Balancing privacy and collaboration in a hybrid work setup. How can you optimize your workspace for both?

Balancing privacy and collaboration in a hybrid work setup can be challenging but achievable with thoughtful design and the right tools. 1. Braid Physical and Digital Experiences 2. Flip Open and Enclosed Spaces Design your workspace to have open areas for collaborative meetings and enclosed pods or rooms for focused, individual work. 3. Shift from Fixed to Fluid Workspaces Create flexible spaces that can serve multiple purposes. For example, a café area can double as a meeting space. 4. Leverage Technology for Security and Collaboration Use tools like Microsoft 365 5. Use Physical Cues and Digital Statuses Implement physical cues in the office to signal availability or focus time & use of digital platform like Slack.

Before making any changes, it's crucial to take a measured approach: - Understand Staff Needs: Spend time understanding the working patterns, needs, and frustrations of your staff. - Identify Physical Shortfalls: Look for gaps such as not enough small rooms, touchdown spaces, or phone booths. -Address Behavioural and Cultural Challenges: Tackle issues like one person monopolizing large rooms or restrictions on choosing appropriate spaces. -Tailored Solutions: Once you have a clear understanding of your organization's unique challenges, the right solutions will naturally emerge. Jumping straight into solutions without proper consultation and understanding can lead to ineffective outcomes. Research and understanding are key!

Establish communication protocols. This should include guidelines for communication channels (email, instant messaging, video calls) to manage information flow and privacy. Alongside that, these protocols should extend to virtual settings. For example, implement visual cues, like "Do Not Disturb/DND" signs or traffic light systems, to signal availability and privacy needs. Leverage platforms that offer features like virtual whiteboards, easy-to-use project management tools. These allow for efficient collaboration without creating overly onerous barriers to participation for others.

Allowing the proper share of privacy and collaboration is a matter of a company's culture. An excellent workspace design can positively impact culture if supported by adequate communication and "education" of the staff. In my experience the most effective way to shape company's culture to embrace hybrid working is a top-down proactive attitude. If the management embraces the new ways of working, walk the talk and utilizes the spaces for what they are designed for, in a little while everyone will do and enjoy the benefits.

There is no secret to setting up a hybrid work environment other than understanding which activities are performed, what is needed in terms of space and equipment for each of them, the good old activity-based design. The workspace is one of the tools you have to perform your work, as well as the equipment and technology, so you just need to understand which activities make sense to do individually and privately, and which activities are enhanced by meetings, whether in person or digitally.