FMJ.CO.UK WORKPLACE FOCUS
APRIL 2021 37
not been supporting sta optimally. They
have been missing the mark.
So if workplaces weren’t supporting how
work was done before the pandemic – they
most definitely will not when our newfound
desire for hybrid working plays out.
It’s against this backdrop that workplace
reinvention and the hub and spoke model
in particular has real appeal – but in
doing so, there are six primary ergonomic
considerations to address:
Needs and motivations
Organisations must understand what their
people need to thrive and what this requires
of property and environment.
Workplace and employee needs analysis
can help to identify the right geographic
locations, buildings and workplace amenities
for both the hub and the spokes. A er a
prolonged period away from the workplace
this is particularly useful as remote working
has changed processes, behaviours and what
we’ll need when we do come together.
For example – even when there’s a meeting
in the o ice, it’s likely there will always be
some remote participants. This means large
board rooms have much less relevance.
Instead, smaller meeting pods improve
the experience for physical attendees, and
integrated tech and collaboration tools make
it easy for remote attendees to participate
fully and have parity of experience. This will
need to take into account mixed presence
collaboration, lighting, reducing strobing
patterns, daylight control, proximity to
screen and screen size, acoustics, voice
capture and amplification.
At a more strategic level, businesses need
to reflect on these needs and be clear about
the role and purpose of both hub and spoke
spaces. Are the spoke o ices for meetings,
head-down working or both? And what will
be at the hub (facilities or experiences) that
would make people want to go there?
Experiences
The universal
acceptance that
many jobs can
be carried out at
home requires
the o ice to take
on a new role and
o er what remote
working cannot
– namely positive
experiences rich in
employers’ brand values,
collaboration, community
and learning.
From an ergonomic point of view
this means boardroom spaces and deskcovered
floors have less relevance, as
our data shows, in favour of more variety
and bookable work spaces, tech-enabled
collaboration hubs, learning lounges and on
site cafes. It also requires an understanding
of demand for these spaces and the sort of
tasks that will be undertaken.
Perhaps the hub’s role is as a
‘university’ – so it becomes a beacon
for knowledge and learning
experiences, or it is ‘project
HQ’ where the focus is on
collaborative tasks and team
experiences.
The ability to shape positive
experiences will, in part, be
borne out of the needs and
motivations analysis and
will require the input of the
senior management team - as
this is more than an opportunity
to redesign the workplace, but to
revisit organisational ethos and convey
employer brand values.
Homogeneity
The success of the hub and spoke model is
BEFORE THE PANDEMIC – OUR
RESEARCH SHOWED THAT
MEETINGS ROOMS WERE EMPTY
65 PER CENT OF THE TIME
IN 2019/20 DESKS WERE
EMPTY 48 PER CENT OF THE
TIME – WITH OCCUPANCY
PEAKING AT 69 PER CENT
The universal acceptance
that many jobs can be carried
out at home requires the offi ce to
take on a new role and offer what
remote working cannot – namely
positive experiences rich in
employers’ brand values,
collaboration, community
and learning.”