This article is part of the series Beyond Hybrid:
99 Things You Need to Know Now

Beyond Hybrid Insights and ideas 8-15 for a new era of work Whether you’re in the office one day or five, hybrid work is, arguably, the biggest change any of us will face. Not because it ushers in a massive advance in technology, but because it creates the opportunity for us to actually do what we’ve been talking about for over a decade — make work more human.

People making more intentional decisions about when and why they go to the office expect a fundamentally new experience at work. It’s not so much about where you work, but how you work. People want a new level of agency over their work experience, and while leaders can mandate where it happens — or not — the bigger opportunity lies in challenging assumptions and existing norms.

Workplaces need to adjust to this new reality. If they have the option, more people will make intentional decisions about why and when they go to the office. Leesman, an employee experience measurement firm, calls this “purposeful presence.”

This means employees will think about their reasons to go to the office — an important meeting, face time with the boss or to focus without the family around — rather than just going automatically. And while being together is important, employees are saying the single biggest problem with the office today is the lack of privacy to do individual work.

Some organizations are exploring new workplace approaches, some are staying with existing strategies while others are waiting for more people to return to the office or for hybrid work patterns to stabilize before making changes. Regardless of where you fall on this spectrum, people’s needs have changed, their work has changed and they need a fundamentally new experience at work.

Major shifts in work norms
change how people get work done in the office. People have new expectations about how and when they engage in their work. Whether they took part in the “Great Resignation,” “Quiet Quitting” or the “Great Relocation,” employees have a bigger voice about how and where work happens. Employees
are more empowered today. Pre-pandemic, 88% of people had assigned workstations. Leaders indicate the reduction will continue. This shift challenges the current norms about where people start their day, store their things and how they create a sense of belonging. In the last year, there has been
a 15% drop in assigned spaces. People need hybrid collaboration spaces where both in-person and remote participants can participate fully, and individual spaces for video meetings where they can hear and not disturb others. Over half of
all meetings (56%) are spent on video.

New Inspiration Hybrid workplaces should draw inspiration from the neighborhoods we love and want to be in. It’s important they have “social infrastructure” — the places where people gather and build connections, according to sociologist and author Eric Klinenberg. Strong social infrastructure fosters contact, mutual support and collaboration and is just as essential as traditional infrastructure. Why? Because the best ones create a vibe and energy that solve for our basic human need to feel a sense of belonging. Great neighborhoods have a diverse range of private and public spaces, where it’s critical our homes provide sanctuary amidst a bustling community. They are easily accessible — much like a “15-minute city” — where a person can meet many basic needs within a short walk.

Neighborhoods can inspire new ways of
designing the office because they have a vibe
and energy that meet our basic human
need to feel a sense of belonging.

Equity
Create more equitable experiences. Design spaces that support everyone, in-person or remote, and welcome people with diverse needs.

Engagement
Design for everyone’s ability to engage and contribute. Create experiences across a range of settings that help people do their best work, whether alone or together.

Ease
Make space and technology easy to use. Design a variety of virtual and physical experiences that are easy to navigate and control. Create a seamless flow between different types of work and experiences. “A great work neighborhood has vitality and variety. Each one is unique but all help create equity, engagement and ease so people can do their best work. Neighborhoods are created following key design principles and with a mix of diverse types of spaces. Getting it right is both an art and science,” says Meg Bennett, global principal designer at Steelcase. How to Design a
Hybrid Neighborhood

Me + We
Spaces need to be designed to support both individuals and groups and allow people to easily transition between both. Fixed-to-Fluid
Organizations, teams and people need more flexibility so spaces need to be created with less emphasis on fixed architecture and furnishings, and more focus on ways to easily adapt spaces, and be more fluid. Open + Enclosed
There will be more collaboration in open spaces because of their inherent flexibility. Meanwhile, people want more control over their boundaries, and need more access to private and shielded spaces especially with the prevalence of video calls. Braiding Digital + Physical
This is ultimately what the hybrid workplace is all about. Technology and space need to be considered holistically because that’s how work
will happen. Designing
with four key principles creates neighborhoods that respond
to people’s
new needs. Designing with four key principles creates neighborhoods that respond to people’s new needs.

The workplace needs four essential space types to support different kinds of work. Personal Spaces
A range of spaces balancing the needs of “me” and “we” gives people control over their privacy and comfort. Collaboration Spaces
Flexible settings, mobile tools and technology support in-person and distributed teams of all sizes. Social Spaces
An intentional and flexible mix of shared and individual experiences foster a sense of community and belonging. Learning Spaces
High-performing, adaptable spaces deliver integrated learning opportunities for in-person and distributed groups.

13 Great hybrid neighborhoods are created to achieve equity, engagement and ease 12 Hybrid workplaces should draw inspiration from the neighborhoods we love and want to be in. 11 Employees are more empowered today. 10 In the last year, there has been a 15% drop
in assigned spaces. 14 Designing with four key principles creates neighborhoods that respond to people’s new needs. 9 Over half of all meetings (56%) are spent on video. 8 People making more intentional decisions about when and why they go to the office expect a fundamentally new experience at work. 15 The workplace needs four essential space types to support different kinds of work. The Takeaway Insights 8-15 for a new era of work

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