The Meeting Room Setups Defining Modern Hybrid Workplace Collaboration

Introduction

Following the pandemic, there was much talk about a return to the office – a return to the workplace as it stood before COVID. Yet, when it came time for organizations to start calling their employees to the office, it seemed that companies across the world experienced a change of heart. Studies show that the share of people in the office full time has dropped to 42% in the second quarter of 2023, down from first quarter’s 49%. The Flex Report, which utilizes insights from more than 4,000 companies that employ over 100 million people across the globe, found that hybrid work arrangements, on the other hand, had hit 30% in the second quarter, up from 20% in the first.

Findings suggest that the majority of companies are finding hybrid workplace policies to be a successful solution for their organizations. There is much evidence that supports this trend as such models grant employees the flexibility to choose when and how they work, leading to increased productivity, engagement, and satisfaction. Oftentime, employees are coming into the office for collaboration, such as meetings and events. With such shifts, it grows increasingly important that the office space companies keep for their employees aligns with employee needs.

Role of Meeting Rooms in Hybrid Workplaces

The role played by office spaces in the hybrid work model has changed from traditional office setups. Now, employees are opting to come into the office to meet with others, whether it be to work with colleagues or meet with clients. At the center of such collaboration are meeting rooms. According to data from Coworker.com, global meeting room demand within flexible office spaces is up 73% from 2020. As many companies have decided to decrease the office space they hold, the in-office space available to employees must align with their needs. Essentially, if employees are primarily coming into the office to use meeting rooms and collaborative spaces, it is essential that companies set up office spaces that provide such amenities to their employees.

Meeting rooms in hybrid work offices present the ideal in-between office space, providing a solution that offers a traditional office space that can also be used on an as-need basis. Regardless of the type of meeting your company is hosting, be it a small internal training session or a large-scale client and employee conference, hosting in virtual meeting rooms will prove ideal.

The Big Three in Meeting Room Setups

Meeting rooms across companies may take different forms, coming in different shapes and sizes. There are, however, a few styles that have come to define the look of modern meeting room spaces, as they bring together hybrid features such as video conferencing and in-person seating arrangements.

1. Auditorium Style

Often called theater style layouts, this layout is fantastic for large scale meetings. Within this meeting room setup, rows of chairs line up to face one speaker, be it an in-person speaker or a virtual screen – it can easily lend itself to online presentations. Such meeting rooms may be used for meetings such as town halls, all-hands meetings, and guest speakers. This arrangement does not work well in situations where food and beverages or note taking are involved as participants do not usually have desks or tables.

2. Boardroom Style

The boardroom style layout is the prototypical style for meeting rooms. It entails one large table (typically oval or rectangular in shape), with seats along its sides. This style is ideal for meetings with up to 25 people in the room and can be made hybrid by including a screen on one end. It allows for focused discussions and brainstorming with each person being able to view the others, as well as take notes and review material. This conference style layout is frequently used for Board of Directors meetings, committee meetings, or discussion groups for its more intimate setup.

3. Chevron, U-Shaped, and Semi-Circle

Meeting rooms with desks in the shapes of a V, a U, or a semi-circle are versatile and can be set up easily, whether it be with desks or tables. These layouts place participants in a manner that allows for a clear front speaker, as well as easily communication between individuals. The layouts often works better for single screen presentations at the front of the room or presenters which may then move into the center as they speak.

Using Space Analytics to Determine Your Office Setup

As organizations look to develop their office spaces alongside employee workplace needs, space analytics provide the most useful insights to do so. Space analytics, such as those offered by Smarten Spaces’ Jumpree Pro, provide information on employee workplace booking trends, utilization habits, and workplace spatial analytics.

Jumpree Pro uses sensors and hardware integrations to ensure meeting rooms are being used to their full potential. These analytics can be used to learn about how employees are selecting and using the different meeting rooms available to them, as well as which spaces are being underutilized. In the Space Analytics dashboard, you can view which meeting rooms are being booked most often, as well as the average meeting duration and most popular amenities. For example, if the boardroom-style layout with the food and beverage amenity is always booked, while other rooms remain more free than booked, you can make changes to the features of the less popular meeting rooms. This will provide employees with greater resources, more accurately aligned with their workplace needs.

Conclusion

The shape of the modern workplace is continuing to change. In some ways, companies are following predicted paths. In others, they are forging into new territory. It seems, however, that hybrid work is here to stay and pivotal to hybrid work arrangements are effective collaboration spaces.

Meeting rooms may come in different shapes and sizes, with unique layouts that fit the diverse needs of individual companies. From boardroom style rooms that support intimate discussion to auditorium style spaces that support large-scale meetings, to U-shaped layouts that allow for meaningful employee-client interaction, Smarten Spaces is here to make sure the rooms your company offers are aligned with your employee’s needs.

With Jumpree Pro’s Space Analytics dashboard, you can ensure that the most popular spaces are being replicated so that all employees have access and underutilized rooms are changed to fit booking and utilization trends. Take a look today at how Jumpree Pro can support you!

FAQ

1. Why are employees opting to come into the office during hybrid work arrangements?

Across the world, employees are working under hybrid work arrangements, with the flexibility to come into the office on days of their choice and to work remotely otherwise. Under this model, employees are often coming in for collaboration needs, whether it be to work with colleagues on a task or project at hand or to meet with clients. This means that employees are no longer using office spaces for day-to-day work, but rather for tasks that require in-person meetings and discussion. It is, thus, imperative that the spaces reflect these needs.

2.What role do meeting rooms play in the hybrid workplace?

Meeting rooms may be used in various ways under the hybrid workplace model, from hybrid arrangements where participants are split between a remote room and the in-person office space to a completely in-person meeting with clients or a speaker. Meeting rooms remain at the core of modern day hybrid work and employee collaboration in the office.

3.How can space analytics be used to enhance the office experience?

Space analytics provide you with the insights you need to develop hybrid workplaces that align with employee needs. Smarten Spaces’ Jumpree Pro uses sensors and integrated technology to track amenity needs, booking trends, and utilization trends. This data allows organizations to change meeting room layouts and office structures to ensure all employees have access to what they need most and spaces do not remain underutilized.