Spontaneity: the secret sauce of teamwork in a hybrid world

Rewind time. Teamwork took a hit during the pandemic.

Microsoft’s 2020 analysis of 61,182 US employees paints the not-so-pretty picture. Groups within companies became more siloed. People spent less time collaborating and tending to their networks which, in turn, became static, with fewer connections added/removed each month.

On average, employees spent 25% less time collaborating beyond immediate connections.

In other words, people didn’t form as many new partnerships — were less likely to create and maintain ties with colleagues working in different business units. As a result, less information was discovered and shared across companies.

Lack-of-spontaneity can be blamed, since WFH full-time is, in a word, monotonous.

Day in, day out, same desk. Sedentariness. No one to bounce thoughts off of. The creative process goes without regular candid input. Work is all digital. We tend to lose our mojo without the office to break things up — without the vibrancy of coworking.

The unexpected can be the missing piece. Keen, off-the-cuff critique from a peer on an unrelated project can give you solid next steps. A sharp remark made in passing by a work friend can give you a more precise take on the issue you’re tackling. These are the spontaneous stimuli that make our work remarkable. Without such stimuli, our thinking gets insular

– says Mateusz Barczyk, Senior Brand Manager, Hushoffice.

Food for thought: the negative impacts of monotony (and boredom, i.e., “boreout”)…

“Boreout” or “boredom syndrome” is considered a psychological disorder that causes physical disease. Symptoms can be similar to those of burnout: depression, listlessness, insomnia, dizziness, headaches, and stomach upset.

• Chronic boredom is shown to increase the likelihood of employee turnover and early retirement intentions

• Employees who are bored at work are two to three times more likely to be victims of cardiovascular events than those whose employment is stimulating

• People who have boreout are less likely to engage in constructive activities like seeking out challenges at work

Now let’s remember how the office kept things fresh pre-pandemic.

We all bring a unique set of skills and talents, a distinct personality. So when two people connect face-to-face, whether for a scheduled meeting or by chance, magic can happen. It’s like a dance of two minds — one that can produce sweet perspective. The office should facilitate such random connections

– says Mateusz Barczyk, Senior Brand Manager, Hushoffice.

Bumping into a colleague and striking up a conversation that inspires a new tactic. Gathering your team on the fly for a relaxed workshop, only to discover a hidden opportunity. Popping into a private work booth like hushWork.sit&stand to hash out details in a quiet space. Spontaneity is vivifying.

Real-life energy in the office is uniquely spontaneous.

Our work must feel dire and significant to emotionally engage us! It must feel consequential. It’s crucial we’re in touch with its real-world impact. Work just isn’t as gripping when it’s all digital as is the case working remotely full-time.

The office is also the right atmosphere for ad-libbed collaborative teamwork.

While the digital landscape of remote work is mental and 2D, the office is alive. We ought to be bopping around the breakout space, thinking out nascent ideas through movement, not glued to a screen, grasping for angles on the cerebral plane alone. Hybrid working is about the balance between the digital and the here-and-now.

Drawing out funnels on the whiteboard, exploring possibilities with colleagues in-person, where chi cascades. That’s where it’s at — where the soul of our efforts is felt. We like our hushWall multi-function divider for such uses because it grounds you in your physical environment, calling you to think on your feet. And movement is proven to enhance cognition and creativity. As you’re cruising through slides that illustrate a key concept, we think you ought to have the space to move around, miming as natural to express yourself better. Such raw communication is spontaneity in fine form

– says Mateusz Barczyk, Senior Brand Manager, Hushoffice.

Our call-to-action: Make your office a hotbed for the spontaneity people are craving.

You’ll draw your crew back and tap into the special potential of coworking in a shared space once again. Spontaneity is simply one of the most refreshing things the office gives us that home cannot. It’s like a beehive, buzzing with hustle-and-bustle. Never know who you might run into. Can always corral your team at the last minute and enjoy a low-key, illuminating discussion. You get the idea.

Here’s a cool take: How “isolation” pods make the office more social, not less

Pro tip: give video calls a boost, since they’re a vital link in a hybrid world.

No doubt, back-to-back video calls were one of the gnarliest monotonies of the pandemic. Most people have low-quality gear, making expressions and body language hard to read — and the overall experience unengaging. Then there’s the lag, which caters to interruptions.

The hushHybrid acoustic video conferencing booth makes each call more captivating.

>It’s a 1-person, fully equipped booth for professional calls. Built-in furniture. Optional video lights. No longer must you stay home on days you have calls to avoid office noise. HushHybrid is acoustic and enclosed, a perfect call space.

Learn about the video call pod here.

So… how are you making your office a source of the spontaneity we’re all longing for?

Teamwork and pods – frequently asked questions

What is an acoustic pod?

Acoustic pods for the office are just what they sound like: acoustically mastered mobile work and meeting spaces. Their sound-engineering is fine — pods simultaneously contain noise made inside, reducing noise on the floor, and deflect noise made outside, giving employees an ideal environment for working, meeting, or relaxing uninterrupted.

What are the best office pods for collaboration?

The best pods for collaboration offer professional acoustics and a tweakable interior. HushMeet.S for private discussions among 2. HushMeet for small group gatherings of 4. HushMeet.L for conference meetings of up to 8. HushMeet.open for in-the-moment brainstorming. All of these pods trap noise made inside and block out background office clatter. Their lighting and ventilation are also adjustable.

Do office pods get stuffy?

An office pod with a constant ventilation system will always feel fresh, never stuffy! Take Hushoffice’s ventilation system as a model. It’s motion-activated, kicking on as you set foot inside. It continually replenishes the pod with air from the open floor. And it has a shutdown delay to save energy.