Steelcase has announced the opening of its newly renovated Media City office. Steelcase WorkLife Dubai has been refreshed to reflect the company’s commitment to the region and to showcase many of Steelcase’s newest solutions designed for today’s hybrid workers for the first time. The pandemic has altered the way we live, learn, and work. Working from home has become a popular component of the modern work/life balance.

In fact, according to the latest Steelcase Global Report, nearly 87% of workers will spend at least some of their week working from home. Whilst hybrid working is familiar territory for some businesses, it has required a seismic shift for others.

Regardless of how a company defines its policies, this blend of on and offline interactions means an organisation must consider the needs of increasingly hybrid teams. Having the workspace and technology required to facilitate this new way of working is imperative. Steelcase research reveals that workers today want a dramatically different work experience than ever before. As such there are five critical employee requirements that, when addressed, can significantly improve how they feel about the company they work for. Workers today want a sense of belonging, more control over where and when they work, greater productivity, places within the office environment that supports wellbeing, and the need to feel physically and psychologically safe. Workspaces in WorkLife Dubai are split into three distinct zones designed for today’s hybrid worker.

The first zone is a shared social space that fosters a sense of community and belonging. The second zone includes a personal space that gives workers control over their privacy. And the third zone is a collaboration space that provides a flexible setting that encourages collaboration between teams of all sizes. WorkLife Dubai includes a stylish Social Café Hub on the ground floor, where workers can experience a change of pace, posture, and place. In it, they can make important social connections, refresh, and rejuvenate. The space also supports individuals and small groups who want to work in a place with a coffee shop atmosphere.

There are also adjacent ‘phone booths’ where staff can hop on a video call or have a confidential phone conversation. On the ground floor there is also a mixture of private spaces, meeting rooms and collaboration spaces that are all backed by the latest technology. These allow teams to meet in whatever space they find most productive. On a mezzanine level is a flexible team area built for projects and workshops. In it, the Steelcase Flex Collection empowers teams to adapt the space on demand. The Flex Height Adjustable Desks are all on rollers to allow for reconfiguration, while a work bridge gives people a common worksurface to gather around if required. There is also a private acoustic pod, a fully enclosed private enclave that gives workers a place to get away and focus. Plus, a residential lounge that is designed to support worker’s need for individual think time within the cycle of creativity within a comfortable setting.

“More than ever before, workers want to feel a part of something special, rather than just a cog in the wheel,” says Patrick Taylor, managing director for MEEMCA, Steelcase. “With WorkLife Dubai we have created a workspace that is worth the commute. It is the perfect example of a space that fosters engagement, well-being, and innovation for all.” In addition to the refurbished workspace, Steelcase will also be opening a new Steelcase Learning space in October. Steelcase Learning creates the perfect conditions for lifelong learning. Its insight-led setting inspires people to become engaged, active learners both within and beyond the classroom.