How to Hybrid - Making the Most of Hybrid Working

Thanks to a global pandemic, we’ve seen a rapid change to the way we work, most notably the wholesale adoption of ‘hybrid’ working. Employers are responding by looking for flexible spaces with flexible terms, and they have a new focus on quality. They’re choosing modern buildings that deliver great design, amenity and sustainability credentials in prime locations to draw staff back to the office and boost recruitment and retention.

Generator has provided all of this since 2011. Our combination of premium office and event space and wraparound services is designed to support your business objectives within a hybrid working model. Read on for some advice on how to hybrid from the experts

1. Have a hybrid workplace strategy

Developing a workplace strategy involves looking at how you work now, and assessing what’s ripe for reinvention. So, why have one? A workplace strategy allows you to align your work environment and work patterns so that the way you work and where you work supports your business objectives. It also helps you optimise efficiency, employee wellbeing and performance while minimising cost.

The best hybrid workplace strategies are developed with HR, property management and your team. Survey staff or hold workshops to understand what’s important to them and what’s not, and use that as a base for your strategy.

2. Right size for hybrid working

We can help you do the maths for your organisation, but based on what works for our members, a good rule of thumb for hybrid work is 70%, i.e. you should pay for no more than seven desks for every ten people.
Of course, at Generator, a huge variety of overflow spaces exist should you want (or fluke) everyone in on the same day. We can help you ‘plan for your peaks’ by including Additional User memberships and ad hoc hot desk days to cover more infrequent office users and peak office days.

3. Maximise the entire flexible workspace offering

When you hybrid work from a flexible office space, your goal is to have your cake and eat it too. Use all of the flexible space, amenities and services available to get extraordinary value out of your membership. At Generator, a private office with 20 workstations might be 80 sqm, but you have 800 sqm of amenity-packed shared space at your disposal, including those that are part of your membership - like breakout pods, cafes and members lounge.

In a traditional lease, you’ll likely pay for around 12-14 sqm of space per person, which often includes amenities you only use occasionally - think large boardrooms or event spaces. At Generator, you only pay for these spaces when you use them.

4. Be yourself

When you move to a flexible workspace with shared amenities, you don’t need to leave your personality behind. On the contrary, we help our clients nurture their unique vibe and support their culture. We’ll help you plan and implement ways to personalise your space to suit the way you work and your company culture.

Our community team can help with staff engagement and events that align with your culture. On top of the Generator-initiated events, we recommend you work with us to provide special perks to show your team they’re valued, such as a bar tab, weekly lunch or bespoke events. If Monday mornings are important, let’s create a Monday breakfast club.

5. Share the load with us

Managing a business is the ultimate ball-juggling exercise. Pass some balls to us. Here are some of the ways we can help you meet your business objectives:

Staff retention

Providing your team with a bigger and more varied pool of people to associate with in a coworking space is surprisingly beneficial. Harvard research shows that having control over who you engage with during the workday is associated with greater employee satisfaction, performance and retention.

Professional support

Cut the office admin. We’ll manage your receptionist, IT support, cleaners, snacks, energy bills, meeting and events catering, drycleaning, flat whites, Friday drinks venue, and waste disposal... it’s all taken care of, and there’s just one bill to pay!

Sustainability

In shared workspaces, people fully utilise space and services, and there’s less wastage of resources, such as energy. We can help you meet your sustainability goals by showing you how we meet ours and sharing our data.

Employee engagement

Generator provides social spaces, like our cafes and bars, and social events for members. There’s always something going on to keep people engaged and give them reasons to come into the office.

How to Hybrid bonus tips

• Give it three months. Our member research shows it takes about that long for people to start valuing their new workspace and community.

• Tweak it as you go. Rather than a landlord, you’ll have your account manager to help you get more out of the space and services. Use them.

• Don’t try to replicate a traditional lease. Remember, you’ll have less space per person (or per desk) but vastly more space and amenities overall.

• The middle of the week is busier than either end. Use this to your advantage when booking hot desks and meeting or event spaces.

• The commute is the biggest barrier to coming into the office. Mitigate it with great end-of-trip facilities and discounts with car parking providers.

• Get them in early to beat the traffic and start the day right with yoga, a business breakfast or (at Britomart Place) even an ice bath!

• Try it! That’s the benefit of flexible workspaces. With the short terms offered, after 12 months, you can always reevaluate or head back to a traditional lease.