Our workplaces have evolved beyond offices and cubicle farms to incorporate an array of design features: couches, islands, collaboration spaces, and more. These workplace design changes, and employee’s desire for greater flexibility, are spurring organizations to investigate workplace model changes. This guide to workplace models outlines models and key considerations to consider when developing your workplace and workforce model strategy.
Workplace Models
1. Fully Remote Workplace
Staff might occasionally get together for meetups and retreats, but not at any permanent location. Everyone works remotely.
Key considerations:
A successful fully remote team isn’t accidental. It’s created with intentional and strategic decision-making. While a fully remote workplace grants employees a high level of flexibility it still needs guardrails. Leaders must:
- Decide if employees can live anywhere or if remote work will be constrained to a certain geography
- Determine what constitutes a “work day” (e.g. is it 8am-4pm ET for everyone, 8am-3pm based on your geography, “core hours, etc.)
- Create online spaces that function as points for connection and communication.
- Develop a hierarchy of communications to minimize overload
- Assert expectations around collaboration
- Provide necessary tools and training
- Support employees’ personal time and boundaries
2. Hybrid Workplace
The “flavors” of hybrid are limited only by imagination. Some common varieties: management directed office days, team-led hybrid schedules, fixed hybrid (some staff are always remote and some are always in the office), personal preference office days,10 days per month in office, among others.
Key considerations:
- Examine the purpose behind bringing people together in the office before laying out a policy (e.g. is it so teams connect in-person? Is it important for clients or membership? Does it need to be everyone at once? If so, why?) This is an important step or else your policy could be at odds with your intention
- Craft a policy that supports your in-office purpose
- Design in-office spaces that drive the behaviors your organization wants to see (i.e. encourage in-person collaboration with modular furniture, standing desks and lounge seating instead of relying on conference rooms)
- Invest in systems and tools that allow the same access to information whether in-office or remote
- Create a hierarchy of communications for clarity
- Train managers to support hybrid teams because a cultural divide can quickly grow between employees working remotely and those working in the office
- Allocate a budget for home office expenses
3. Office-First Workplace
Here most (if not everyone) works from the office. The expectation is for employees to be on-site.
Key considerations:
- Consider your office design a tool to enhance office performance
- Evaluate your tools to make sure they’re helping staff achieve their objectives
- Develop a hierarchy of communications (yes! It works for all workplace models)
- Think about incorporating some remote work to offer staff flexibility (e.g. one day a week or 16 to 24 hours per month.
Other Considerations for All Workplace Models
Two things that really help guide workplace model discussions: data and staff feedback. These two inputs provide direction and insight into how people feel and think about the workplace. Whether they love hybrid or hate remote work—it’s important to know and understand why. This allows leaders to understand potential headwinds if leadership and staff are not on the same page and points of agreement as they move forward.
Get Expert Guidance in Your Organization’s Workforce Transformation
Our guide features the primary work models to consider. Several nuances and factors go into choosing the right workplace model that will be most effective based on your company’s unique needs. If you are unsure what model is best for your organization, contact us.
Achurch Consulting can help you walk through different scenarios, consider policy and cost impacts, and develop a plan for your future of work.