One of the great advantages of a hybrid workplace is the flexibility to respond to new situations quickly. Lower overhead means more revenue to explore new options and chances for growth, as well as to better absorb the blows when problems or difficulties arise.
Hybrid workplaces are rapidly becoming the norm in business, and it’s not hard to see why. Dividing workers into teams who function in a traditional office and those who work some or all of the time from home can save companies a great deal on operating expenses. Simultaneously, this flexibility can improve employee productivity and work-life balance. Workers save on commutes and can balance other aspects of their lives, while companies cut down on expenses without sacrificing productivity. However, efficient space management is essential to ensure that operations run smoothly in these setups.
Realizing the benefits offered by hybrid workplace layouts relies on good planning to trim day-to-day costs. Effective space management is a vital part of that equation. Every aspect of business, even down to the very concept of office space, is undergoing a fundamental change. The company that can properly handle their space needs stands poised to gain a great deal in the business revolution.
How Space Management Can Ensure the Safety and Protection of Employees in the Office
The most important step in managing an office space in the post-Covid era is ensuring the health and safety of everyone who enters it. This means following proper guidelines regarding occupancy limits, social distancing, cleaning and sanitizing services, and contact tracing. Doing so keeps employees, clients, and visitors safe and healthy while ensuring that business proceeds apace. The company saves money on health care costs, and team members can do their jobs without worrying about their health.
The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) continues to update guidelines for Covid-safe office conditions, as does the CDC. Management’s task is to use those guidelines to craft a comprehensive policy for safety and health in their workplace areas. Consider the number of employees, the square footage required, adequate desk space (which may involve hot-desking or similar rotating workplace zones), and appropriate health checks and sterilization schedules, among other factors.
All of these factors will vary depending on the specifics of your organization. However, a few universal caveats can help ensure the efficacy of your plan. Modern space management relies on a hybrid model. To that end, make sure all of your team members can readily communicate with each other, regardless of where they are. This includes feedback and transparency options, allowing employees to express concerns in a manner that makes them feel heard.
Most importantly, the company should emphasize interpersonal communications as much as company-wide ones. Building connections between team members—so-called “soft work”—is just as vital to your company’s flow as “hard work.” Don’t let this connective tissue get lost in the hybrid workplace layout.
Adapting to the New Normal With Smart Space Management
The Covid-19 pandemic of 2020 catalyzed a slow-moving shift in business models, expediting the transition to decentralized work overnight. The changes in the ways companies function pulled the rug out from many companies, leaving them little time to properly transition. This has left lingering notions of an eventual “return to normal” on the horizon. By now, however, it’s become clear that there is no “going back,” because this shift was inevitable—pandemic or no pandemic.
Contrary to many sentiments, the abrupt shift might have been a good thing for many businesses. Rather than dragging their feet on transitioning models, sacrificing expediency for “tradition,” the pandemic forced businesses to just take the plunge. They learned about the saved costs and improved flexibility without attendant productivity loss firsthand. Businesses that embrace this change further as the new normal will only continue to thrive.
Of course, that means more than just managing a few rotating schedules and online meeting rooms. Businesses have to lean in and embrace the full potential of hybrid workplace opportunities. Smaller office space means less overhead costs and a leaner operation overall. But this must be balanced against the often-byzantine schedules of workers spending part of their hours at home. Office cleaning schedules need adjusting, remote workers need more robust communication avenues—both with the company as a whole and with each other—and on-site visitors need constant health and safety screenings.
It’s a great deal of work, but you can make these processes run smoother with technology dedicated to the cause. Smarten Spaces streamlines the hybrid workplace management process and helps you trim operating costs without losing efficiency. The suite of management tools Smarten Spaces provides will help you reorganize your business space to meet the future head-on.
Future-Proofing the Office Through the Hybrid Workplace
The future is unknown, and while we can anticipate and plan for coming trends, the unexpected is never far away. No matter what your size or field, every business will inevitably see challenges and opportunities in the future that you could never have predicted.
One of the great advantages of hybrid workplace layouts is the flexibility to respond to new situations quickly. Lower overhead means more revenue to explore new options and chances for growth, as well as to better absorb the blows when problems or difficulties arise. Also, hybrid employees are apt to show more loyalty to the company. The flexibility allows them to better address needs in their own lives and meet their work responsibilities in a manner that works best for them, which means they’re more inclined to support the company when tough challenges arise.
Of course, this all hinges on a well-functioning hybrid model. Companies that insist on sticking with a more traditional office model are more apt to be left behind simply because they can’t respond to the unexpected. But so are their peers to make the leap in a haphazard or disorganized fashion. Ease your transition to a hybrid workplace area with technology like Smarten Spaces, so you can reap all the benefits the hybrid model has to offer.
Make the Leap to Hybrid Work With Smarten Spaces
Even the savviest business likely needs some help navigating the abruptly shifted landscape of remote work. Recognized as a business innovator time and again, Smarten Spaces is here to provide that helping hand. Our goal is to solve the challenges of the new hybrid workplace. If you’re transitioning to a hybrid workplace for your staff and need a tool to help you manage your space needs, let us show you how we can enhance your operations!