How to Transition Office Space to Hybrid Work

“Hybrid work” is the new business phrase as companies try to figure out how to best configure Tucson office space to meet the demands of employees.

Survey after survey show that majorities of employees who moved their company work into their homes because of COVID-19 shut-downs prefer to keep it that way—or at least reduce the time in a central office.

Here at Commercial Real Estate Group of Tucson in Arizona, my own discussions with local companies bear this out. I’m told that somewhere around 60% of employees don’t want to go back to working in an office full time.

Even as the potential health effects of COVID-19 lessen with vaccinations, workers don’t want to give up the flexibility, cost savings, safer health conditions and work-life balance that working from home gives them. Many employees prefer going to the office for no more than half the work week.

On the other hand, some workers, particularly those new to their careers, want that physical presence that creates the chance meetings for learning, bouncing ideas and networking.

Breaking Office Space Contracts

Companies with long-term commercial real estate leases that will be costly to break will have an especially difficult challenge meeting those workforce desires.

I always recommend provisions in leases that allow for downsizing. It’s time to invoke the provision to save money for the duration of the lease.

• If this option isn’t available, then I suggest looking at reorganizing space usage at the central office. Former desk and office space could be repurposed. Here are some ideas:
• House a contained satellite location for employees whose easiest access is that location.
• Create large gathering spaces that accommodate employee training and business-related conferences, saving money spent on offsite locations.
• Warehousing and distribution of office supplies or products could offer more savings.
• Sublet to another company if your contract allows it. This arrangement could work with a company seeking its own satellite space for its workforce.

As the end of a lease contract nears, I strongly suggest looking for a smaller headquarters with a short-term lease and provisions to accommodate changes in office space as the workforce expands and contracts.

Satellite Office Space

By saving money on a large central location, you can seek out very small satellite offices that meet the needs of a remote workforce.

In a hybrid work situation, satellites provide work-from-home employees a space near where they live to meet physically or virtually with colleagues, customers and clients. These sites provide the tech and equipment that they may not have at home. They’re easy to get to, saving the employee time and money. It can be used a central collection and distribution site, saving the company time and money.

 It would have a few shared-desk stations, office equipment for large administrative tasks and robust communications technology for scheduled or spontaneous videoconferencing with the central office.

A small conference room would allow employees to physically meet for team projects or informal business-related social events. It also can be the gathering space for teleconference events.

Satellite office space can be affordable by using short-term leases, flexible space or co-working arrangements. As a Tucson commercial real estate tenant representative, I know where the available options are.

I can help you with post-COVID-19 space analysis and planning, as well as help you locate appropriate space to meet the needs of your employees. Contact me for an immediate, complimentary consultation by phone, +1-520-299-3400; in person, or by videoconference.

Read all of CREG of Tucson’s articles on COVID-19.