Close Menu
  • News
  • Home
  • In Profile
  • Finance
  • Legal
  • Technology
  • Events
  • Features
  • Wellbeing & Mental Health
  • Marketing
  • HR & Recruitment
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Events Calendar
  • Business Wall
  • Subscribe
  • Contact
  • 0843 289 4634
X (Twitter) LinkedIn YouTube
Trending
  • Warning to Small Businesses Over New Food Waste Regulations
  • What do the new bereavement leave plans mean?
  • Royal Mail Launches £1 Million Apprenticeship Levy Gifting Fund
  • 5 Biggest Business Risks Facing the UK Chemical Sector
  • Planning a rural business move? What Clarkson’s picnic clause might teach you
  • Meet the Tech Leader Who Makes Things Happen
  • Handheld Laser Scanners Drive New Growth For Sep Geospatial In Unlikely Sectors
  • Loughborough’s Here Self Storage Hits 65% Occupancy As Local Demand Grows
X (Twitter) LinkedIn YouTube
SME Today
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Events Calendar
  • Business Wall
  • Subscribe
  • Contact
  • 0843 289 4634
  • News
  • Home
  • In Profile
  • Finance
  • Legal
  • Technology
  • Events
  • Features
  • Wellbeing
  • Marketing
  • HR & Recruitment
SME Today
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Events Calendar
  • Business Wall
  • Subscribe
  • Contact
  • 0843 289 4634
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • RSS
You are at:Home»Features»How Hybrid Working Is Reshaping Office Life & Employee Wellbeing
Hybrid working

How Hybrid Working Is Reshaping Office Life & Employee Wellbeing

0
Posted By sme-admin on March 20, 2025 Features, Sponsored Content, Wellbeing & Mental Health

Since the shift to working remotely in 2020, hybrid working has reshaped the modern workplace, offering employees greater flexibility while redefining the office’s role.

With fewer full-time employees in the office, companies are redesigning workplaces to meet the evolving needs of hybrid workers. No longer just a place for daily desk work, offices are evolving into dynamic hubs where collaboration, creativity, and well-being take centre stage. With employees splitting their time between home and the office, businesses are rethinking their workspaces to ensure that in-office days are productive.

These changes reflect a broader shift—where businesses focus not just on where employees work, but how they work best.

Workplace well-being in the hybrid era: What’s changing?

As hybrid working continues to be the norm for many workforces, employee wellbeing has become a key focus. While flexible work contributes to positive wellbeing, businesses are redesigning office spaces with wellbeing-focused environments to support hybrid employees.

A balanced office-home routine: The secret to better wellbeing in hybrid work

While working from home offers comfort and convenience, time in the office can contribute to better health, increased social interaction, and stronger work-life boundaries. A recent study found that the number of days spent in the office plays a key role in overall well-being.

Research shows that hybrid workers who attend the office just one or two days per week report the lowest levels of physical and mental wellbeing (50%), while those in the office three to four days per week experience better physical (60%) and mental (61%) wellbeing.

This suggests that while remote work offers convenience, regular in-office interaction and structured work environments contribute to better health, engagement, and productivity. Businesses that have yet to explore hybrid working will need to consider the advantages that flexible working has for their employees.

A new era of workplace design: Offices are changing to suit hybrid workers

As hybrid working evolves, offices are no longer just places to work, they’re environments designed to enhance wellbeing. With fewer employees on-site daily, businesses are shifting away from traditional desk-based setups and creating flexible, wellness-focused spaces that promote collaboration, relaxation, and productivity. By prioritising well-being in office design, businesses create spaces that make hybrid workers feel valued, engaged, and motivated when they come into the office.

Designed for balance: Why offices are investing in digital detox spaces

With hybrid workers spending much of their time on screens, whether at home or in the office, digital fatigue is a growing concern. In response, digital detox zones are emerging as a key feature of future workplaces, offering employees a calm, tech-free retreat to reset and recharge. These spaces are designed to reduce stress and enhance focus. They can include:

  • No-device areas where employees can take a break from screens.
  • Biophilic elements such as natural light, greenery, and earthy textures to create a soothing, restorative environment.
  • Wellness activities, like mindfulness, yoga, or relaxation seating, to support mental well-being.

While digital detoxing isn’t new, 2025 is seeing a shift toward making these spaces a mainstream part of office design. By providing employees a place to disconnect and rebalance, businesses can help improve concentration, creativity, and overall job satisfaction, ensuring that office days feel productive and refreshing.

Flexible spaces for a flexible workforce: Breakout rooms have become a must-have feature

Evolving physical workspaces is one of the latest hybrid office trends that involves shifting away from rigid designs. Hybrid workers use office spaces differently from traditional full-time employees, they’re not just coming in to sit at a desk but to collaborate, connect, and focus. To support this shift, breakout rooms are becoming essential in modern office design, offering versatile, multi-purpose spaces that adapt to different working styles. These spaces can include:

  • Casual collaboration areas for spontaneous discussions and teamwork.
  • Private pods and phone booths for focused, distraction-free work.
  • Relaxation rooms where employees can unwind and de-stress.

The future office isn’t just about meeting rooms as connection and collaboration are becoming more fluid. Businesses are integrating breakout zones with advanced technology, such as spatial audio and AI-powered transcription, to ensure seamless interactions between on-site and remote employees.

Flexibility first: Workers are actively seeking flexible jobs

One of the most important factors for business owners to consider is that office workers are currently committed to flexible working. Hybrid working has redefined work-life balance, shifting from rigid 9-to-5 schedules to a more flexible approach that aligns with individual needs.

Employees value the ability to balance work and personal life, with a 2023 State of Hybrid Work study by Owl Labs revealing that employees would take pay cuts to have more flexible working hours. Wellbeing also directly impacts performance with Gallup reporting that burned-out employees are 63% more likely to take sick days and 2.6 times more likely to seek a new job.

To address this, businesses are creating office environments that support hybrid workers, by including ergonomic workstations, breakout areas, and wellness spaces to ensure in-office days feel both productive and restorative. By fostering a balanced, wellbeing-focused work culture, businesses can enhance employee satisfaction and long-term retention. For employers supporting parents and families, flexible working policies are beneficial as they enable them to adjust their routines based on childcare responsibilities.

Flexibility, wellbeing & smart office design are key to hybrid working success

Since 2020, the work landscape has changed significantly. There is a shift away from fully remote work and a renewed reliance on offices, whether through full-time attendance or hybrid working. While flexibility remains a key benefit, businesses must ensure their workspaces actively support employee wellbeing.

From digital detox zones that combat screen fatigue to breakout rooms that encourage collaboration, office designs are evolving to meet the changing needs of hybrid workers. Companies must create offices that attract and retain workers by prioritising wellbeing, flexibility, and engagement. Creating workspaces that employees want to return to, not out of obligation but because they offer a space to thrive, are the offices of the future.

Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email

Related Posts

5 Biggest Business Risks Facing the UK Chemical Sector

5 Reasons Why Every Office Should Include Flexible Spaces to Work and Their Key Benefits

Brits lose £11.4 billion to scams: these are 5 of the most dangerous

Comments are closed.

Follow SME Today on Linkedin and share all the topics you find interesting
Verify your identity for Companies House

The Newsletter

Join our mailing list for the best SME stories, handpicked and delivered direct to your inbox every two weeks!

Sign Up
Events Calendar
    • Marketing
    July 7, 2025

    Bold Business Marketing Specialist Speaks In Swindon This Week

    July 4, 2025

    How Generative AI is Giving SMEs a Marketing Edge

    • Finance
    July 14, 2025

    Busting myths about Asset Based Lending 

    July 10, 2025

    How to build a £1 million pension and ISA portfolio

    • Health & Safety
    July 1, 2025

    Temperatures Soaring: Is Your Workplace Becoming Unsafe?

    January 29, 2025

    UK takeaways guilty of shocking hygiene failures:

    • Events
    July 4, 2025

    £20k grant for female-founded SME up for grabs

    July 2, 2025

    As Seen on BBC Panorama – Brad Burton to Headline The South West Expo in Swindon

    • Community
    July 11, 2025

    Building community, one cause at a time

    June 23, 2025

    Celebrating One Year In Fairford Supporting The Community

    • Food & Drink
    July 18, 2025

    Warning to Small Businesses Over New Food Waste Regulations

    June 23, 2025

    England Cricket Captain, Ben Stokes OBE, takes a stake in Spencer Matthews’ alcohol-free spirits brand, CleanCo

    • Books
    April 24, 2025

    Values-Driven Professionalism: A Path to Client Loyalty

    December 2, 2024

    Banish the banshee boss: how to lead without fear – addressing the issue of fear-based management and how NOT to be this manager

    About

    SME Today is published by the same team who deliver The Great British Expos’. We have been organising various corporate events for the last 10 years, with a strong track record of producing well managed and attended business events across the UK.

    Join Our Mailing List

    Receive the latest news and updates from SMEToday.
    Read our Latest Newsletter:


    Sign Up
    X (Twitter) YouTube LinkedIn
    Most Recent Posts
    July 18, 2025

    Warning to Small Businesses Over New Food Waste Regulations

    July 18, 2025

    What do the new bereavement leave plans mean?

    July 17, 2025

    Royal Mail Launches £1 Million Apprenticeship Levy Gifting Fund

    July 17, 2025

    5 Biggest Business Risks Facing the UK Chemical Sector

    July 16, 2025

    Planning a rural business move? What Clarkson’s picnic clause might teach you

    Categories
    • Books
    • Community & Charity
    • Education and Training
    • Environment
    • Events
    • Features
    • Finance
    • Food and Drink
    • Health & Safety
    • HR & Recruitment
    • In Profile
    • Legal
    • Marketing
    • News
    • Property & Development
    • Sponsored Content
    • Technology
    • Transport & Tourism
    • Wellbeing & Mental Health

    Copyright © 2020 SME Today.

    • ABOUT SME TODAY: THE GO TO RESOURCE FOR UK BUSINESSES
    • Editorial Submission Guidelines
    • Privacy
    • Contact
    Copyright © 2025 SME Today.
    • ABOUT SME TODAY: THE GO TO RESOURCE FOR UK BUSINESSES
    • Editorial Submission Guidelines
    • Privacy
    • Contact

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.