When team members work in open spaces, they often feel distracted by their surroundings. That can affect their focus, creativity, and overall productivity.
Office pods are a great solution to this problem. Whether they’re used for one-on-one meetings or quiet rooms for joining conference calls, they help employees stay focused on their work.
They’re a Quiet Space
Many offices are open-plan, and while that’s great for socialization and collaboration, it can also be distracting. According to Cornell, workers lose 86 minutes of productivity daily due to noise and ambient sound.
To avoid these issues, you must create quiet spaces that employees can use for concentration and subtle work. These spaces can include phone booths, conference rooms, and meeting pods.
Additionally, office meeting pods are the future of workplace collaboration because they allow teams to work together without being disturbed by others. They also encourage a group to form bonds and improve communication.
Traditionally, companies had to have large meeting rooms for group collaboration. Those rooms were great for bringing everyone together for important meetings, but they can also be expensive and take up a lot of space. Now, you can create your own meeting space in an office with a pod to get the same results as an entire room without the expense.
They’re a Social Space
Open office designs aren’t always the best option for introverts, noise-sensitive people, or those who work in solitude. They can be hard on employees’ sensory senses, causing fatigue and reducing productivity.
Pods are the solution to this problem. These tiny, soundproofed spaces offer a getaway where workers can concentrate without the distractions of an open office floor plan.
They’re a great alternative to a traditional office meeting room for remote meetings, video conferences, and zoom meetings. They’re also a good option for private conversations requiring privacy, like working through complex interpersonal issues or sharing personal feelings with coworkers.
These quiet, acoustic spaces are designed to improve relationships within your team. When teammates have tough, essential private conversations—whether related to clashing opinions or touchy situations — they can better understand one another.
In addition, these small spaces are great places for impromptu meetings and collaboration. Teams comfortable with sharing their ideas can collaborate to solve problems more effectively.
Depending on your needs, you may need a small pod for solo work or a giant pod for group work. Choosing the right size is crucial, and you can narrow your research by using background analytics to understand how popular each space is, how often meetings are booked, who uses it most, and so on.
They’re a Focus Space
In today’s workplace, collaboration is a critical part of success. In fact, over a third of Millennials and Generation Z workers rank the ability to collaborate in the workplace as a top trait that enables them to do their best work.
This means that companies that fail to foster a collaborative workspace are at a considerable disadvantage when it comes to hiring and retaining top talent. This is especially true in an age where remote work is becoming a common practice and group chat and video conferencing have become the glue that brings together remote and on-site teams.
However, this trend is also causing problems in many office environments. In particular, the influx of new hires has left many organizations with outdated meeting rooms that no longer fit their needs.
To address this issue, several solutions have emerged. One is to invest in private pods and booths that offer a safe space for collaboration between teammates.
This is a much safer alternative to traditional meeting rooms, which are often built in a fixed location and cannot quickly adapt to changes in the office layout as the needs of the team and the business change. Pods and booths are portable, so they can be moved to a new location in the office as required, allowing for easier access and adaptation.
They’re a Relaxation Space
Increasingly, workplaces are recognizing the impact of the physical environment on employee well-being. As such, they’re building contemplative spaces and relaxation zones where workers can decompress, recharge and refocus.
A great way to provide this space is with office meeting pods. These self-contained soundproof spaces cut out all disturbances from employees and allow them to focus on their work.
They’re a fantastic alternative to traditional phone booths and chat rooms, especially in open-plan environments with limited space. They also come in various sizes and capacities, from small huddles of one or two people to larger meeting rooms for up to six.
You can use them for various purposes, from meetings and interviews to quiet places for focusing on individual projects. Many even have integrated multimedia options, like writable glass wall panels and whiteboards.
While they’re an excellent alternative to dedicated break rooms, you should ensure they have good ventilation and lighting systems to keep your team healthy. This will help them avoid getting sick and feeling lazy at work, which can lead to poor performance and lowered morale.
Office meeting pods are the future of workplace collaboration, and they’re a great way to give your employees some much-needed relaxation time during the workday. If you create an inviting and comfortable space, your workers will get the most out of it.
