Redefining Office Interactions for a Thriving Work Culture

While much of the current debate focuses on the hybrid work model, little attention has been given to what type of work tasks and dynamics companies should outline when employees are called to work in the office space. Designing meaningful face-to-face encounters becomes essential to engage employees and make in-person work more meaningful and effective for both parties. Thus, the paper explores how companies can engage employees in the post-pandemic changing office space environment. Building on theories of employee socialization and employee experience co-design, it identifies gaps and opportunities for developing meaningful encounters in the office space and cultivating a positive work culture. A case study was conducted in an aerospace engineering company with a hybrid working model to provide practical insights. The study employed an exploratory research design, incorporating qualitative methods such as in-depth interviews, observations, and a co-design session with employees. Content analysis was used to categorize areas of employee experience in the office space that needed to be redesigned positively. The results of the study confirm that the co-design of socialization, adding creativity, and fostering serendipitous encounters in the workspace improves the employee experience, strengthening the ties with the company, connecting with their colleagues, and helping in the well-being and sense of belonging. This translates into positive gains for the organization that wants to define a hybrid work model, giving flexibility to employees without losing the human bond that the face-to-face visit to the workplace provides through meaningful experiences. Involving employees in the collaborative process of redesigning socialization and interaction practices, organizations are committed to valuing individual perspectives and needs, resulting in a more relevant and satisfying employee experience.