In-person meetings feel like a relic of the past as millions of workers enter their seventh month of working remotely. While there have been several criticisms of remote working, analysts are predicting that between 20% and 30% of the global workforce will be working from home until the end of 2021.
This transition in workplace culture means businesses need to reevaluate and update their operational strategies in order to accommodate these changes.
Virtual meetings have become an integral part of our work lives and commutes are a thing of the past. However, there have been negatives to this transition such as losing connections with their colleagues and experiencing spouts of loneliness.
This has led companies to adopt a hybrid approach that offers both the benefits of in-person meetings and the flexibility of working remotely. So how can meeting spaces be reconfigured that supports innovation and collaboration without risking the health of workers?
ROOM cofounder Morten Meisner-Jensen said that it is important to understand the different types of meetings that exist and the role a purpose-built space plays in those meetings.
During the company’s time researching core structures, they found that 80% of meetings have less than four people but are typically held in large conference rooms.
Opting for a smaller meeting room not only cuts down on unused space, but also fuels creativity, and opens a door of opportunity in terms of office layout. For instance, ROOM’s newest model comfortably seats up to four adults and can even turn large areas into mini-conference centers to accommodate distancing needs.