Hybrid Work Model Comparisons

Flexible work is an umbrella term used to describe any type of work that does not fall under the more traditional working hours. There are multiple types of flexible work that is becoming more commonly seen in offices such as; job sharing, work from home, flexitime, annualized hours, part-time working, activity-based working. These are all different ways that people can work outside of 9-5 working hours. A flexible workplace is a term that falls under the umbrella of flexible work and refers to the structure of an office, a structure that differs from the more traditional rows and cubicles. Flexible offices include different layouts such as; hot desks, collaborative coworking spaces, and open offices.

An open office is a workplace design with few or no barriers between workstations, while an activity-based workplace provides a variety of spaces for different work activities. An open office promotes collaboration and communication, while an activity-based workplace provides more flexibility and autonomy for employees to choose their work environment.

In an open office, employees typically have a dedicated desk or workstation, but they may be in a large room with coworkers. This type of layout can foster a sense of community and encourage spontaneous interactions and idea-sharing. However, it can also lead to distractions and a lack of privacy, which can negatively impact productivity and job satisfaction.

In contrast, an activity-based workplace provides a range of spaces designed for specific work activities, such as private workstations, collaborative areas, quiet rooms, and social spaces. Employees can choose the space that best suits their needs and preferences, allowing for more flexibility and autonomy in their workday. This type of workplace design can also help reduce distractions and increase productivity but may require more investment in technology and infrastructure to support multiple work environments.

Flexible seating and hot desking are two types of workspace arrangements that offer flexibility and adaptability to the changing needs of workers.

Flexible seating refers to a workspace layout where employees can choose where and how they work within a designated area. This can include options like standing desks, beanbag chairs, and other unconventional seating options. Employees are encouraged to move around and find a workspace that best suits their needs and preferences.

Hot desking, on the other hand, refers to a workspace arrangement where employees do not have assigned seats and instead work in any available workspace on a first-come, first-served basis. This can include shared desks, workstations, or tables, and employees are expected to clear their workspace at the end of the day.

While both flexible seating and hot desking offer increased flexibility and a more dynamic work environment, there are some differences between the two. Flexible seating typically allows employees more freedom to choose where they work, while hot desking tends to be more structured and focused on optimizing workspace utilization.

Employee engagement and workplace experience are two terms that are crucial for any companies success. The workplace experience is the in-office technology, setup of the office i.e is the space more flexible or more traditionally structured, and the overall company culture. All these aspects of workplace experience aim at helping employees be happier and more productive overall in the workplace and encourages recruitment and employee retention. Employee engagement is the rate of engagement for each individual employee, how well the company is at employee retention. Employee engagement efforts are usually run within HR and people operations to ensure high-level employee benefits and culture.