In early June, Elon Musk once again shook not just SpaceX and Tesla, but the entire business world. The entrepreneur issued a firm demand: his employees must return to the office and work their full 40-hour week on-site. Those who didn’t like this “pre-COVID” setup were told they were free to leave.
The public reaction was intense. Some fully supported Musk, calling die-hard remote workers lazy. Others fiercely criticized him. But regardless of where people stood, by summer 2022, it was clear: the world had changed once again, and the question of whether — and how — to work from an office needed a serious rethink.
Do businesses still need huge office spaces? How can workplaces be made comfortable and attractive? And how should we design office environments with the understanding that another crisis might send us all back home again? We explored these questions with the architects at TENGO design studio, which has created offices for over 100 companies worldwide.

The “escape” from offices became a major stressor for everyone who had spent years perfecting their daily routine: waking up, getting ready, commuting, taking the elevator to the right floor, and sitting at a workspace literally infused with working energy. And just because your profession didn’t require a switch to remote work during COVID doesn’t mean the problems of “labor migration” from office to apartment don’t exist. Thousands of “stationary” employees had to adjust—often with difficulty—to new circumstances, and train their whole family to understand that working from home is full-fledged work. You can’t just suddenly run off to the market or babysit your young nieces and nephews.
But just as we got used to the “home setup” and began to appreciate all the perks of remote work, a new call came: all hands on deck. Wait—does that mean getting up at the crack of dawn again and wasting time commuting (which, unfortunately, doesn’t count as work hours)? That seems illogical. Or is Elon Musk right, and it’s time for everyone to trade in pajamas for suits?

“When making decisions — including whether to work remotely or from the office — we should look not to Elon Musk, but to our own business first,” says Pavel Yurkevich, lead architect at TENGO.

“If employees are doing their jobs well and don’t want to return to the office, why force them to sit at desks? That will only frustrate them, kill their motivation to work, or even push them to find a new job with better conditions.”

At the same time, some employees do need supervision from above: self-discipline is great, but a “fatherly eye” adds motivation and keeps them from slacking off. For them, the office is the optimal solution. And let’s not forget that there are still professions where people are buried in paperwork, reports, and folders. You can't just take all of that home, so a stationary office and colleagues nearby are clearly the right setup. Again, decisions should be based solely on your own business processes, not on following trends.

That said, managing people, controlling processes, and simply communicating is much easier when everyone is gathered in one place. Sometimes, just to make a single edit, you have to go through (and survive) several video calls. Maybe the solution lies in a hybrid work model?

“Many companies have already adopted a model where employees work both from home and from the office. The time can be split in different ways: 50/50, 80/20, and so on — whatever works best for each team,” says architect Alexandra Pavlova, continuing the discussion. “This approach really does make life easier and more convenient.”

“Why has the office made its way back into our lives? It’s not just about ease of management. The office is also a space where people interact, recharge from one another, collaborate on tasks, and share ideas. Sometimes a simple kitchen conversation sparks an almost brilliant idea — one that would never have come to life if everyone were sitting at home. Moments like these are incredibly motivating moving forward.”

Fortunately, the days when an office was nothing more than a vast, lifeless space with a lonely water cooler and dozens of cheap desks are behind us. Today, just as much thought goes into designing a well-organized workspace as into decorating an apartment. You’ll find a kitchen, a lounge area, and even a gym.

However, employers, having learned from the hard lessons of the COVID era and now used to planning ahead, began to wonder: maybe it’s easier nowadays to give up large office spaces and instead either “pack” employees in more tightly or create a schedule for who comes in and when?

"Indeed, the trend toward downsizing office space is already noticeable," Alexandra continues. "Some people remain remote, others switch to a hybrid model. There aren't that many who are willing to work in the office every day. And perhaps the hybrid format is the optimal solution for now, as it allows for a balance between the number of workstations and the presence of informal zones specifically designed to foster communication and build social connections within teams.

Yes, businesses are starting to reduce office space, thereby freeing up a certain amount of money that used to go toward rent. At the same time, smart leaders are redirecting those 'extra' funds into creating a higher-quality environment for their employees — doing everything they can to make people actually want to come into the office from time to time and maintain that connection with their colleagues."

Take meeting rooms, for example: if they have well-designed ventilation (which has become even more important since the pandemic), multiple lighting scenarios (for in-person meetings or group video calls), proper sound insulation, and stylish interior design, people will naturally want to use them — at the very least, to take client calls from there rather than from home, where there’s no professional backdrop and a child might suddenly burst into the room screaming.

The role of the kitchen shouldn’t be underestimated either. Gone are the days when they looked like cafeterias with plastic chairs — now they are comfortable, stylish spaces where people can relax, recharge, or even get some work done,” the expert notes.

As much light and air as possible — something that has become a given. That’s why a decent distance is kept between desks, partitions are installed, and functional zoning is changing. Interestingly, the approach to organizing meeting rooms has also evolved. They used to be designed for 6–8 people at once; now they accommodate up to 4 (meaning the number of seats per room decreases, but the number of meeting rooms increases). There are also more and more call booths.

In general, the post-pandemic office is a place where you can connect to video calls from anywhere, with reliable internet and maximum comfort.

As for organizing a modern coworking space, here are a few tips: the open-plan area should be neutral, without bright colors or unusual textures (for example, a yellow wall can become tiresome and even irritating after a while). White and light gray are ideal colors for a workspace.

All employees should be provided with equal conditions: it’s important to avoid situations where workers at different levels, for example, have different desks or chairs. Or cases where one employee has something that another “hasn’t earned yet.” Special attention should be given to furniture: believe me, designers and engineers have spent decades working on ergonomics, figuring out how to make sitting for long periods comfortable and healthy.

Just think about it: sometimes an employee is given a $5,000 MacBook, but they spend the whole day (at least six hours) sitting on an old chair that doesn’t support their back properly and can’t be adjusted to their needs. My advice to managers: pay maximum attention to organizing workspaces. A well-adjusted desk and ergonomic chair will reduce interruptions for “leaning back to stretch a stiff back” or “getting up to walk because sitting has become unbearable.” Besides that, proper furniture improves posture, and people appreciate when they’re cared for. In the long run, quality furniture will actually be cheaper than standard “stock” furniture — especially if you spread the cost over its lifespan or sell it afterward. And overall, good furniture is part of the interior design, so it helps reduce spending on decor,” Pavel explains.

The TENGO architect emphasizes that it’s impossible to please everyone, but it’s worth trying. Therefore, in addition to classic seated workstations, there should be a workspace for those who like to work standing from time to time. And a lounge area with soft sofas where you can sit down, lie back, or cross your legs comfortably. Ideally, there should be a room available where people can even take a quiet nap after lunch — after all, we’re all human.

“I’ll repeat: the workspace should be as neutral as possible so that someone working in a hybrid mode can easily book any available desk in the open space, sit down, and not waste time adapting. Yes, personalization of workstations in the office is decreasing, but you can always set photos of your loved ones and pets as your laptop or phone wallpaper to brighten your day.

Employers can compensate for the lack of personal territory by designing the common areas. This is where you can really get creative: use colors, fabrics, textures, add cozy sofas — create comfort. And do it without repetition: not a hundred identical corners, but different locations with varying moods, styles, and functions. And these shouldn’t be lifeless spaces (cold, strict interiors are no longer in demand), but places that attract people, where they feel comfortable and safe.”

The most important thing you can do is to fill the office with comfortable zones where spontaneous meetings can take place, leading to the emergence of original ideas. After all, the primary purpose of office design isn’t just to look good, but to support the business. When an employee has the ability to book a workspace, retreat to a one-on-one meeting room when needed, focus in a quiet room, or gather the team for the day in a team room, it boosts their productivity and improves processes within the company as a whole. Besides, a good office can play a role in someone’s decision to join a company or stay rather than leave. Good attracts good, the experts conclude.

The material is reprinted from the website Onliner.by.