What Makes a Great Huddle Room?
The huddle room is an emerging trend in office design that facilitates collaboration and communication among a small group of people. While conference rooms do the same for larger groups of people, huddle rooms provide quiet, semi-private venues for fewer than six people to discuss ideas, make phone calls, hold hybrid meetings, conduct interviews and even just work away from their desks.
Considering the following factors will help make your huddle room a fully functional, optimally designed, and highly sought-after workspace.
Choosing the ideal space
To design a comfortable huddle room for up to six people, you’ll want a space that’s about 100-150 square feet. If you’re able, choose a space that’s removed from high-traffic areas to minimize noisy distractions.
Right-size your furniture options
The smaller size of huddle rooms can make furniture selection more difficult. High-top tables with stools provide a comfortable environment for shorter, more casual meetings. Modular and flexible furniture pieces are also popular options to accommodate different meeting styles in a smaller space.
Check the acoustics
We’ve all been in the middle of a phone call, interview, or small group meeting when noises coming from outside the room become a distraction. It’s a good idea to test the acoustics in your space to see if it could benefit from soundproofing. If so, consider these options:
-
Use weather stripping, door sweeps, or caulk to seal gaps and/or cracks in doors, windows, or walls.
-
Add acoustic panels to absorb sound and reduce echoes throughout the room.
-
Use area rugs or carpets to absorb sound and reduce the sound of footsteps or chair movements.
-
Place bookshelves or storage units with soft materials, like books or fabric, along the walls.
Ensure access to tech infrastructure
To foster collaboration in-person and virtually, access to tech infrastructure can’t be ignored. Ensuring the huddle room has sufficient power outlets and Wi-Fi connectivity is paramount.
Why Huddle Rooms?
As workers continue heading back to in-person work environments, huddle rooms provide valuable places for focus and collaboration. Consider some of the most common uses for office huddle rooms.
High-functioning small meetings
Perhaps the most common use of huddle rooms is for meetings of small groups, less than six people in size. Using huddle rooms for small meetings helps to remove demand from larger conference rooms and provides more privacy than a touchdown space.
Informal collaboration
Maybe a teammate stopped by your workspace and you’re having a great discussion but prefer more privacy. Sometimes the best collaborations aren’t planned. Huddle rooms make ideal spaces for less formal collaboration.
Individual work in comfort
We all benefit from an occasional change in scenery during the workday. Beyond that, some work – planning, writing or phone calls – is done best in a quiet place. These two reasons make huddle rooms ideal places for individual work.
Individual or small group video conferencing
According to a 2023 Gallup study, hybrid is the most common style of work for remote-capable employees. With hybrid work becoming more prevalent, huddle rooms solve the increased need for spaces that can facilitate individual or small group video conferences.
By considering the above factors, you’ll help to design a huddle room that’s versatile and efficient for small group collaboration.
0 Comments