Dec 22, 20213 min read

Designing for an effective communication in a hybrid workplace

Good workplace communication is one of the keys to a business’s success, it leads to teamwork and better workplace collaboration. Communication in the workplace is vital in having an efficient distribution of information within a company and effective communication occurs when information is delivered accurately and one of the factors that affect communication in the workplace is its environment. A workplace environment that provides open and clear communication fosters room for creativity and innovation. According to a study published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology found the right office environment can also increase employee productivity by up to 25%.

The changes in the landscape of communication in the workplace post-pandemic

Means of communication in the workplace are hugely affected by the pandemic. With the restrictions in physical meetings and social distancing, companies continue to adjust their operations to make sure their employees are safe and healthy. The number one concern by most of the companies during the pandemic is how to balance their resources and how to effectively distribute important information without risking their employee’s safety. As the Government’s vaccination program rolls out and lesser transmission in the local community continues, return to the physical workplace is highly predicted for 2022. However, communication in the workplace wouldn’t be similar to the traditional landscape we are used to. With both companies and employees recovering from the pandemic and recent happenings in the environment, it is very crucial to build trust within the organization and have clear and inspiring communication within the office with a greater focus on employees’ well-being.

Defining the ‘Hybrid Workplace’

The key characteristic of a Hybrid workplace is being flexible to the workforce being both in-office or remote working. A hybrid workplace provides employees flexibility and comfort at work wherever they are most productive. Employees have the freedom with the flexibility to work whether the reasons are convenience, health concerns, mental concerns, or other reasons. A hybrid workplace includes flexibility in space design and smart technology solutions that supports the whole company for effective collaboration and task delivery.

Moving forward: Designing for better communication in the future workplace environment

· As the workforce bounce back from the pandemic, workplace strategies wouldn’t be the same as the typical office set-up. Most of the employees are still adapting to the changes from working from home back to the office, this is a crucial stage for a company to motivate their employees to go back to the physical working space. Workplace design and strategies had been human-centric than before, with much more concern for the well-being of its users. These strategies played a role in formulating the hybrid workplace design. Even so, needs in communication in the workplace must not be disregarded. Since technology and virtual meeting software had served as the main communication platforms during the pandemic, it is expected that it will still be playing an important role in the hybrid workplace post-pandemic. Thus, workplace design must address the space needs of these communication tools, the design strategies would revolve around acoustic optimizations and accessibility of the space for smart technology solutions. Since there would be allowed physical meetings in the workplace post-pandemic, workplace design should also need to cater these physical meetings that ensure the health and safety for both employees and visitors. The placement of the meeting rooms for visitors should be near the office entry and must have minimal contact with the main workstation areas. Communication is also significant in a human’s well-being, and as the workplace strategies become more human-centric; designing a hybrid workplace must also address the demand in facilities or spaces that can cater to safe team huddles, quick break-out chat of the employees, and rooms for employees to converse with the HR about their mental and emotional well-being in the office, there could also be a space where the company could organize seminars and activities to help the wellness and well-being of their employees. Conclusively, workplace communication is one of the keys to the sustained effectiveness of the workforce, productive employee function, and the employees’ well-being. The new hybrid workplace design must adapt to the factors revolving around it and help the company yield the best results for the business.