The world’s first true Hybrid Work Experience Center (HWEC) opens its doors to the public in Dubai Design District (d3). Initiated by Jabra, the HWEC is an initiative that brings together the best-of-breed technology and workplace partners in a 10-vendor collaboration experience center at the Bene showroom in Dubai.
Visitors will be able to get the real touch and feel of how the office of the future will look and how it will serve hybrid and flexible working models. Merging modern interior design and innovative furniture with the latest technology, the HWEC accommodates various areas – from secluded and semi-secluded workspaces in open offices, to meeting spaces and conference rooms for in-person and hybrid meetings, each dedicated to modern work use case scenarios.
The future is hybrid
In the past three years, switching from office to remote, to hybrid work, employees have been able to experience the advantages of having access to multiple kinds of workspaces. And because of this, employees – when given the choice – are very likely to prefer a hybrid working model as their normal working arrangement. In fact, according to Jabra’s latest research on this topic, 68% of employees see their ideal work week as a combination of working remotely and in the office. With a hybrid model, they know they’ll be able to access spaces that are conducive to socialization, collaboration, and focus, while also having the ability to balance work and life in a way that makes the most sense to them.
Meet, inspire, and design
So, when (re-)designing and equipping office spaces with technology, it is essential to keep in mind why and for what employees are coming to the office. In the second step, companies need to figure out how to connect the employees in the office with the virtual workspace of their remote working colleagues. This includes providing the right technological equipment and work environment in the office as well as in the home office and rethinking the physical meeting room set-up and equipment, making sure that in hybrid meetings everyone has an equal share of presence and voice, no matter where they’re joining from. Everyone should be equitably represented in both the virtual and physical meeting environment. Intelligent audio- and video conferencing solutions, collaboration platforms, displays, software, and the interior design need to all play perfectly together to create the perfect “new normal” office catering to the needs of a hybrid workforce.
The HWEC gives decision makers, end-users, system integrators, and consultants the unique opportunity to get first-hand inspiration, meet with the experts of partners for advice on which solutions are best for their specific requirements, and actually start planning and designing their own new office spaces.
