Four ways to refresh the office for hybrid working

For many organizations, hybrid working has become the norm. Most companies recognize that the workplace design should evolve to support hybrid work—but hesitate to invest in workplace redesigns in a time of uncertainty. Yet, it is possible to make relatively modest investments today that will create a strong future return in terms of employee productivity, engagement, recruitment and retention.

As JLL’s latest Global Occupancy Planning Benchmarking Report 2024 explores, hybrid work programs continue to drive change in workplace planning and management. Managing fluctuating weekly occupancy patterns, increasing technology requirements and diminished employee experience in a dynamic workplace creates complex demands for CRE teams.

With occupancy patterns still in flux in many corporate offices, undertaking broad workplace redesigns poses risk: what if the resulting space is too much, too little or in configurations that don’t meet employees’ needs and preferences? No wonder 87% of organizations have adopted hybrid work policies, but only 1% are undertaking workspace design in conjunction with hybrid work practices, according to JLL’s occupancy benchmarking report.

Globally, office attendance has been increasing. Average work-from-the-office days rose to 3.1 days per week in 2023, according to JLL’s Is hybrid really working? research report. JLL’s 2023 Global Pulse Client Survey found that most corporate clients are planning to modify their portfolios in the next three to five years, with 48% planning to decrease and 27% planning to increase. As many organizations reach lease renewal periods, now is the time to maximize value from occupancy and utilization data gathered in recent years and inform workspace investment decisions.

Yet, encouraging employees back to the office while also addressing operational cost reduction and optimizing portfolios goals is creating difficulties for many CRE teams. Nearly 70% of companies have adopted seat-sharing strategies, and 90% plan to implement or increase their use of seat sharing in the future. However, many are grappling with how to redesign and futureproof their offices within their budget constraints.

One challenge is right-sizing the corporate footprint. Early hybrid programs often focused on collaboration-first initiatives. Outcomes typically included a reduction of the number of individual workstations available and an increase in the availability of collaboration spaces, with the potential to shrink the footprint. Organizations investing in workplace redesigns tended to focus on collaborative and social spaces on the premise that the opportunity to interact with colleagues was the dominant reason to come to a corporate office.

However, a more nuanced understanding of daily work shows that individual workspaces are just as important as collaboration and social spaces. The lack of quiet and focused spaces, and the need for individual workplaces, during weekly occupancy peaks is a continued challenge across all sectors and industries. JLL’s occupancy benchmarking research shows that lack of choice of space, privacy and individual workstation quality along with quiet, focused work areas are the workplace factors that are most reported to negatively impact performance.

Balancing employee experience needs in the office is a critical challenge for employers seeing demand for focused and quiet spaces to support individual working. However, if your organization is not ready to commit to broad design changes, you could consider lower-cost “low-hanging fruit” investments that will enhance the employee experience without a large budget or a long timeframe.

1. Improve the furniture. Furniture can transform and complement your workspaces, and an investment in the right furniture is also an investment in your workforce. Thoughtfully integrating furniture in the space is integral to creating harmonious places that help people thrive. Investing in high-quality modular furniture solutions will enable you to refresh and reimagine your workspaces to support collaboration, heads-down work and wellbeing in a single strategy. Comfortable, ergonomic seating, adjustable sit/stand desks and flexible collaborative spaces will be appreciated by employees and can be implemented relatively quickly without disrupting daily work.

“Furniture has the power to truly transform and complement the built environment. Without furniture, a space is just a space, and without space, furniture is just furniture,” said Anna Gryskevich, Senior Vice President, Project & Development Services – Furniture Solutions, JLL. “Thoughtfully designing these two together is integral to designing harmonious places that help people thrive. Investing in the right furniture solution is investing in your people and ultimately in your mission.”
2. Upgrade workplace technologies. Technology tools are essential for optimizing the hybrid workplace. Technology that supports seamless collaboration and immersive meeting experiences is high on fit-out wish lists. According to JLL’s latest Design Trends and Cost Guide, organizations are spending more on technology improvements, including larger high-definition screens, improved audio and videoconference cameras that track speakers to support seamless collaboration, and immersive meeting experiences.

For employees, a workspace reservation system accessed via mobile app makes it easy for employees to book the spaces they need while in the office and generates useful data to inform occupancy planning. Enhanced videoconferencing and presentation capabilities streamline meetings among on-site and remote employees and improve productivity. Behind the scenes, tracking attendance with badge data has become a common approach for understanding utilization patterns.
3. Undertake limited “pocket” renovations. When widespread renovations aren’t feasible, focus on key areas that will most benefit employees’ experience in the office. Mental and physical wellbeing is very important for today’s employees, according to JLL’s Regenerative Workplace research report, so consider prioritizing investments that improve comfort and self-care. Simply updating the color on the walls can improve the look and feel of a space and enhance mood. Adding semi-enclosed booths and soundproof pods can provide the privacy that many employees want without major office upgrades. Another option is to carve out a quiet zone, preferably with mood-enhancing outdoor views and plants, for heads-down working.

4. Invest in amenity spaces. Focusing on amenity spaces can be a smart way to focus renovation budgets. It can mean transforming an underutilized conference room into a technology-free zone with plants and comfortable seating where employees can recharge or expanding kitchen spaces with fresh-food vending machines and self-service espresso makers. Or, if a particular workspace area is underutilized, consider adding acoustic panels and modular furniture, and transforming it into a multi-purpose space for socializing, training or casual meetings.

While no “one-size-fits-all” solution applies for a successful hybrid workplace, successful programs will use occupancy and utilization data, as well as employee surveys and conversations with other stakeholders, to better understand what investments will be most worthwhile. Understanding employee workplace needs and preferences is the key to maximizing the impact of improvements for hybrid workplace.