Hushoffice's functional and flexible future workspaces

Theorizing about working practices is becoming an international sport – whether it’s the investigation of new office trends, examination of the hybrid model, the digital revolution and our propensity for productivity, wellness in the workplace or simply the debate around life achieving equilibrium with work. Recently, I clicked open the NY Times and was subsumed by a piece on the digital workplace and how, despite being a couple of decades or more in, it’s too soon to expect to have got it right; technological progress – and we are talking email as much as Slack and Zoom – is still battling it out with human nature. I’m suddenly reminded of dinner and click on the ‘Food’ tab – validating the first article’s arguments about digital distraction – and fall immediately on a piece about the changing face of canteen culture, now that hybrid working has totally changed how workers sustain themselves day to day. There really is no getting away from it – the workplace is in flux and we are obsessed.

Imagine, then, the debates that must rage around new office design – in the field but also in the studios of the design houses that produce all the supports of office life. Where are we at? Do we need desks for all, and what about storage? Are we meeting in person or connecting virtually? Do we need peace or cross-team communication facilitated? Are plants in the workplace a statutory right?

Are we still even hybrid? Recent assessments seem to suggest that economic uncertainty is turning the tide on remote working and where once the employee had the upper hand with respect to location, employers now call the shots and are requiring bottoms on corporate seats.

Compliant with all major regulations and recommendations regarding safe, healthy and ergonomic workspaces, the new range of acoustic pods from Hushoffice will help mitigate the uncertainties that are inextricably linked to the communication challenges within dispersed teams, fluctuating workplace occupancy rates and deciding on the relevance of office investments. HushFree pods are characterized by A-class acoustics, efficient (500 lux) lighting and ventilation, as well as plenty of options to customize the interior.

‘The office of the future definitely holds more challenges. A few years ago, acoustic pods started to be a part of the office landscape – new generations of Hushoffice pods will set the standard for office functionalities. One thing we can be sure of: the hushFree line of products is futureproof and versatile, offering performance that already exceeds expectations today and is ready for fast-changing office environments’ says Robert Korpacki, Product Manager at Hushoffice.

Hushoffice believes that migration back towards the office puts the onus on the employer to make workers feel welcome in the office and their goal is to support this ambition. ‘The last two years have changed the employee's perception of office work and redefined their needs. Our observations and analysis have led us to conclude that today the most important and desirable feature of an office is the freedom to choose where and how to work. It is up to the employee to decide when, where and how they want to work. They choose a location that matches the nature of the work they are doing. Today, it is the office infrastructure that must respond to the current needs of the employee. This is why we decided to introduce a new line of acoustic pods that fit perfectly with these needs,’ explains Mateusz Barczyk, Senior Brand Manager at Hushoffice.

For those looking to update the working environment to accommodate new working practices, the one-man HushFree.S pod answers specifically the needs of those who miss the solitude of home to have a call or get things done, and offers the possibility for those of a nomadic nature to stretch their legs – the tabletop rises and sinks in two seconds to accommodate working while standing or sitting. 

With studies currently showing that meeting groups are smaller, while the share of people participating online is increasing, Hushoffice has designed acoustic pods of just the right size and fit-out to accommodate both. The moveable hushFree.M comfortably gathers four within its walls – with the option to invite others remotely – and can shift position within a space, easily. The large hushMeet.L, meanwhile, can be set up for informal face-to-face conversations or conference calls.

While pod functionalities evolve, the key perhaps for office design teams to staying relevant in this ever-changing work climate seems to be flexibility. Precisely because there is uncertainty, Hushoffice updates offices without locking features into a specific architecture. HushFree pods move – quite literally – with you and your needs. 

Visit Hushoffice at space 7-8038 during NeoCon in Chicago, 12–14 June.

© Architonic

Head to the Architonic Magazine for more insights on the latest products, trends and practices in architecture and design.