Back in the mid-90’s, software development companies started using a specific development methodology - Agile - that has subsequently become mainstream and synonymous with the modern flexible workspace. It encourages speed, collaboration and flexibility. As we at LPC work with clients looking for new premises or refurbishing their existing, we increasingly look to creating office environments that allow maximum flexibility and which enable new, modern work practices. Post-pandemic this has become even more mainstream, with companies permanently changing the way they work.
The Agile Office
By definition the word “agile” means to be able to move quickly and easily. If nothing else the last two years have seen even the most staid and corporate environments adopt a new agility, largely because they were forced to in order to keep operating in the pandemic.
“What used to be a way of working for tech companies and advertising agencies, has now become much more mainstream, and we are embracing agile office design in all sectors,” says Rebecca Pelling, Director of Project Services at LPC.
Some may use the words “hybrid workspace” and “agile workspace” interchangeably, but they are in fact different in focus. The hybrid workspace is designed to support people who may work remotely either part- or full-time,, as well as those working in the office. Layout is likely less important than technology such as video conferencing and remote tech support. Agile workspaces on the other hand focus more on how people work, creating office environments which allow people to maximise productivity by providing more shared areas, flexible spaces, and “hot desking”.
“Indeed, one of the key business impacts coming out of the pandemic is that innovation has been stifled as a result of everyone working from home. True collaboration and innovation happen when people physically interact. Offices are now being seen as collaboration hubs, as opposed to just workspaces, and office design is adapting accordingly,” continues Rebecca.
In addition to productivity and collaboration, agile offices contribute positively to corporate culture and employee retention, especially amongst Millennials for whom flexibility on how and where to work are so important. In the talent poor market where the “great resignation” will have an even larger impact, environment plays an increasingly important role.
The ideal agile office has five key features, striking a critical balance between collaboration and productivity:
Open plan: at the heart of agile environment design lies the need for interaction, brainstorming and communication. Comfortable and functional open plan offices and workspaces allow teams to interact and communicate, absorbing information almost by osmosis. Interestingly, this is a concept that was first embraced by HP founders Hewlett and Packard, who, at a time when the corporate desire was to get into the corner office, did away with offices altogether, even for management. Their open plan environment fostered a culture of egalitarianism and shared learnings, and was a key part of their much lauded “HP Way”.
Of course, with open plan comes the potential for noise and distraction and so the ideal agile office also has …
Quiet zones: for those looking for privacy and the ability to focus, agile offices embrace areas where workers can concentrate and decompress. Most agile offices will have soundproof phone booths where important conversations can happen without distraction. Similarly working booths can allow a worker to plug their laptop in and focus in peace. The more progressive environments liek Salesforce, Google and Nike have features like meditation rooms or sleep pods to allow workers to de-stress.
Breakout areas: informal areas where workers can eat, interact or have informal meetings. These areas are often designed to be multi-functional and flexible, converting into presentation rooms, entertainment areas or for all-staff meetings.
Functional shared resource areas: these house printers, consumables, shredders and bins. Ideally these will be set away from quiet zones, yet accessible.
Touchdown areas: flexible workspaces where workers can hot-desk for short periods of time, eg between meetings or if they work remotely most of the time. They’re the kinds of workstations you find in an airport lounge: functional, comfortable but with no frills.
“We encourage tenants looking for new premises to consider all agile requirements when evaluating space, “ says Ken Lam, Director of LPC. “Securing the right premises can allow for maximum flexibility, cost-efficiency and ease of fit-out, and can secure a space that is functional and adaptable into the future”.
