Vietnam in particular has seen a rise in the culture of remote working as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. Some corporations have resumed their conventional working practices post-pandemic while many others continue to permit workers to work remotely or use a flexible working policy (Hybrid Working).

Savills Vietnam, a firm that specializes in real estate consultancy, investment, and valuation services has declared its intention to adopt flexible working arrangements. Therefore, what distinguishes an office created in accordance with this new situation from a conventional workplace?

According to Ms. Hoang Nguyet Minh, Senior Director, Commercial Leasing Division of Savills Hanoi, "Firms must first survey their workforce to ascertain the precise requirements of each department in order to determine the appropriate ratio of fixed seats to flexible seats. The demands of workers will be more of a priority in office design plans going forward than they were in the past when the majority of organizations concentrated on customer and visitor experiences."

Based on the outcomes of the survey conducted by Savills Hanoi on how frequently each department uses the office, Sunon as the furniture provider of Savills Hanoi arranged distinct seating places for the sales staff who often spends at least 40 to 50 percent of the time outdoors dealing with clients and business partners and stay extremely concentrated for between 50 and 60 percent of the time when they return to the office. Semi-private seating areas having Sunon's Flower and D series modular lounge seating with noise-reducing screens also gives the sales team privacy to make calls to clients without disturbing their colleagues around and not being disturbed by others.

There will always be a working location that suits each employee's needs, whether they are looking for an online meeting, a small group meeting, focused work, etc., as opposed to each person having only one fixed seat with no other options. This is one of the most significant differences between the flexible working model and the traditional model. Employees that operate under a flexible working arrangement are frequently not assigned to a specific seat, but rather register by date, do not decorate, and do not put personal items on the table as in the conventional arrangement. At the end of the day, employees clean the tables and place everything in their own lockers. It is a novel idea that staff members need to get accustomed to. As a consequence, Sunon furnished Savills Hanoi's  Office with a variety of space options ranging from small meeting rooms to common working spaces. Several versatile Model series stool chairs and side chairs as well as concisely outlined Mix series office tables can easily create a functional and change-friendly design outlook that allows employees to shape a space to the needs of the moment.

"At first, innovations may be uncomfortable since individuals are accustomed to their current routines. The habit of leaving shoes, garbage cans, and photos around the desk has to shift as well. Managers may not have their own office. However, in exchange, workers will be able to work in a clean, neat, and fully equipped environment."

Ms. Hoang Nguyet Minh stressed that in order to successfully switch to a flexible working model, it is not only important to modify the office layout; it also heavily depends on the commitment and support of the company's executives. Rather than using attendance and timekeeping within a set period of time, concentrate on managing people via outcomes and job performance.

While many people are worried about the high expenses associated with office design, Ms. Nguyet Minh asserts that these expenditures are mostly similar to those associated with the conventional model. It may only be necessary to set up 60 fixed tables for 100 people, leaving the remaining space for group spaces and common areas.