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the 2-day office:
A solution to the rise of hybrid work
The way we work has changed forever.
In a people-centred research, we explored how the traditional office should be reimagined to better fit the radically changed needs of the modern worker.
Illustrations: Maria Papadouli
“As we take a look into the future, we see a need for a mindful balance between the freedom of remote work and the restriction of traditional office hours.”
DESIGNED FOR SOCIALIZATION
Working from home has reduced our in-person interactions to our inner circle and transferred a big part of our communications to Zoom. However, online meetings lack the organic and unforced nature of face-to-face meetings. Social interactions and gatherings seem essential for employee engagement and motivation. It’s key to create an office environment that fosters socialization in its many forms – from a quick post-meeting check-in with a colleague to an unexpected run-in with a higher ranking executive.
Shared spaces must be revisited with the goal to allow not for one, but a range, of communication opportunities. Activating unused hallways or waiting areas as casual meeting points or rearranging open workspace with a homogeneous table set-up into more clustered zones can help in achieving this goal.
IMAGINATION AND CREATVIVITY REPLACE ROUTINE
As we reduced the radius of our mobility and variety of our activities, the word ‘ routine’ gained an increasingly negative connotation. There is a sensation of ‘losing time’ as big parts of our waking hours became repetitive. The result is a strong urge to ‘beam out’ of our known environment – a ‘prison break’ from our routines.
People seek variety in their experiences and emotions, which results in the perception of a more fulfilled life. The office cannot and should not replace third spaces or travelling. However, even with a generally fixed floor plan, offices can adapt areas to support temporary activations and displays. Further, there are many opportunities to sprinkle experiential highlights throughout employees’ work day.
Offices should provide change from what is known and expected, bringing in elements of novelty and positive surprise.
“Offices will need to be thoughtfully redesigned around principles of human interaction: on an operational, physical and mental level.”
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