Redefining the way we work: Multifunctional workspaces

Have you ever looked at certain offices and wondered why they are designed with a particular floor plan and layout? Or how certain areas in the office are named Alpha, Beta, Delta, Theta or something that seems to carries a tone of cohesion i.e. Swordfish, Gorgasia, Herring, Stingray and the other likes of it? In fact, these days, it’s not uncommon to see most management spending up to millions in renovation to pretty up a workplace. Talks about locality, centricity, atmosphere, vibe, even fengshui have become commonly concerned elements when designing offices that are not only functional, but chic and timeless. However, stylistic choices are merely one-part to a conducive workspace. Designs aside, today’s modern offices are built and designed in a particular way to boost organizational productivity and employee performance. The old-fashioned image of an office filled with cubicles and a partition erected in between to differentiate divisions/departments have become a thing of the past. In fact, C-suite office spaces are also incrementally becoming a thing of the past.

Today, many corporations have embraced the idea of an open office concept, where everyone, including CEOs and presidents, are seated in the open with the rest of the chain of commands to encourage the idea of a flat hierarchy. The “great return to office,” as many workplace experts have called it, sees many businesses implementing said open office concepts. And with hybrid and remote working cultures becoming a part of the office practice, a new challenge presents itself - How can management create a workspace that is chic, timeless, functional, yet flexible and capable of adapting to the needs of the staff? This brings us to the idea of multi-functional workspaces.

What defines a great workspace

In order to create a workspace that is beneficial to organizations, not just in productivity and performance, but as a whole, Gallup believes there are 4Cs that the management should keep an eye out on when designing the layout.

Connection

Starting off with the first C - Connection. The COVID-19 pandemic and the introduction of remote/hybrid working cultures have greatly stripped us of any real, meaningful human interaction at work. Although video calls and teleconferences are a thing to help us stay connected with one another and work in a cross-functional manner, Gallup argues that genuine, in-person interactions are still key in helping employees feel supported and valued. Human interaction is key in ensuring the team spirit stays at an all-time high, and modern workspaces are specifically designed with that in mind to foster constant communication that is not only genuine but tangible. In fact, a separate study conducted by Gallup shows that Americans report the highest levels of happiness at work when they spend 6-7 socializing with their coworkers.

Collaboration

Teamwork is an essential part of work, especially when it involves coming together and tackling big projects that require the effort of the collective to do so. While the culture of collaborative work prevailed as organizations worldwide transitioned into a remote/hybrid working culture, collaborating in a virtual environment presented its own challenges. Firstly, team members working with one another over the screen required each party to demonstrate the same levels of commitment, independence and self-start to properly deliver their work on time. Secondly, the lack of in-person presentation rendered it difficult for teams to ideate and conceptualize certain ideas, essentially preventing team members from possessing the same levels of understanding about the project discussed. Above all, virtual meetings demand a lot of time, attention and mental resources from its users, which makes it challenging for team members to truly focus and collaborate optimally.

In-person collaborations and meetings on the other hand, despite its rather bad rep from time to time, allow coworkers to come together and discuss group work more efficiently and effectively. Real time, in-person communication ensures misunderstandings and unhappy feelings are kept to a minimum. What more, managers and leaders can actively keep tabs on their team members’ performance and address any mishaps or mistakes immediately should they crop up. The most valuable aspect of in-person collaboration is it fosters trust among team members, a key element that is hard to build via virtual collaborations.

Creativity

Creativity is a vital part of any job, be it solo or teamwork, in or outside the office. Likewise, the same challenges that make it hard for organizations and departments to foster connection and collaboration between team members has also made it difficult for sparks of creativity to ignite in employees at work. Creativity is a byproduct of planned discussions BUT also, spontaneous ideas. While virtual meetings allow people to come together to discuss ideas spontaneously too, it just doesn’t elicit the same excitement and dedication onscreen. The ability to think outside the box and innovate is further hampered by the challenges described above, where virtual meetings hinder communication somewhat and prevent our imaginations from going wild. Think about the time you met a colleague at work, in-person and suddenly experienced a moment of “Eureka.” Or the time you may have had an epiphany following an inspiration. The most incredible ideas come from unexpected bouts of spontaneity. It is often effortless, fortuitous and seems to make perfect sense in a time of need. So long as virtual meetings remain as the only form of communication coworkers and employees have between one another, they will constantly be operating at 50% of their capacity, which prevents random moments of creativity from happening.

Culture

The last C on the list is culture. Culture is loosely defined as the shared mindset and the values that both the organization and employees embrace. Together, they are a reflection of the company’s principles and its way of life. When talking about workplace and culture, we’re essentially looking at the team spirit that the management hopes to cultivate in their staff. Bringing employees back to office in large droves to work in one common space sends the message that “this is who we are and it is what defines us. We’re not just a team of people working together, but family.” The purpose of culture is to cultivate a sense of belongingness within the company and foster feelings of camaraderie. Everyone within the company shares a common goal and they move as one.

How modern workspaces are designed

Today, modern workspaces are not just a place for employees to work, it needs to be a place where they feel like they belong and feel comfortable even after long hours of work. Cubicles and partitions aside, modern workspaces exist in two primary forms - Coworking spaces and multifunctional workspaces. Let’s take a look at coworking spaces first.

Coworking space

The coworking space trend is one of the latest trends to greet the workforce as of late. Despite being around for some time now, coworking spaces only recently gained its fame in the past few years and has since seen a surge in popularity following the COVID-19 pandemic and widespread prevalence of remote/hybrid working cultures. What started out as an alternative workspace for freelancing professionals and digital nomads has now captivated the attention of many small to large scale organizations looking to hop on the bandwagon too. With many organizations and businesses looking to be more adaptable and flexible in a time of change, mobility has become an important criteria when setting up an office, and coworking spaces happen to fit the bill.

A basic coworking space essentially embraces the concept of a communal working space, where professionals from varying backgrounds and companies come together to work in the same spot. However, one may often find a compact team tucked away in a corner or a part of the coworking space too. Coworking spaces are beneficial to businesses for a number of reasons:

1. It reduces operational costs

2. It enables teams to relocate more efficiently

3. It provides a distraction-free workspace for employees to work together

4. It allows businesses, particularly startups and mid-size businesses to network with

professionals from different industries

5. It offers flexible payment options for both long and short-term use

Businesses and organizations who are unsure about setting up an office or need a little more time to decide on where to set an office up may often rent coworking spaces to provide a temporary distraction-free workspace for their employees to function in the time being. And here’s where coworking spaces get even more flashed out. Depending on the complexity and scale of the coworking business itself, some coworking space providers cater to specific groups - Standard, Luxury and Corporate workspaces.

Standard coworking spaces

Standard coworking spaces come with the usual amenities found in an office - A large working space, a pantry and washrooms. Often, professionals with different backgrounds and fields share the same working space. However, one may also find small teams of 2-5 present at a coworking space too, with some going up to a team of 10. In some cases, some standard coworking spaces offer the exclusive option of rented offices or meeting rooms, though the availability of these amenities are often subjected to the provider’s resources at hand.

Luxury coworking spaces

A luxury workspace specifically caters to those who desire a more stylish and classier working environment. Generally, a majority of clientele who utilize luxury coworking spaces are high-earners or top-ranking professionals with tastes. Luxury coworking spaces come fitted with all the standard amenities, but offer additional ones such as:

● Break rooms

● Meeting rooms

● Office equipment, including projectors, printers, fax machines

● Specific equipment dedicated to specific work groups i.e.: Graphic designing-focused

equipment for designing professionals

● The use of latest technologies, including virtual reality and smart devices

● High-speed internet

● First class services including gourmet chefs, a waiter to serve your table

To up the ante, some luxury coworking space providers have gone the extra mile of providing its users with upscale facilities such as a gym, standalone cafes or a common lounge area fitted with a plethora of board games and gaming consoles where users can unwind and relax.

Corporate working spaces

Corporate working spaces are a niche kind of coworking space. Generally, these businesses pander to corporate clients only, and they provide working spaces for groups up to 100-200 in sizes, perhaps more depending on the layout of the place. Some corporate working space service providers even cater exclusively to corporate clients only. The tenancy is often short-term, though it can be converted into a long-term one should the corporation’s budget allow it. Due to the average size of large corporations, many corporate working spaces offer conference rooms and a dedicated space meant for team events in addition to the facilities included in standard and luxury coworking spaces. Furthermore, depending on the service providers themselves, corporate working spaces may involve a few floors that are rented out to the clients, or they may be the entire building itself, thus providing the client more space and room to move about in the office.

Multifunctional workspaces

While coworking spaces are a communal space that organizations and businesses can rent to carry out their work either short or long-term, multifunctional workspaces are offices that have been transformed and undergone drastic changes to cater to an organization’s multipurpose needs. For starters, a multifunctional workspace is often divided into several areas or zones with distinctive names that share a common theme, think Red, Blue, Green, Orange zones to create a sense of cohesion. When it comes to room designation, only large rooms meant for conferences, events or training are often found in a multifunctional workspace. These large rooms may be equipped with slidable doors or foldable partitions that allows users to segregate the room into smaller rooms meant for group-specific events or a private discussion between team members and different departments. Another standout of multifunctional workspaces are rearrangeable, often ergonomic furniture. Furniture found in a multifunctional workspace are often compact, easily-movable and foldable to ensure employees can relocate both themselves and the furniture to another particular area if need be.

A defining feature of multifunctional workspaces is the element of hot-desking , essentially the practice of working in an open area alongside all other coworkers. Hot-desking involves rotating between work desks daily, weekly or monthly depending on the office arrangements. Occasionally, the HR may even enforce a rotation policy on work desks to encourage employees to move around to mingle with colleagues from other departments. There are no fixed desks in a multifunctional workspace, employees essentially learn to take good care of their work desk to ensure the next user is able to enjoy the same facilities that they are entitled to. Some workspaces may also come with locker systems, which allows employees to dock their personal belongings into the lockers, thus minimizing the use of unnecessary office space.

Multifunctional workspaces are also defined by the use of Cloud technology i.e.: Office Suite, Microsoft Office and G suite. These software allow employees to work real time through the use of the software’s instant messaging system. The use of Cloud technology also ties in the office amenities where employees can “reserve” a work desk/machine/room ahead of time, allowing them to use these facilities for particular purposes. It also shows other users about the reservation of these facilities to minimize any clashses. Essentially, a multifunctional workspace prioritizes connection, collaboration, creativity and culture altogether.

The wonders of multifunctional workspaces

Whether it’s coworking spaces or setting a multifunctional workspace, the costs are no doubt a lot. Perhaps the greater question to ask here is do multifunctional workspaces in particular, yield any benefits to its employees apart from the ones we discussed above? The simple answer is yes. According to workspace service provider Figari, their finding reveal various positive results , here are some notable ones:

● Employees are 34% less likely to be dismissed when operating on a sit-stand desk

● 19% of employees are happier in collaborative workspaces

● 34% of employees reported increased levels of creativity and problem-solving skills in

multifunctional workspaces

● 61% of employees enjoy an aesthetically pleasing looking office

Here’s another finding by analytics firm Clutch that demonstrates the benefits of multifunctional workspaces in employees:

● 39% of employees agreed that the need for a dedicated workspace, office and meeting

space is important

● 47% of employees prefer a communal workspace

● 53% of employees enjoy flexibility in working spaces

Clutch’s findings further revealed the top three important elements to a multifunctional workspace that are - 1) Having an aesthetically pleasing layout, 2) Workspace flexibility and 3) Having a sense of community at work. Clearly, multifunctional workspaces and other flexible workspace practices are on the rise, and employees are enjoying the change of pace that it brings.

An interesting topic to note…

It’s clear that the archaic image of a cubicle office and C-level office spaces are no longer the norm these days. While certain businesses still hold onto the conventional floor plans and layouts for an office, many have since transitioned and embraced flexible workspaces as a new norm. As time changes, it’ll be interesting to see what newer flexible workplace practices crop up. Perhaps only time will tell.