The new Google Business Center is designed to increase the chances of accidental meetings between office workers. Yahoo has terminated employees’ ability to work remotely. According to Marissa Mayer, its CEO, “people are more collaborative and innovative when they’re together.”
In our new global society, working methods are rapidly changing and so is office collaboration. Developing technologies and world competition make the business more complex, interdependent, and dynamic. As remote and hybrid work models evolve, it’s no longer just about working in the office. People are working both in-person and virtually, so offices have to adapt to these new ways of working. All this directly affects employees and their workspace.
In this regard, the office design for team collaboration becomes a strategic tool for business development. A well-designed office space that encourages teamwork helps to boost creativity, improve communication, and make teams more productive. If you want your company to keep up with the times, this article is for you. If you want your company to keep up with the times, this article is for you.
Why every office needs a collaboration zone?
Apart from following the right team collaboration strategy, choosing the right team collaboration tools, and listening to your colleagues’ needs, it’s equally important to create an office collaboration space that encourages employees to work together.
Office is a wonderful place for new business ideas, work, team communication and everything else that is a huge part of business life. The office collaboration design receives a lot of attention because it shapes the company’s image, supports the corporate culture, encourages the development of employees’ creative potential, and thus contributes to the company’s success.
What should be taken into account when planning an office collaboration space?
- The largest number of creative ideas are born in groups of experts from different departments.
- Up to 80% of all work is done in small groups.
- The workspace is one of the main tools for increasing interaction between office workers and administration.
- Effective teamwork rarely takes place in traditional meeting rooms. Today cooperation is permanent, spontaneous and occurs in any part of the office space throughout the working day.
People prefer the workplace where the following components are most accessible: interaction with colleagues, collaboration spots in an office, access to technology, and a special space to support four forms of work:
- individual work;
- teamwork;
- social relations in a team;
- training and exchange of knowledge and experience.
It is not enough to move furniture and expect that it’ll be the best office for collaboration and people will begin to cooperate better with each other—it requires planning, changes in the company’s policy, and a little bit of luck. What requirements should the office space meet to ensure the best possible internal cooperation among the employees?
Office collaboration ideas
Best office layout for collaboration
The open office layout, where partitions and doors don’t prevent employees from communicating, has become popular by now. Indeed, about 70% of business centers are designed as open-plan offices. Such a layout is rather cheap and allows companies to accommodate more workers in a limited space.
The considerable advantage of these collaborative office spaces is the ease of communication between employees because they are generally familiar with each other. Working side by side, people begin to understand each other better, to quickly understand the thoughts of colleagues, and to achieve collective results.
In addition, it becomes easier to maintain discipline in the company when everybody sticks to the same rules. The common working area is also a good opportunity to conduct an impromptu brainstorming session or to solve difficult issues. Moreover, less experienced employees can learn a lot and gain experience by watching their colleagues.
Meanwhile, the lack of communication is one of the biggest obstacles to creating a friendly team. When one department doesn’t really know what the other is doing now or how many employees are loaded with work, conflicts are inevitable.
Collaboration office furniture
It’s not a secret that office furniture reflects the company’s success. Each visitor, partner, and customer should first pay attention to how the working space is furnished. Comfortable, functional furniture gives employees confidence in the strong position of their company and promotes a respectful attitude towards the company management.
If the furniture is uncomfortable, work becomes a living inferno. A table or an armchair should be as comfortable as possible so that the person doesn’t have eye, neck, or back pain. That is why it is necessary to pay attention not only to the appearance but also to the size of the furniture. The comfortable work that brings pleasure, increases success and, eventually, the results of work.
Office collaboration furniture improves working spirits, gathers all workers together in a relaxed environment helps exchange ideas, and holds a collaborative or private meeting in a constructive but friendly atmosphere.
Lounge office space for collaboration
Various office sounds have a significant impact on employees’ concentration and productivity. Workers need a quiet, convenient place where nothing will interfere, that’s why the collaboration office design is impossible without a relaxation room.
It is better to organize a rest area in a separate room. Any part of a working space, separated by partitions or cabinets, will also be fine. A well-equipped recreation area helps to take the edge off, deal with the stress, and facilitate communication and interaction.
The style of the lounge area should be the same as in the entire office, or combined with the rest of the space. When choosing a style for the collaborative office space, it is important to create a comfortable and cozy atmosphere where tranquility, informal communication, and full relaxation flourish.
For example, decorate the windows with soft curtains and plants, and install lamps with a soft, cozy light. Aquariums, small room fountains, and pictures will also create a homey atmosphere.
Some companies provide lounge areas with racetracks, exercise bikes, steppers, and shower stalls. It’s no secret that regular physical activity makes our brains work better. Of course, this type of lounge area is the most effective, it helps employees recover more quickly, but it requires serious investments and lots of free space.
Collaborative office design for the hybrid work era
With more people working from home, it’s created a few new challenges and opposition for those who work on-site. These days, employees aren’t tied to just working in the office. If some employees are going to work from the office and some elsewhere, the office layout needs to be tweaked to make it easier for them to interact and collaborate, even when they’re in different locations.
If you’re looking to boost collaboration and teamwork across your teams, hot-desking is a great option. Usually, there are flexible office spaces with no fixed seating. Students can get involved in different activities in the office, which means they can interact with other students and other departments.
It’s also important to think about how you’re going to use spaces for making Zoom calls and video conferences when you’re designing hybrid workspaces. These units are different from video conferencing units because they’re visually enclosed, soundproof chambers that are great for making video calls. They also make sure that everyone taking part in the discussion, no matter where they’re sitting, is brought together. These days, assistants don’t just help out in the office. They can video conference with colleagues in other offices or even work teams, which helps managers keep an eye on things and fix any communication issues.
It’s also important to include some metric spaces in the office. It could be a room set aside for quick chats, an alcove for a tea break, or a space where a few people can work in peace. These spaces have all the teamwork tech, even if some of the chat teams are off-site.
Integrating such elements into your office plan will promote the working together of your hybrid teams irrespective of their geographical position. If you blend the digital and physical workplaces, you’ll create a culture of teamwork where everyone feels comfortable.
Final words on office space ideas
Do your employees want to leave their workplaces as soon as possible? It goes without saying that the effectiveness of such work will be minimal. Only a comprehensive and integrated approach to doing business will help any company develop effectively and successfully. The ideal office is not just a place where people come to sit for 8 hours, mechanically performing certain tasks daily.
When the office design is well-planned, encouraging communication and collaboration, both office workers and company administration win.
A well-designed shared office space helps people feel like they belong, makes them happier at work, and gets them more done. By mixing up the types of workspaces you have – from open areas for teamwork to quiet zones for focused work – you can make sure that your employees can do their best in their roles.
It’s important to get the layout, furniture, and lounge areas right to make sure your company has the best working conditions. On top of that, if you make your office space work for both physical and virtual collaboration, your teams can work together seamlessly, no matter where they are. As the way we work changes, hybrid workspaces and digital tools are becoming just as important for fostering collaboration. If you think about all the things we’ve talked about, you’ll be one step closer to making your business better in every way and creating a place where ideas can grow.
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