Changing Your Office Space to Accommodate a Hybrid Work Environment

As we begin to shift out of the pandemic, your modern workspace should reflect the needs of both those who are working in the office and those who are working remotely. 

In previous years, office layouts sought to squeeze more value out of less floor space. Transitioning out of the pandemic, employees are looking for the freedom to work when and where they feel most productive. A hybrid working model allows companies to have one or more office spaces where employees can work, while the remaining staff members complete their tasks from home. 

We’ve gathered a few ideas on how you can transition the design of your office space into a hybrid-friendly work environment.

Repurpose Open Workstations 

You may recall a time where offices had open fields of workstations, with everyone situated at their desks, focused on their tasks with the help of noise-canceling headphones. 

In our transitioning world, imagine taking a Zoom meeting in this environment—where you are surrounded by coworkers also on their own zoom calls. Densely packed shared spaces are not ideal for a hybrid working environment. 

The best way to reinvent this space to be more acoustically pleasing is to provide flexible work sections. Take out those office desks and provide moveable furniture where employees can work by themselves or adjust the space to a setting where they can take meetings. You may also want to think about incorporating private, individual pods or spaces into your design to accommodate Zoom meetings and phone calls.

Create a Socially Distanced Office Space 

In a hybrid work environment, there are typically fewer people in the office space, making it easier for you to create a layout that is optimized for everyone’s safety. 

Use this opportunity to de-densify the workplace. Take out extra furniture, and encourage plenty of room between workstations. It may also be helpful to design one-way systems and signs to lead your workforce safely around the building. 

Think About Support for Overflow Spaces 

In addition to restructuring your office space to include room for both collaboration and individual workstations, you may want to consider options for overflow spaces where employees can spread out for meetings and socially distanced collaborations. 

This “overflow” space could be a meeting room or conference room in your office, or even a building across the way. This also may be a good time to think about how your outdoor environment works with your office space, and how you can optimize it to accommodate your workforce. 

Ready to design your office space for a hybrid work environment? AO Contractors is here to help. Get in touch with our team today. 

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With years of experience in both commercial construction and residential construction, Alpha Omega Contractors is your go-to construction company in Southern California. Our experts take on projects ranging from office space remodels, medical office renovations, and retail space updates for gyms, financial centers, restaurants, salons, car washes, and more. A trusted Orange County contractor and Los Angeles County contractor, we help bring your renovation wish list to life while helping you safeguard and future-proof the profitability of your business. Whether you need help with a residential floor plan or an upgrade to your medical office or retail space, our team of general contractors, designers, and design-build experts will collaborate with you from the initial stages of pre-construction through to putting the finishing touches on your dream remodel project on time and within budget.