PLAN A MULTI-SPACE OFFICE SUCCESSFULLY

1. The multi-space office: supporting
modern and flexible working 2. What is the difference between an open-plan office and a multi-space office?
3. How to make
the transition to a multi-space office 4. Tips for designing
a multi-space office 5. Download our free guide to positioning quiet zones

1. The multi-space office: supporting modern and flexible working

Outdated preconceptions about remote working and mobile working have been dispelled. We now know that it makes sense to work wherever it is easiest and most efficient to do so.

Thanks to digital solutions, an increasing number of office workers are now able to work whenever and wherever they choose. In the modern workplace, it is not the time spent at work that counts, but the results.

Flexibility often improves work efficiency. With the option of remote working, the time spent commuting can be saved for work or for relaxing leisure time. The same applies to meetings, for example: a two-hour meeting only takes up two hours of time when it is held remotely. Travelling to the venue in person takes up extra time from each participant’s day, time that is taken away from other work.

Few people work efficiently in one place from one day to the next. A prerequisite for flexible working is trust in employees and the belief that each individual knows their own working methods best. At the same time, there is a desire to maintain contact with colleagues, and collaboration is encouraged more than ever before. In modern working life, the importance of communication often only becomes clear to many people through practical experience.

A multi-space office is a working environment that offers the opportunity to change one’s working methods and location as required. The transition from an open-plan office to a multi-space office often requires a corresponding change in working culture. When the users of the space are involved in the process from the outset, the transition from an open-plan office to a multi-space office can even be used as a stepping stone towards more significant changes in work culture.

2. What is the difference between an open-plan office and a multi-space office?

• Workstations: Employees in a multi-space office do not have their own designated workstations. Workstations are chosen according to the nature of the task: writing tasks are carried out in a quiet room, whilst brainstorming sessions take place in areas where conversation is permitted. An employee may use several different workstations during the course of a day. Routine daily tasks are often carried out in the open-plan workspace, whilst meetings and tasks requiring concentration are conducted in quiet rooms, meeting rooms or quiet areas.
• Peace and quiet: The biggest challenge with open-plan offices is the lack of peace and quiet. A multi-space office features areas designed to aid concentration. Often, a quiet area is set aside in a multi-space office where conversation is prohibited and mobile phones must be set to silent. Employees must have access to a sufficient number of quiet spaces, such as phone booths and meeting rooms, to which tasks that might disturb others can be quickly moved if necessary. In addition, the office needs clear rules and guidelines on the use of the various spaces.
• Interaction: A multi-space office is a spatial solution that encourages communication and collaboration in the areas designated for these purposes. In open-plan workspaces designed for group work, people are free to move about. In a shared working environment, rules are also needed for interaction areas: employees must clearly indicate when they are unavailable. This can be managed through the use of different zones or rules. Talking is often permitted in open-plan areas, but there are also quiet spaces available within the layout for telephone calls, remote meetings and quick discussions. Changing workstations and mobile working also give rise to chance encounters, which facilitate the exchange of information and brainstorming amongst staff who normally work in different departments.
• Meetings: In a multi-space office, employees do not always need to book a room in advance and shut themselves away in a separate meeting room: the resources and spaces needed for collaborative work are easily accessible throughout the office. Organising meetings in a multi-space office is more flexible, and it is easy to find a time and place for a discussion. The office has areas designated for group work, equipped with the necessary supplies for collaborative work. If necessary, discussions involving several people can also be moved to a quiet room.
• Confidentiality: It can be difficult to find a place for confidential discussions or phone calls in an open-plan office. Various types of screens work well as room dividers, but they do not provide privacy. Many people talk on the phone or hold video meetings whilst disturbing others, even though a screen merely acts as a visual barrier – not a sound barrier. A carefully designed multi-space office has sufficient soundproofed retreat areas where confidential conversations can be held when necessary. Furthermore, roles requiring a high degree of confidentiality and data protection – such as the majority of financial administration tasks – need private spaces.
• Efficiency: When concentration is not constantly disrupted, work efficiency increases. Studies show that employees who move from an open-plan office to a multi-space office experience a significant increase in productivity, by as much as tens of per cent. Time is used more effectively and the quality of work improves when work can be carried out without interruptions and the working environment is stimulating.

3. How should the transition to a multi-space office be carried out?

1. Define the drivers and objectives for the transition to a multi-purpose office.

What problems is the move to a multi-space office environment intended to solve? Is the challenge a lack of quiet in which to concentrate, or a need for creative spaces that encourage discussion? And what sort of objectives does this change aim to achieve?

2. Put together a project team.

Involve the space’s users right from the start. A team driving change should include both employees who use the space on a daily basis and those who are on the move, spending only part of their average working day in the office. Forming the team kicks off the change management process: when space users are given the opportunity to participate right from the planning stage, resistance to change is reduced.

3. Who uses the space, and how?

The Space Team’s role is to profile the users of the space and identify patterns of office space usage. The team works together to define the ways of working that are supported in a multi-space office. Every multi-space office is different, which is why, for example, the number of quiet areas, retreat spaces and meeting rooms varies.

At the same time, we define what kind of interaction we wish to encourage in the workplace. For example, the size of the various work areas says a great deal about whether the working environment primarily encourages conversation or efficient individual work. It is also important to take the virtual working environment into account during the assessment and to develop it alongside the physical working environment.

4. Take the organisation’s culture into account when developing the working environment.

The working environment says a lot about a company and its culture. Culture and the working environment often develop hand in hand. What kind of culture do the current workspaces reflect, and what story does a multi-space office aim to tell? What aspects of the physical environment do employees value? How can a multi-space office support the development of the working culture in the desired direction?

5. Communicate and engage.

The better the change is communicated to the space’s users, the more smoothly the roll-out of the new space will go. It is a good idea to give the space’s users the opportunity to comment on the new plans and, for example, to test the quiet zones in advance.

The revamped working environment will be introduced alongside rules and guidelines. A multi-space office only functions optimally when everyone understands the purpose of the different spaces and actively manages their own work.

The space should be adapted continuously to meet your needs. So remember to gather feedback and suggestions for improvement on an ongoing basis.

4. Tips for designing a multi-purpose office

• Partitions and room dividers – Partitions can be used to create visually tranquil areas within a space and eliminate visual distractions. Flexible partition wall systems, on the other hand, are the ideal solution when sound-insulating walls are required, whilst also allowing for quick and easy adaptation of the space in the future.
• Quiet spaces – Quiet spaces must be easily accessible in all areas of the office so that tasks which may disturb others or require privacy can be carried out in an environment designed for that purpose. It is important to locate phone booths and spaces suitable for remote meetings particularly in quiet working areas, but also throughout the office, so that a suitable place is always readily available for confidential calls. Chat rooms and spaces designed for concentration, on the other hand, should be situated in teamwork areas and open-plan workspaces. Ensure that there are sufficient, varied and flexible retreat spaces available.
• Interior design and layout – Define the locations of walkways clearly and logically. Guide users to follow specific routes and avoid, for example, walking past workstations intended for concentration. It is a good idea to use clear signage to direct people to phone booths and toilets. Position quiet zones so that people at their workstations can see whether the space is free or occupied. When the working environment is designed for efficient use and movement within it is straightforward, there will be no unnecessary disturbances in shared workspaces.
• Meeting spaces – Clearly define the purpose of the spaces intended for meetings. The interior design should create a dedicated space for conversation and another for quiet reflection. If, for example, you want to place sofas or hanging swings in the office for relaxation, you shouldn’t put them in the noisiest part of the break room.
• Rules – It is a good idea to set out rules governing the use of different areas and facilities. You should therefore clearly state the intended purpose of the facilities and provide guidance to users.
• Office maps and communication regarding the use of spaces – Various booking systems can also be used to help communicate the utilisation rates of different areas and the availability of staff. If an employee does not wish to be disturbed, this can be indicated via calendar entries or mutually agreed procedures. Office maps and sensors installed in different areas can also be utilised, allowing staff to quickly check on the map whether there is space available in a particular work area. This solution is particularly well-suited to large, multi-storey office spaces and reduces the need to wander around aimlessly. The purpose of quiet spaces is not to be bookable in advance – they best serve to maintain a peaceful working environment when they are accessible whenever they are needed.
• Don’t forget the rest areas – in a flexible working environment, time isn’t strictly monitored. It’s important for the working environment to encourage recovery too – taking a breather in a quiet space boosts productivity more than scrolling through social media at your desk. So make sure there’s space for breaks too, where you don’t have to think about work and your brain can rest. For example, after an intense meeting, an employee might need a space where they can catch their breath and recover for a moment before moving on to the next task.