How it works
A hybrid office usually combines individual settings (bookable desks, focus rooms, phone booths), group settings (huddle rooms, project rooms and meeting rooms of several sizes), social settings (cafe areas, lounges) and support spaces (lockers, parking, storage). Each type is defined by its capacity, equipment, noise level and whether it is bookable or drop-in.
The right mix follows the work people come in to do. If most office days are for team collaboration, the office needs more group and social space and fewer rows of desks. If people come in for quiet work they cannot do at home, focus rooms and quiet zones matter more.
In a booking system, each space type gets its own rules: who can book it, how far ahead, for how long and whether it needs a check-in. Booking and check-in data by type then shows which settings are in demand and which sit empty, which is how teams adjust the mix over time.
How to measure it
- Track occupancy and no-shows by space type, not only in total, so a shortage of phone booths is not hidden by empty desks.
- Compare the size of meetings with the size of the rooms they use; many meetings of two or three people end up in rooms built for eight.
- Ask employees what they came in to do and whether they found the right setting, and read the answers next to the booking data.
- Look at peak days separately, because a mix that works midweek can fail on the busiest day.
Examples
- A floor replaces a block of twenty desks with four phone booths, two huddle rooms and a project room after booking data shows the desks rarely fill while small rooms are always taken.
- An office makes lockers and parking bookable alongside desks, so people who come in for one day can reserve everything they need in one flow.
Common mistakes
- Copying another company's mix instead of starting from what your own people do in the office.
- Building large meeting rooms for small meetings, which leaves big rooms occupied by two people.
- Giving every space type the same booking rules, for example letting focus rooms be booked all day.
- Measuring desks only and missing demand for rooms, booths and support spaces.
How Kadence helps
Kadence books desks, meeting rooms and additional space types such as lockers, pods, parking and private offices from one interactive floor plan, with booking rules and durations set per space type. Workplace Insights reports how each type is used, and admins choose whether lockers and parking count toward office attendance.
Space management · Desk booking software · Room booking software
Frequently asked questions
What is a huddle room?
A huddle room is a small meeting room for a few people, usually with a screen and a camera for quick meetings and video calls. Hybrid offices use them heavily, because many meetings have two or three people in the room and others joining remotely.
What is the difference between a focus room and a phone booth?
A focus room is a small enclosed room for one person doing concentrated work, often bookable for a few hours. A phone booth is a smaller acoustic pod for a call or a short video meeting, usually used on a drop-in basis or booked for short slots.
How do you decide the right mix of workspace types?
Start with what people come in to do, then check the data: booking and check-in rates by space type, meeting sizes against room sizes, and employee feedback. Change the mix in small steps, such as turning a block of desks into booths or small rooms, and measure again.
Should every workspace type be bookable?
Not always. Desks, meeting rooms, parking and lockers usually work best when bookable, because demand is predictable. Phone booths and lounges often work better as drop-in space, because people need them for short, unplanned moments.
Related terms
- Activity-based working (ABW) A workplace model in which people move between settings designed for different tasks instead of working at one assigned desk.
- Office fit-out The work that turns shell or existing space into a usable office: walls, services, finishes, furniture and technology.
- Workspace booking Reserving any bookable space at work, such as desks, rooms, lockers, pods, parking or coworking space, from one system.
- Meeting room utilization How often meeting rooms are used and how full they are when used, which shows whether you need more rooms or different ones.
Kadence editorial team · Last reviewed