The Ultimate Guide to Designing your Office for Hybrid Work

An all-remote organisation, also known as a fully remote organization, lacks a physical headquarters where employees need to be present in person. Instead, employees may fulfill their responsibilities from home or co-working facilities. All-remote organisations are typically spread across different time zones, countries, and even continents, requiring them to carefully consider how, when, and which platforms they use to communicate effectively.

A blended team consists of both on-site and remote workers. Some team members are based in a physical office or location, while others work remotely or from home. Blended teams are becoming increasingly popular, as they offer a mix of in-person and remote collaboration opportunities.

The term “brick-and-mortar” refers to the construction material used to build physical storefronts. A brick-and-mortar business is therefore often a more traditional business that has a physical location where customers and/or employees can visit in person.

A co-located team is a team where the majority of its members work from a central office location rather than being dispersed across multiple remote locations. Co-located teams have the advantage of regular in-person interactions and in-office meetings, and the opportunity to build strong relationships based on physical proximity.

Co-location refers to a work arrangement where colleagues share the same office facilities, attend in-person meetings, and are generally based in the same physical office location. It promotes close collaboration and communication among team members.

Co-working is the practice of working in a shared office setting alongside other freelancers, remote employees, and independent professionals. Co-working spaces provide resources and facilities that can be shared, such as desks, meeting rooms, and reliable internet connections. Co-working is a popular choice for self-employed individuals and teleworkers who seek a productive work environment and opportunities for networking.

A co-working space is a shared office facility where freelancers, remote workers, and individuals who don’t have a traditional office can work based on a subscription model. Co-working spaces offer flexible access, convenient amenities, and opportunities for networking and socializing. Workers can share resources like desks (known as hot desking), printing services, and stable internet connections. Co-working spaces allow individuals who are not based in a dedicated office to enjoy some of the benefits associated with a traditional office environment, such as reliable internet access.

A compressed working week is a form of flexible work arrangement where employees condense their standard 40-hour workweek into fewer but longer workdays. For example, instead of working eight hours a day for five days a week, an employee might propose working four 10-hour days. This allows employees to maintain the same total working hours while having more consecutive days off.

A conference call is a telephonic or online call in which multiple participants join simultaneously. While video conferencing is not mandatory for a conference call, popular video conference call applications like Zoom and Google Meet are commonly used for remote teams. Conference calls are a primary mode of communication for dispersed and remote teams, enabling them to attend meetings, plan projects, and facilitate regular communication.

A conference room is a designated space within an office where employees can make phone calls, host meetings, and conduct project planning sessions without distractions. Conference rooms provide a quiet and secluded environment for in-person and virtual communications, allowing employees to manage their meetings efficiently.

In a work context, dematerialization refers to the increasing digitization of work processes. Rather than relying on physical materials and in-person presence at a specific location, more people are now producing digital-based work through virtual means.

A digital nomad is a person who makes a living while traveling and working away from one fixed location. They often work as freelancers, contractors, or full-time employees in various industries, leveraging technology to work remotely while on the go.

A digital workplace is a professional ecosystem where everyday processes, communications, and tasks are managed using cloud-based or digital tools. It enables dispersed teams to stay connected and work from anywhere by facilitating remote collaboration and access to work-related resources.

A digital workspace refers to a platform or integrated set of solutions that allows teams to manage, complete, and access their work from any location. It provides convenient access to tools, documents, and information, ensuring productivity and minimizing the risk of losing important data.

A dispersed team is a group whose members are geographically spread out rather than being based in a single central office location. It can include team members working from home, co-working spaces, or different office branches, requiring efficient communication and collaboration methods.

Distance work refers to work completed by employees who are located in different physical locations. It encompasses various scenarios, such as some employees working in an office while others work from home or other remote locations.

A distributed company is an organisation where employees work beyond a single centralized office location. It often embraces remote work or a work-from-anywhere approach, allowing employees to telecommute or work remotely, even while traveling.

A distributed team is a team composed of workers spread across various locations, often relying on digital tools to communicate and collaborate effectively. Members of a distributed team may not interact with each other in person due to geographic constraints.

A distributed workforce is a workforce where employees are not all based in a single office location. It often requires collaboration across regions and time zones, necessitating effective virtual communication and coordination.

A face-to-face meeting refers to a meeting where two or more individuals gather in person to discuss matters without relying on tools like video conferencing or phone calls.

Flexi time is a work arrangement that allows employees to choose their preferred work hours instead of following a strict 8 am to 5 pm schedule. It provides increased flexibility for employees to manage personal or familial responsibilities while fulfilling their work obligations.

The future of work refers to the trends and patterns that are likely to shape how, when, and where people work in the coming years. It considers technological advancements, changes in work arrangements, and shifts in organisational structures.

The gig economy refers to a labour market characterised by the prevalence of short-term, freelance, or contract-based work arrangements. It allows individuals to work independently on various gigs or projects, often leveraging digital platforms to connect with clients or customers.

A global employer is an organisation that operates or hires across country borders. Being a global employer involves navigating regulatory, financial, and logistical considerations for each location where the company operates.

A hybrid company is an organisation whose employees work flexibly by attending some days in the office and some days from home. It can also refer to an organisation where some employees are full-time, office-based workers, while others work from home or remotely.

Hybrid teams are teams whose members have diverse office attendance patterns. Some members may be fully remote, others may come into the office on select days, and some may be fully based in the office. Hybrid teams face challenges in communication and collaboration due to differing physical locations.

A hybrid-remote organisation is one that has one or more office locations where some employees work regularly, but also has a significant number of fully remote workers.

An in-person meeting is a meeting that takes place in the same physical location, rather than over the phone or through a video conference call.

An off-site meeting is a professional gathering or meet-up that takes place away from the usual office location. It can be for various purposes such as training, strategy planning, motivation, or team bonding.

An office environment refers to a professional space outside of the home where workers go to complete their designated responsibilities. It typically includes equipment, facilities, and devices needed for work and may have certain standards for dress, speech, and behaviour.

Offshoring is the practice of relocating certain duties and responsibilities to overseas workers. Companies may offshore tasks like customer care centers or production warehouses to other countries for reasons such as cost savings, process improvement, or business restructuring.

An on-site meeting refers to a meeting that takes place at the same premises where regular work is carried out. It can involve hosting clients at the office location, job candidates visiting their prospective employer’s office for an interview, or internal presentations and events.

Outsourcing is the practice of hiring a third-party vendor outside of the organisation to handle specific tasks or provide goods/services. It is often done when the organisation lacks internal expertise or resources for a particular initiative.

A remote employee is an employee who works for a company but does not regularly attend an in-person office location. Remote employees can work from home or other locations, and they often use digital tools for collaboration.

Remote hiring is the process of recruiting, interviewing, and onboarding employees for remote or temporarily home-based positions. It has become more prevalent with the rise of remote work, and tools like video conferencing are often used for remote candidate interviews.

Remote OK refers to an organisation being open to hiring or facilitating remote work. It means the company is supportive of remote work arrangements.

Remote work is an arrangement where an employee can work outside of a traditional centralized office location. It offers flexibility in terms of working from home, co-working spaces, or other locations, enabled by digital and cloud-based tools.

A remote worker is an employee who works away from a centralized office location for the majority of their work hours. They can work from home, while traveling, or from co-working spaces. Remote workers collaborate with their team members using digital tools and may occasionally visit the main office for events or gatherings.

A remote-first company primarily has employees working away from a physical office location. It means remote work is the default arrangement, and the company provides the necessary infrastructure and tools to support remote work.

A remote-friendly company is primarily office-based but allows employees significant flexibility to work from home.

A satellite office is a separate office location or branch of an organisation that is situated outside of its main office or headquarters. For example, a company may establish its primary location and then decide to expand its operations and presence into different regions or locations.

Telecommuting refers to a flexible work arrangement in which employees are able to carry out work from a location other than a traditional office, typically from home or a remote location. It involves using technology and digital tools to connect with colleagues and complete job responsibilities without the need for physical presence in an office.

A video chat is a conversation held via video conferencing software. . It allows individuals or groups to connect and interact in real-time using video and audio features from anywhere in the world. Popular video chat tools can include Zoom, Google Hangouts, FaceTime, and Skype.

A virtual meeting is a meeting that is conducted using video conferencing software or other digital communication tools. It allows participants to collaborate, discuss, and exchange information in a remote setting, eliminating the need for physical presence.

A virtual office is a service that provides businesses with a professional address and communication services without the need for physical office space. It allows remote workers or small businesses to establish a professional presence and access administrative support, mail handling, phone services, and meeting room facilities on an as-needed basis.

A virtual team is a group of individuals who collaborate and work together on projects or tasks using digital tools and technology, without being physically located in the same office or geographical area. Virtual teams often span different time zones, locations, and even organisations, relying on virtual communication and collaboration tools to achieve their objectives.

Work from home describes an environment where individuals are able to do their jobs from inside their own homes rather than from within an office. Working from home is facilitated through the use of software and virtual tools that enable communication, collaboration, and coordination.

Work-life balance refers to the equilibrium between a person’s professional and personal life, where they can effectively manage and prioritize their work responsibilities and personal well-being. It involves finding harmony between work commitments and personal or family time, allowing individuals to maintain physical and mental health, relationships, and other aspects of their lives outside of work.

Workplace flexibility refers to the ability of employees to have control and autonomy over when, where, and how they work. It encompasses various arrangements such as flexible working hours, remote work options, compressed workweeks, job sharing, and other practices that enable individuals to better balance their work and personal lives while still fulfilling their job requirements.

Work-from-anywhere is a work arrangement that allows employees to perform their job duties from any location with an internet connection, providing them with the freedom and flexibility to work remotely while still staying connected and productive. It emphasizes the importance of results and output rather than physical presence in a specific office.

Work-from-home, often abbreviated as WFH, refers to the practice of employees carrying out their work duties from their residential living space rather than commuting to a physical office. It enables individuals to have a more flexible work environment, avoid commuting time, and have a better work-life balance. This arrangement relies on digital tools and communication platforms to facilitate collaboration with colleagues.

Workforce mobility refers to the ability of employees to move freely between different locations or work environments while still fulfilling their job responsibilities. It includes the flexibility to work from different offices, remote locations, or even while traveling. Workforce mobility often relies on technology and digital infrastructure to enable seamless connectivity and productivity regardless of the physical location.

Workplace well-being encompasses the physical, mental, and emotional health of employees within their work environment. It involves creating a supportive and inclusive workplace culture, providing resources and programs to promote physical and mental well-being, and addressing factors that may negatively impact employee health and happiness. Workplace well-being initiatives aim to enhance employee satisfaction, engagement, and productivity.