Are you considering a flexible office setup but wondering how to create meeting spaces that truly meet your teams’ needs? Flexible offices, where employees no longer have assigned desks, have become standard in many modern workplaces. This approach encourages mobility, collaboration, and productivity.
For a flexible office to work well, it is essential to design meeting areas that accommodate employees’ requirements.
Here are practical tips for creating functional meeting spaces in a flexible office environment. We will cover the importance of enclosed booths for confidentiality and how to choose the right audiovisual equipment to support collaboration. Concrete examples and actionable recommendations will guide you in making the transition to a more flexible and collaborative workspace.
Before redesigning your office, it is essential to understand the needs and constraints of your teams. According to a JLL study, flexible offices can reduce real estate costs while improving employee satisfaction. However, without a thorough analysis of work habits, the transition may backfire.
Recommended actions include:
For more information, see: The guide to collaborative meeting rooms
In a flexible office, meeting areas should be varied to accommodate different needs, from formal meetings and brainstorming sessions to private calls.
These spaces provide privacy for small meetings or calls, which is essential in an open office. Modular solutions can be tailored to these needs. Additionally, huddle rooms offer fun, engaging spaces that encourage communication.
Equipped with flexible furniture, these rooms can be quickly reconfigured. Tables on wheels and movable partitions allow the space to adapt to the number of participants. For instance, you can design a boardroom that meets high-level strategic needs with ease.
Areas with sofas or poufs encourage spontaneous interactions. These spaces foster creativity, strengthen team connections, and are highly valued by employees. They also play a key role in corporate social responsibility, as they support informal communication, improve information flow, and help solve problems more efficiently. By prioritizing people and collaboration, this type of office design contributes to a positive, engaged workplace culture.
Technology is essential for productive meetings, especially in a hybrid work environment. To support this, equip your meeting spaces with key tools such as:
By integrating these technologies, you transform your meeting rooms into smart, efficient spaces that promote agile collaboration.
If you’re looking to redesign your workplace with a flexible office approach, the goal is to create a dynamic environment that supports collaboration, focus, and employee well-being. Here’s an example of an effective setup:
This approach leads to noticeably higher employee satisfaction with the work environment and smoother collaboration between teams.
Beyond the core principles, some lesser-known practices can significantly enhance the effectiveness of your flexible workspace. Here are some practical tips:
Designate areas with specific themes to inspire creativity and well-being:
Make navigation easier with clear and consistent signage. Use color codes to distinguish areas, directional signs to guide employees, and reminders of shared space usage rules.
Leverage apps to book workstations or meeting rooms, monitor real-time occupancy, and gather feedback on space usage.
Encourage teams to take ownership of communal areas:
Implement a continuous improvement process. Collect feedback and analyze space usage data, then adapt layouts to evolving team needs.
Creating a high-performing flexible office relies on understanding employee needs and providing suitable meeting spaces. By integrating flexible, technological, and visually appealing solutions, companies can enhance collaboration, improve well-being, and optimize space usage.
For further support in optimizing your workplace, consider personalized guidance. Motilde offers a free consultation to discuss your specific needs for flexible office and meeting space design. Schedule your free appointment and let our experts help you create a workspace tailored to modern ways of working.