Gensler’s most recent U.S. Workplace Survey shows 52% of workers prefer a hybrid office: a combination of working from home and in the workplace, saying it has a positive impact on their ability to be creative, solve problems and build relationships.
Employers are also in agreement as Steelcase global research reveals 72% of corporate leaders plan to offer a hybrid model, and only 13% say they expect to decrease their real estate footprint in the next year.
This data proves workplaces will be a vital part of a hybrid work future, but how can leaders ensure employee needs are met in the office and at home? Follow along with our hybrid office toolkit featuring safety, space management, collaboration, and acoustic key considerations.
What’s in your toolkit?
Building your hybrid office toolkit isn’t any different than the essentials you might have in your garage. When starting projects, the most obvious place to start is with safety and preparation. For a hybrid office toolkit, that’s where we recommend starting, too.
Safety
PurifySpaces
Work gloves, safety goggles, and an appropriate mask can be necessary toolkit items depending on what project you’re working on. Like this list of preventative safety equipment, PurifySpaces featuring Bluezone® technology, takes preventative safety precautions. It kills airborne pathogens and returns pure air into the space. Bluezone achieves a 99.9995% kill rate against aerosolized MS2, a SARS-CoV-2 surrogate virus, within 1 hour. It can integrate into your ceiling, or a custom cabinet that blends into the décor of your space.
Air Quality Dashboard
Before you dive into a project, it’s important to take the proper measurements to guarantee accuracy and build confidence. Similar to the benefits behind a tape measure, the Air Quality Dashboard communicates space air quality to provide transparency to employees to inspire trust and confidence. It displays temperature, humidity, CO2 levels, TVOC levels, and motion.
Space Management
RoomWizard
Flashlights are part of every at home toolkit to help reveal spaces you may not be able to see in plain sight. Just like the way a flashlight brings clarity, the RoomWizard is intentionally designed to display critical meeting information readable from a distance. You can reserve impromptu meetings ad-hoc, provide equal access to and timely turnover of spaces, and manage space usage to make data-driven decisions.
Spaceti
A stud finder is a must-have tool when hanging or mounting heavy objects on the wall to help you find and locate where the studs are. Just like the guidance a stud finder offers for any wall project, Spaceti uses data-driven analytics to analyze and optimize workplace occupancy and wellbeing. Spaceti addresses tenants and landlords’ needs to collect advanced data about space occupancy, bookings (workstations, meeting rooms, parking lots), and air quality in their spaces. This enterprise IoT platform can evaluate workstations, meeting room and parking utilization, monitor indoor air quality, and much more. Learn more about Spaceti.
Collaboration
Logitech Room Systems (small, medium, or large)
Now that the safety and measurement aspect of your projects have been completed, it’s time to really start building the framework. The next toolkit necessity to help put things together is a drill set. Logitech Room Systems delivers superior audio and video in a compact form factor. It can offer an all-in-one video bar or modular video conferencing system, depending on the room size. Learn more about Logitech Room Systems.
Microsoft Surface Hub 2S
As an alternative to a drill set, a more flexible and lighter option in your toolkit is a hammer. The Microsoft Surface Hub 2S is also known for its flexibility and mobility as it can make any space a collaboration space. It’s an all-in-one digital whiteboard, meetings platform, and collaborative computing device using Microsoft Teams, and is now compatible with WebEx and Zoom. It’s light, thin, and easy to integrate into any workspace. Wherever your teams go, Surface Hub 2S can go too. Learn more about Microsoft Surface Hub 2S.
Acoustics
3Form’s Acoustic Remediation (ceilings, partitions, walls)
Now that you’ve finished the bulk implementation of your project, it’s time to pay attention to the details. A level can help determine when your frame is exactly horizontal to create a perfect presentation. Just like the way a level can help balance your product, 3Form’s variety of acoustical ceilings, partitions, or walls can perfect acoustical levels by diffusing and absorbs noise to create more intimate and welcoming environments. These visually stunning products not only make your space stand out, but it will also create a balanced acoustical level.
QT Pro by Steelcase
When working with loud machinery such as lawnmowers, it’s important to have the proper ear protection in your toolkit. Similar to the way earmuffs can reduce the noise energy reaching and causing damage to the inner ear, QtPro is a sound masking system engineered to provide exceptional sound masking in today’s changing workplace. A variety of control modules and volume adjustable emitters help fine-tune the appropriate solutions for offices from thousands of square feet to hundreds of thousands of square feet. Learn more about QTPro.
Visit Our Boston WorkLife
Interested in exploring these solutions and others? Contact us today to schedule a tour of our Boston WorkLife.
