While the global health crisis has yet to completely subside, there’s no denying that many businesses around the world are starting to let their employees back into the workplace. However, this has been met with mixed opinions. Some people prefer to work at home or remotely when possible because they’ve grown accustomed to the freedom it offers. In fact, many businesses have started to fully embrace remote and hybrid workflows because it offers some financial benefits as well.

On the other hand, there are those that wish to return to their offices as soon as possible. This is because they prefer collaborating in person and it also means they have a proper working environment where they can focus on their tasks. But if this is the case for some of your employees, then it might be worth rethinking your office layout to help optimize productivity for when your staff return.

Determine what the goal for your office is

It’s a good idea to remind yourself that every business has a different goal with their office.

Some companies want to encourage collaboration, brainstorming, and debate in their offices. However, others prefer to create a quiet and tranquil space that makes it easier for people to get work done.

Before you start rearranging things, it’s vital that you decide what your goal is:

• An office that allows for peace and quiet to focus on important tasks.
  • This would require furniture such as office cubicles if possible. If you’re using an open plan, then you should try to position desks in a way that faces people away from each other, thus reducing the number of visual distractions and increasing productivity.
  • You’ll also want to give privacy to your employees so they can focus on their tasks without the possibility of someone looking over their shoulder.

• An office that focuses on individual work and almost no collaboration.
  • This is a good option if you have a hybrid-focused workflow that allows staff to book a desk for a specific day. Almost no collaboration happens in the office, so it’s perfectly fine to use single rooms for each employee.

• An office that encourages collaboration and engagement.
  • This type of office is more suited to modern business workflows where everyone is involved in almost every process. This is facilitated with an open-plan office that focuses on comfort, but you should also include areas that allow your staff to focus on them so that they can retreat to a more peaceful workstation when needed.

These are just a few ideas of how you can make the most of your office space. Remember that every office has a different goal and you shouldn’t feel like you’re being locked into a specific format. Try them out and see what works best for you so that your business can return to an optimal level of productivity.

Even if only half of your workforce is returning because they enjoy the idea of a hybrid workflow, you should still try to accommodate their preferences because it ultimately means a happier workforce.

It can take a lot of investment, but it’s ultimately worth it.