies will need to increase shared spaces and common areas to accommodate hybrid work models, which will likely mean that people come into the office for collaborative needs rather than to work alone. “There is going to be a lot more shared usage of space as people return to the office in our new hybrid working environment,” says D’Amato. “It’s important to understand how each person uses the spaces and integrate that into the design from the start. This requires a true partnership among design, operations and technology. All three areas must collaborate to create an effective work environment.”

While all companies will need to address new workplace standards, some are pioneering the movement. “In general, companies in more creative industries are leading the charge in evolving their workplace design, where larger corporations have been a bit more hesitant to adapt,” adds D’Amato.

Many companies are currently curating new workplace strategies. There is a spectrum of options for workers, but D’Amato says that listening to employees is the essential to creating a successful model. “Companies should listen to staff and pay attention to what’s going on with their employees,” he says. “By keeping your eyes and ears open to their needs, and how your company has evolved over the past year, it will help in developing a strategy to create a better, more efficient workplace. Flexibility is key. What works today may not be the same as what works months or years from now.”