The office is an ever-evolving thing.

It has a history thousands of years in the making and a new chapter is about to be written. Hybrid working has been embraced by organisations keen to retain the benefits of homeworking and who understand the desire to have a space for social contact, interaction and collaboration.

The office is changing, again, and If you have yet to think how a social-first space could work for you, here are five things that you may want to consider.

1. There is no one-size-fits-all solution

Each organisation is different, so each answer will be different. It’s vital to come up with a solution that works for the talent you have, the space you’re in and the processes you have.

So instead of picking an off-the-shelf solution we get to know you, we understand your culture and your needs and then we work with you on the best possible bespoke solution.

2. Find your perfect process

Work out what works in terms of why and when employees need to be in the office. Do they need to be there to plan a task? Maybe. Do they have to be there after that? Maybe not.

Once you understand where collaboration and interaction comes in the process you can start to consider the space required, not the other way around.

3. Think about your requirements

Don’t just think about transforming existing space, think about how much space you need and where it should be.  Will you still need big-city real estate or is a countryside campus more fitting?

The focus should not be on where or on how big, but on how well it serves your needs your people. Do you need to own your space, can you lease or utilise co-working space?

4. Reimagine and redefine

The days of desks being crammed into a space are gone. The office is now about creating spaces that allow for the type of interaction that can’t happen via a webcam.

Collaboration space, breakout areas, space to utilise new and smart technology. All of those factors are more important than square footage for desks.

5. Create a destination that attracts talent

Millennials and those in Generation Z do not think in terms of 9-5 and a fixed seat in a set location. All the pandemic has done is open the eyes of the rest of us to the possibilities.

Remote and hybrid working is here to stay. We have the tools to collaborate remotely, but we still desire that human interaction and social contact of being in the office.

Think all those things through and you will have a solution that will transform high-cost real estate into a higher-value asset and be ready for the next stage in that ever-changing story of the office.