Hybrid work has changed the fundamental assumption upon which office design was based. For decades, it was assumed that the number of workstations corresponded to the number of employees. Today, office presence changes from day to day, and the space must work both on Monday, when it is full, and on Friday, when only a few people are working in it.

Start with presence data

The starting point is to check how many people are actually in the office on individual days. Without this knowledge, it is easy to design a space that is either too large, generating unnecessary costs, or too small, which ceases to function on peak days. It is worth observing for a few weeks before making decisions about the number of workstations.

Shared workstations and their conditions

Giving up assigned desks only works when it is accompanied by specific solutions. There is a need for personal storage space, a clear booking system, and workstations standardized enough so that each one is suitable for work without lengthy adjustment. Without this, sharing quickly sparks resistance.

Online meetings as a new type of task

In the hybrid model, some meeting participants are remote, which means there are far more screen-based conversations than before. The space must accommodate this, providing quiet areas with good acoustics and appropriate facial lighting. Conducting such conversations at a desk in an open-plan space reduces the comfort of the entire team.

Flexibility instead of rigid division

With variable presence, a layout that can be modified without renovation is particularly beneficial. Furniture on wheels, light partitions, modular units for rearrangement, and well-thought-out cabling allow for changing the proportions of zones as the team's way of working changes. This solution is cheaper than rebuilding after a year.

The office as a meeting place

When individual work can be done remotely, the role of the office shifts towards collaboration and building relationships. In practice, this means a larger share of common areas, more places for conversation, and less emphasis on the number of identical desks. A space that provides something not available at home is a real reason to come to the office.

Summary

Designing for hybrid work starts with data on actual presence, not headcount. Take care of the conditions that make workstation sharing work, provide spaces for online meetings, and choose a layout that can be changed. The office should offer what working from home does not provide.