Hybrid work is the key focus of many corporations and businesses in Singapore. While
it offers high flexibility and great promises, it also comes with many uncertainties and
challenges. Many organisations that implement hybrid work in their current system aim
to achieve the balance between the need to bring their company together to build a
community as well as stronger cohesion and work flexibility.
One factor in the success of hybrid work adoption is the company’s leadership and the
necessity to be easily accessible in ways that might not have been a consideration in
the past, as well as to set the tone for workplaces in the future.
However, with many current offices, it might be hard for leaders who wish to be
accessible role models in the hybrid workplace. Traditional office designs are such that
leaders are set apart from the rest of the company through means of executive levels or
suites, resulting in the complexity of fostering transparency and connection with their
employees. A different approach to how we should design leadership spaces can be the
key to fostering an open culture and developing the type of work behaviours that
leaders hope to see.
Functional. Approachable. Accessible
Studies have shown that employees want their employers to be transparent, accessible,
and visible in the way they run the company. For many employers, this means that a
revamp of work practices and behaviours are necessary while still ensuring that the
company is functioning properly.
So how can employers find the balance between being approachable and having their
personal space to handle the company’s daily needs and functions? How do they
achieve all this in a hybrid work environment where there are employees working
remotely and in person?
Designing a leadership neighbourhood
The design concept of creating a neighbourhood-like space is based on the idea that an
office needs inclusivity and community in order to thrive. Besides just breaking the
space up, it also involves a tangible strategy for corporations and businesses to shift
their work culture and communicate their values.
Every neighbourhood has a distinct character and four crucial design principles:
Me + We: Just like how neighbourhoods have shared and personal spaces,
leadership spaces should support team and individual work.
Fixed to fluid: Employers need resilient and highly adaptable spaces that can
flow with their ever-changing needs. The easier it is for them to adapt to
changes, the more effective their space will be.
Open and enclosed: The ability to be able to be private and focused is crucial.
Employers need spaces that are open to their employees at all times but have
the capability to be private when necessary.
Braiding digital and physical together: Every space in the office requires at
least a video space for online meetings. The need to homogenise physical and
digital spaces together is vital in providing the same experience for both remote
and in-person participants.
Examples of future leadership spaces
A leadership neighbourhood involves designing a wide range of personal and shared
spaces that caters to the increasing needs of hybrid work. Examples of future
leadership spaces are:
C-suite home base: This form of leadership space is designed similarly to a
freestanding pod. It is highly visible and is typically positioned where there is high
human traffic. The space provides openness and transparency between them
and their employees, yet has functions like a sliding door that allows them to
achieve privacy and focus when the need arises. Easy access to their work tools
and integrated technology makes this compact office significantly effective for 1:1
collaboration and deep focus.
Social hub: A multipurpose café-like space that allows approachability between
employees and leaders; ideal for individuals to connect with one another before
or after their meetings. It can also be a space for employees to do their own work
away from their personal desks.
Conclusion
Bringing the company together remotivated and recharged might be, perhaps, the
biggest challenge leaders will face today, no matter what their strategies may be. There
is no greater moment than now for employers and team leaders to be better role
models, demonstrating the behaviour and culture they expect from the company. This is
why creating accessible and open leadership spaces is necessary to determine hybrid
work success.
This is where OSCA Asia comes in. We are an office interior design company that
has offered commercial office design and corporate office interior design
services for over ten years. If you are looking for an office design that not only
incorporates brand value but also understands both the employers’ and employees’
needs, then do not hesitate to contact us at https://www.osca.asia/ to get started today!