A hybrid office provides an ideal balance of collaboration and focus work. While in the office, teams have the facility and choice of different spaces for collaboration, while at home they also get to concentrate on projects. Businesses need to consider all of the design considerations and create a hybrid environment that effectively meets employees’ needs, while allowing them to get the most value out of their time spent there. “The future of work is here, and it is hybrid,” comments Conrad Burger, MD of X -Furniture.

The office furniture company is the authorised dealer for Sunon, a leading workplace solution provider for over 30 years based in China. In addition to offering a fully imported high-end range, X-Furniture also has a local factory that manufactures exclusive products for the South African office furniture market. Thus, the company has the flexibility to cater for a range of client requirements, all depending on budget, timeframe specific requirements.

X-Furniture is perhaps unique in the market in that it has a mobile showroom that can be configured differently, allowing customers to experience a range of office setups first-hand. “The unique feature of our mobile showroom is that we can it take it directly to customers’ premises. The difference between this approach and a visual rendering, for example, is that you can touch and feel the furniture and walk around in the space itself,” says Burger.

“Steer away from the regular furniture designs that have been on the market for years,” stresses Burger. Hybrid offices need spaces and furniture that look welcoming and make employees want to come to the office. Look for innovative arrangements that integrate furniture and technology. The goal is to tailor the furniture, technology, and features of the office to employee needs and the culture of the organisation.

A trend that X-Furniture is pioneering locally is the concept of the fully integrated hybrid office, where furniture such as seating doubles as storage space, hyper-adjustable desks, and the merger of the lounge and canteen environment in many office buildings. Canteens are in use for a very small portion of the day only. Due to so many people continuing to work from home, it is a logical next step that these spaces be reconceptualised.

Key components of the well-integrated office

Open plan

Open plan offices foster team spirit and create a social space as opposed to a closed-off individual space. Frequent sharing of ideas is common as people just speak across the room rather than having to organise formal meetings. When teams are working together it is good to have everyone in the same room to get things done as productively as possible.

Meeting areas

Meeting rooms play a crucial role in any firm. A fully equipped conferencing room can provide a great environment for top class discussion and learning. It is a common belief that meeting rooms need to be spacious as a comfortable environment breeds creativity.

Breakout spaces

A well-designed employee breakout area is a common zone that can serve many purposes. It provides a space for informal catch ups and meetings, a space for grabbing a bite to eat at lunch, somewhere to meet and greet visitors and, importantly, an area where employees can relax away from their workspace and relieve stress.

Training areas

A training room is one of the most important things when it comes to an office. Several offices do not have a training room attached to their company and have to hire one. Its importance is considerable as training is really important for the growth of employees.