Inclusive hybrid meetings – how to arrange hybrid meeting spaces?
One of the significant challenges of hybrid working is to maintain inclusivity and equality among all employees – regardless of whether they perform their duties in the office or at home. This also applies to meetings, where remote workers risk being excluded due to their physical absence from the office. While away from it, they do not experience spontaneous conversations and interactions, do not have the opportunity to discuss team arrangements on a current basis or drink coffee together in the kitchen. The question then becomes, how do we arrange hybrid meeting spaces that cater to the diverse needs of all employees? To tackle this challenge, we recommend using our guide!
Inadequate organisation of hybrid meetings for employees can lead to boredom, distraction, reduced engagement or exclusion and, in the long term, a sense of disconnection from the organisation and isolation from their team. To prevent this, it is important to implement clear rules for hybrid meetings and to ensure good technological and spatial connectivity. Only in this way, despite the dividing distance, will the team feel integrated and be able to work together more naturally.
Specifics of inclusive hybrid meetings
Inclusive hybrid meetings require good planning and the implementation of appropriate spatial conditions. This will blur the distance between participants connecting from the office and those remotely to the maximum extent. To achieve this effect, 4 aspects need to be taken into account:
1. Equality
Everyone has the right to an equal voice; everyone has the right to see and hear what another participant in the meeting is saying. This applies to the rules of conduct, as well as the organisation of the meeting itself. In practice, this means that if one person attends a meeting remotely and the others are in the same room, certain protocols must be followed. It is particularly important that only one person is speaking at any given time and that the others are listening attentively. In inclusive hybrid meetings, there is no room for backstage conversations! The central positioning of the monitor and microphone in the room will help to ensure this.
2. Visibility
All participants in the meeting should be highly visible to each other. This aspect is not only fundamental to inclusivity, but also plays a key role in increasing the involvement of each party in the discussions. It is therefore important to choose the right cameras for the individual rooms, as well as a suitable furniture layout to match the size.
3. Audibility
Reverberation or lack of sound is the most common bane of remote meetings. It is worth making sure that the microphone present in the particular room adequately picks up voices, including those from more distant places at the table. In addition, the audio source should generate clear sound in good quality.
4. Interactivity
Hybrid meetings often use interactive collaboration tools. These engage participants and help to structure the issues discussed. When selecting equipment for the rooms, it is worth paying attention to, for example, mobile multimedia whiteboards that enable remote co-creation of materials.
How to arrange hybrid meeting spaces well?
Many factors go into creating a functional office space, and the meeting room is no exception. Based on our many years of design experience, we have put together some inspirations that can serve as a guide for both the creation of new and the rearrangement of current office rooms.
Before making a final decision, however, it is important to ensure that the solutions chosen will be consistent not only with the organisation’s business needs, but also with its culture. It is worth pointing out that not all of them will work for every company, and may ultimately be used inappropriately or… not at all. It is strongly recommended to consult experienced professionals who can help tailor spatial solutions to the work model and specific needs of the organisation, as well as maximise the use of available space (Workplace & Wellbeing Consulting).
Legend
camera range
whiteboard
TV/monitor with camera
seating suggestion
work laptop
Meeting rooms
The classic meeting room is a versatile and basic space, but also one that offers many design possibilities that support the inclusivity of hybrid meetings. When taking care of the comfort of its users, it is worth investing in good quality solutions and audio equipment, i.e. cameras, TV, microphones or acoustic panels. Ergonomic conference chairs on wheels will provide excellent support, especially during longer discussions.
There are different layouts for the classic meeting room – from horizontal, vertical, to semi-circular and circular. Some give the impression of ‘sitting at the same table’, while others make the space more multifunctional. If you do not know which layout to choose, contact us. We can help!
Forum-type space
These are the spaces most commonly used for training, debriefing or town hall-type meetings, although they will also work well for hybrid meetings. Forums can take a simple form (see the graphics on the left) or a semi-circular form (layout on the right).
With good acoustic conditions in mind, this solution can be used in an open-plan office. The second option, which is much better due to its more intimate atmosphere and greater confidentiality, is that of an enclosed room, allowing you to successfully hold a workshop meeting or team brainstorming session.
Room for informal meetings
This type of room allows for an informal hybrid meeting, i.e. a weekly ‘coffee together’ where the team shares their latest experiences. Equipping it with soft seating solutions and vegetation will make the employees staying in the office feel more like being in a home office environment.
An informal meeting room is also a great place for integration in the office. It is a space where employees can meet and talk in a less formal atmosphere or have a more confidential conversation with a manager. Its arrangement and functioning should be tailored to the company culture. A flexible and modular furniture solution will certainly be useful here, i.e. whiteboards, TVs on wheels, light couches, sofas or pouffes, which will easily adapt the space to the current needs of the team and the meeting.
Single-person room
Single-person rooms are small spaces worth having in your office. With hybrid working, they can fulfil as many as 3 different functions:
⚬ space for individual work (focus room or phone booth),
⚬ hybrid workshop space for 1 person,
⚬ space for rapid consultation and collaboration 2 persons.
Single-person room
Single-person rooms are small spaces worth having in your office. With hybrid working, they can fulfil as many as 3 different functions:
⚬ space for individual work (focus room or phone booth),
⚬ hybrid workshop space for 1 person,
⚬ space for rapid consultation and collaboration 2 persons.
Are you wondering what this might look like for you? Or are you looking for help and inspiration with your office design?
Get in touch with the author of the material!
Anna Dziadkowiec
Your Workplace Partner
