The current pandemic arrived without invitation and there has since been an increased focus on how effective employees can be outside of the normal work environment, but also the future of the office space and how we can reshape it into something that works and accommodating of modern employee needs.

The collaborative hub concept is one aspect of the ‘new office’ and is not that dissimilar to the concept of co-working spaces, but in this case, they would be designed to suit a singular brand, not multiple organisations.

It is predicted that given the option while also being equipped to properly work from home, many employees will choose to work 3-4 days per week at home but routinely access the office hub 1-2 days per week, for any combination of the reasons, meetings, one on one sessions, social face to face contact. It’s the flexibility which is fundamental, which is desired, and which has been brought to the fore by Covid-19.

There are further ramifications as an office hub which does not need to accommodate all or even most staff will mean that larger spaces are not required, and this will consequently impact the demand for space and no doubt companies will start to weigh up the cost savings of having a smaller space that works for their staff and allows them to be as productive and efficient as before.

We’ve been around the ever-changing office interiors business for many years and as always we live in interesting times and how the workplace evolves over the coming years will be watched keenly by employers, employees and office designers, but one thing is for sure, change is coming, and coming fast.

The Hub Environment