Third places have their place in a hybrid world

Let’s take a look.

Third places in hybrid world – tl;dr

• Third places are public, communal work locations like cafes, coffee shops, coworking spaces, or libraries. They are social, informal, and lively, offering varying degrees of activity. They are becoming popular spots for employees who seek connection and a change of scenery in order to optimize their performance.

• According to recent research, around half of remote workers spend a share of their workday in a third place. In fact, employees who work in third places do so 2-3 times per week, staying up to 4 hours per visit on average. The top three benefits for this cohort include a mental reset, community, and food.

• While third places have their place for a hybrid team, there are work functions that are simply not suited for communal environments. These include but aren’t limited to meetings for the review of classified materials, private calls with clients, and concentrative work requiring absolute quietude. For such tasks necessitating perfect acoustic privacy, we recommend Hushoffice booths on the floor.

What are third places?

Third places are neither home (the first place). Nor the office (the second place). But a third work location like a cafe or a library. They are communal and unconventional settings where employees can focus, collaborate, and connect in a relaxed, refreshing manner.

Working from third spaces becoming the norm?

According to research from Swinburne, around half of remote workers spend a portion of their workday in a third place. In fact, people working in third places do so 2-3 times per week, staying up to 4 hours and spending up to $30 per visit.

The top three benefits of working in a third place…

… include the mental reset, social connections, and food. For the majority of people who use them, third places have a positive impact on wellbeing. Some treat them as a respite from technology. Others, a reboot for creativity. Others, to fight loneliness. And others yet to meet with clients or colleagues, often over a meal.

A third place can be a coffee shop, a community center, a park, and so on.

Universally, they are a revitalizing alternative to the isolation of working from home or the formality of the office. “Your third place is where you relax in public, where you encounter familiar faces and make new acquaintances,” said sociologist Ray Oldenburg, who originated the idea of the third place.

Third places are a space for serendipitous, productivity-free conversation.

They have a playful nature. For many, their dynamic vibeforms more imaginative thought processes, relieves stress, and offers organic socialization.

hird places are becoming a helpful work-life balance boost by giving employees more freedom in where to work. More precisely, the ability to work where one works best, whether that be the local bookshop or a trendy bar. The freedom to choose one’s work location imparts a sense of autonomy and control, leading to better job happiness and a more positive attitude towards work in general

– says Mateusz Barczyk, Senior Brand Manager, Hushoffice.

A freelancer might work from her neighborhood’s coworking space for a change of scenery….

With access to ergonomic workstations, reliable Wi-Fi, and a community of fellow entrepreneurs, the space works. Being surrounded by like-minded people is motivating. Quick collaboration with other designers and nearness to potential clients through networking events are major values added.

A software developer might work from a bustling bakery when he needs total creative focus…

Background buzz and the aroma of fresh coffee set a certain tone. The unique ambiance of a coffee shop helps some concentrate most deeply. Occasional conversations with patrons provide valuable breaks and unexpected inspiration, too.

A founder might hit his corporate campus’s collaborative hub to switch things up…

Here, he conducts brainstorming sessions with his team. He meets with potential investors. He hosts client presentations in an inviting setting. The hub’s proximity to the office offers convenience, while its innovative design and shared resources lend ease.

Third places build community.

One of their main criteria is that they “provide the feeling of inclusiveness and belonging associated with participating in a group’s social activities, without the rigidity of policy or exclusiveness of club or organization membership.”

Without human interaction, hybrid working gets stagnant and dull.

Third places can help by facilitating ad hoc interactions that spark fresh thoughts and their cross-pollination. Dr. Narae Lee, who has studied third places, calls them social hubs and says they are “closely tied to social wellbeing,” at a moment when society is “increasingly lonely.”

Employees can reap serious psychological wellbeing from third places.

Perhaps the most significant one being this reduction of isolation and loneliness.

Third places have many perks for a hybrid team. They can lessen stress and the time constraints to do with daily commuting. They serve as melting pots, drawing people from many backgrounds and professions. In turn, one is exposed to a broader spectrum of perspectives. Affording employees the option to work from a selection of third places can improve your recruitment efforts, as well. And more immediately, doing so caters to employees’ individual preferences — from introverts who like quieter and less crowded settings like bookshops to extroverts who love the hubbub of a diner, and so on

– says Mateusz Barczyk, Senior Brand Manager, Hushoffice.

How can you promote your employee’s use of third places?

There are a few basic ways to encourage the use of third places in your organization.

• Offer flexible work arrangements that include remote work options with work location flexibility

• Provide stipends, memberships, or vouchers to coworking spaces or local coffee shops

• Host occasional team meetings or events at desirable third places to further integrate them into the company’s work culture

• Invest in technology to support remote work and seamless connectivity from anywhere

• Share the benefits of third places to your team in an educational presentation

Note: private office booths may be preferred to third places in some cases.

Not all work functions are suitable for third places. Confidential discussions or focused team meets, for instance, need discretion. For such cases, a booth or pod offers the more secure environment where sensitive information can be safely shared and nothing is lost in translation.

No time to run to the coffee shop for a break? Take five in hushMeet, instead.

An office booth like hushMeet is a quiet, private, self-contained environment with a wonderful degree of seclusion. If your floor tends to be chaotic, the seclusion that a booth gives can be truly restorative. It can eliminate the need to seek out third places for quietude in the first place.

While third places are first come, first serve, phone booths like hushPhone are reservable.

They allow employees to claim the private work and meeting space when they need it, eliminating the uncertainty of finding a spot in a communal environment at the last minute.

Booths give employees what they are really seeking out in third places: sovereignty.

They give more sovereignty over one’s space and bandwidth by allowing the employee to isolate in an oasis of stable focus (like hushHybrid) or congregate in an acoustic den (like hushAccess.L) as needed, no longer simply subject to the floor’s commotion.

Acoustic booths are essentially third places right on the floor.

Another thing people seek in third places is a change of scenery. Booths offer this change of scenery steps away. While the office floor is livened by changing activity, a booth is a stable sensory refuge one can simply step into when such relief is needed.

Though third places have their place, office booths are better suited for certain cases. Booths are just a short walk away, for one, eliminating the commute to a coffee shop or other third place. And they come at no extra cost for employees. So they save money over frequent visits to local businesses and centers. Acoustic booths also offer a secure and private space. They ensure confidence when handling sensitive information or making personal calls. They are acoustically sound, quiet and noise-insulating. So they are more conducive to concentration for those who need a hushed atmosphere to think. In sum, they offer a quick, convenient change of scenery, sensory break, or private workspace without a need to leave the workplace

– explains Mateusz Barczyk, Senior Brand Manager, Hushoffice.

What are your thoughts? Are third places to be a staple in tomorrow’s world of work? What role do pods, booths, or cabins play in the provision of options for employees? Specifically, for employees that seek a variety or workspaces for their variety of work tasks? If you have questions about our Hushoffice collection of work and meeting booths,leave it here 🙂

Third places in hybrid world – summary

• Third places are public, communal work locations like cafes, coffee shops, coworking spaces, or libraries. They are social, informal, and lively, offering varying degrees of activity. They are becoming popular spots for employees who seek connection and a change of scenery in order to optimize their performance.

• According to recent research, around half of remote workers spend a share of their workday in a third place. In fact, employees who work in third places do so 2-3 times per week, staying up to 4 hours per visit on average. The top three benefits for this cohort include a mental reset, community, and food.

• While third places have their place for a hybrid team, there are work functions that are simply not suited for communal environments. These include but aren’t limited to meetings for the review of classified materials, private calls with clients, and concentrative work requiring absolute quietude. For such tasks necessitating perfect acoustic privacy, we recommend Hushoffice booths on the floor.

Third places – frequently asked questions

What is the purpose of a third place?

Third places serve as community hubs. They offer a welcoming and comfortable environment for people to come together and connect with others. They promote social interaction, networking, creativity, and a sense of belonging. They can enhance work-life balance by offering flexible work options, making them suitable for remote work, meetings, or solo work in a more relaxed atmosphere.

What are the benefits of third places?

Third places are social hubs where people can connect, converse, and establish diverse relationships, thereby nurturing a strong sense of belonging and community cohesion. Some provide valuable opportunities for professional networking, making them especially beneficial for freelancers, entrepreneurs, and remote workers. They help combat social isolation, encourage creativity, and facilitate the exchange of ideas. They also contribute to a healthier work-life balance by serving as an informal workspace for functions that benefit from surrounding hustle-and-bustle.

What is a good 3rd place?

A good third place is bustling and communal. It is equipped with all the amenities needed for focused working including power outlets and reliable Wi-Fi. Where acoustic privacy is needed, however, a private office meeting booth like hushMeet is recommended over a third place.