Looking for a way to transform your office and facilitate both collaborative and private, focused work? Then an office pod is the perfect solution. If you want to find out more about office pods and how they can benefit your office space, keep reading…
What is an office pod?
Say the words ‘office pod’ to different people, and you’re likely to get a similar answer; an office pod is a self-contained room that can be placed within the context of a larger office (think of it as being an office within an office).
Put another way, office pods are effectively self-enclosed spaces that allow people to engage in meetings or work without the interruptions of a wider office environment.
Office pods typically replicate all the features you’d expect in a traditional office, including:
- Seating – spanning from one to four (or more) people.
- Desking – providing a place to work on a laptop or paperwork.
- Lighting – a dedicated lighting source to illuminate the pod.
- Power and data – to provide power and Internet connections for electronic devices.
- Ventilation – this can be either passive or active, ensuring a flow of fresh air in the pod.
- Soundproofing – to quell outside noise.
The most well-specified office pods really do create the perfect environment for collaborative working and focused, individual working alike. Which is why they’re becoming increasingly popular, especially in the age of hybrid working and slews of video calls throughout the working day.
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A brief history of the office pod
The origins of the office pod are somewhat debated, with various claimants to the title of ‘office pod inventor’.
Arguably, the company with the strongest claim to have invented the office pod is American furniture manufacturer Herman Miller.
In the mid-1960s Herman Miller introduced its ‘Action Office’ line – a completely new take on office design. When the company released the next iteration, Action Office II, they introduced the world to the now familiar office pod.
Since then, other manufacturers have evolved the office pod further, with Framery claiming to have invented the modern office pod (e.g. pods with all the features described above).
Today, there are a multitude of manufacturers creating and selling office pods. And, as you’ll see later in this article, there are a dizzying array of different options, features and finishes to choose from when it comes to buying an office pod.
What are the benefits of office pods?
Let’s be frank. Office pods can be a fairly sizable investment. This is especially true if you decide to buy a larger model with plenty of features.
Naturally, this leads some office managers, caretakers and building managers to question whether they are a worthwhile purchase or not.
Our answer is an emphatic yes.
We’ve listed the reasons why, below.
A popular office perk
According to research from CBRE, availability of private spaces for focused work are amongst the most desired office perks.
Furthermore, this same research suggests that a greater variety of working environments within the office are more likely to entice hybrid employees back into the office more often.
In short, office pods can help you attract and retain top talent. On a more qualitative basis, they’re just downright cool!
If you want to create a modern, attractive, appealing office environment, then an office pod or two should be at the top of your shopping list.
Tip – an office pod alone isn’t going to completely transform your office space. We’d recommend reading up on the benefits of standing desks and smart lockers, too.
They create a dynamic working environment
The modern job in the knowledge economy can involve myriad tasks. One minute, you have to jump on a video call to chat to a client. The next minute, you need to focus on writing a report.
Unfortunately, the modern open-plan office doesn’t accommodate these different tasks particularly well.
You’ve probably experienced this yourself. When you want to focus, the office is uproariously loud. When you want to have a team chat, the office is deadly quiet.
Office pods help you to mitigate both sets of circumstances, providing a place for both focused work and chatty collaboration.
Tip – ensure you choose an office pod which has plenty of soundproofing if your work environment tends to get particularly noisy.
Improved productivity
According to research conducted by one office pod manufacturer, the average worker loses 60 hours every month to distractions! Furthermore, the average employee is interrupted as much as 56 times per day.
Working in a busy office not only can reduce productivity, but it can have a negative impact upon employee wellbeing.
Consider that the average office can have an ambient noise level of 60-70 dB. Consistent noise levels of more than 60 dB can lead to hearing damage. Excessive noise levels can also result in workers taking 70% more sick days (according to a study by Canada Life Group Insurance). Finally, workers in noisy offices can be up to 66% less productive.
Those are some shocking figures, especially when you consider how they negatively affect productivity and wellbeing.
So, what’s the solution?
Office pods, of course!
Office pods can provide an area where employees can work without distraction and focus on work without interruption.
Tip – in order to maximise productivity, ensure you purchase office pods that are completely enclosed, with a floor-to-ceiling door. This will block out the maximum amount of sound and distraction.
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Perfect for video calls
Closely linked to the point above, have you ever tried to take a video call in a busy office? It can be challenging to say the least.
And, it’s a more widespread issue than many people realise.
According to research from Notta, virtual meetings grew significantly following the COVID-19 pandemic, increasing by 77% to 2022. What’s more, other research shows that 58% of businesses use video conferencing in some form as part of their everyday operations.
To sum up, video calls aren’t going away. So, it can pay (literally) to make those calls easier and more pleasant.
The solution?
That’s right, office pods!
Properly specified office pods are the perfect place for your employees to take video calls.
Tip – to make your office pod the best possible place for video calls, choose one that includes power and data modules. This way, your employees can keep their laptops charged up and connected to your network whilst they’re in the pod.
Extra working space
The fact of the matter is that many open-plan offices don’t make particularly good use of their space. All too often, there are vast tracts of empty, underutilised floorspace.
Office pods can change that, using previously unused space to provide extra areas for work and collaboration.
In fact, office pods are almost always a far more cost-effective way of adding extra office or meeting room space without having to undertake costly building work/alterations.
How much do office pods cost?
This is one of the most frequently asked questions about office pods.
The answer is, it depends.
As they are so customisable, with so many different features that can be specified, office pods can vary considerably in cost.
However, we do want to emphasise one thing. There is something of an urban myth that office pods are ridiculously expensive.
That simply isn’t the case.
The reality is that there are office pods to suit all budgets. Plus, changes to the specification can be made to further bring the pod in line with your budget.
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Office pod buying tips
So, you want to buy an office pod. Great! But, you’re maybe wondering what exactly you should think about when choosing one. Well, to help, the Rosehill team has listed our top office pod buying tips below.
Accessibility
This is an all-to-often, yet very important buying consideration when it comes to office pods.
Here in the UK, as acas points out, offices must be accessible to all users, including all parts of the premises – ‘for example the entrance and access to things like toilets and staff rooms’.
So, your chosen office pod needs to be accessible to all employees. This is important, as some office pods feature a ‘lip’ at the bottom which can make it difficult for wheelchairs to access the pod.
Office pods can, of course, be modified to make them fully accessible, but be sure to check these things before making a purchase. Otherwise, you may end up having to make some expensive alterations at a later date.
Privacy
Give some thought as to the types of things your employees will be using the office pod for.
For example, will your HR team be using them for personnel meetings? Will your legal team be using the pods for working on sensitive documents?
If that’s the case, then you’ll need to ensure that your chosen office pod not only has a floor-to-ceiling door, but that the door in question is frosted and/or obscures the view into the pod.
This may only seem like a minor point, but you’d be surprised how often it is overlooked!
Type of pod
Leading on from the point above, if privacy isn’t necessarily a major concern, then you have far more options to you than you may realise.
In addition to the traditional fully-enclosed booth, you can now buy other types of pod. These include:
- Open fronted pods.
- Open fronted and open roofed pods.
- Personal pods – that are effectively semi-enclosed chairs.
The image below shows some of these different office pod types.
As you can see, office pods have evolved considerably from their earliest days, with a wide variety of types now available.
Tip – not sure what your options are? Need some help selecting the right type of office pod for your building? Then speak to the Rosehill team. Our experts will be happy to help.
Data connections
Again, this is an often overlooked part of buying an acoustic booth. Sure, your chosen office pod may offer data connections, but have you checked exactly what type of connections?
Just as office pods have evolved, so too have the various connections that work devices use.
Before committing to purchasing an office pod, make sure you check what type of data connections will be most useful.
In a modern office environment, you are likely to need your office booth to accommodate at least some of the following data ports:
- USB-C.
- USB-B.
- USB-A.
- HDMI.
Tip – in addition to data connections, if you are buying a pod with a power module, check that a) it has UK plug sockets, and b) how many sockets in total it has.
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Working position
It’s easy to assume that individuals using the office pod will want to sit down. However, this increasingly isn’t the case.
After all, with sitting now regularly being dubbed ‘the new smoking’, more and more people are choosing to work at standing desks. And, the same could be true for your office pod.
So, we’d recommend consulting with staff on what their preferred working position would be in an office pod.
Tip – many office pods are highly customisable and aren’t necessarily ‘one size fits all’. The Rosehill team can advise you on the various customisation options that are available.
Installation
Office pods will almost always require assembly. So, make sure you think about your installation requirements when choosing an office pod.
The majority of office pod manufacturers offer an installation service – however, this typically incurs a charge. Thus, if you need your chosen office pods to be installed, you’ll need to take this charge into account when you’re thinking about your budget.
Tip – here at Rosehill, you can choose many of our office pods with either an installation service or just tailgate delivery (so you can install it yourself).
Fit and finish
Whilst this is a much more subjective buying tip, it’s important to bear the following point in mind when buying an office pod:
Don’t take images of office pods at face value.
What exactly do we mean by this? That there are likely to be far more finishes, colours and fitting choices available than are presented in pictures of office pods.
That’s our way of encouraging you to think outside the box.
Some office pod manufacturers have really experimented with some interesting and unusual finishes. Take the Clara Phonebooth, for example. In the pictures on the page, it looks like your standard, run-of-the-mill office pod. But, it’s actually available with some truly special finishes such as a living wall exterior…
Other pods are available with exotic finishes such as cork exteriors.
Our point here is that you can (and arguably should) really dig into the details regarding your chosen office pods finish options. You may be pleasantly surprised by what you find!
Shop Now – Penelope Pods: Workbooths & Phonebooths
Office pods: make Rosehill your first and last stop
With our friendly, consultative approach, and decades of experience Rosehill is the perfect place to buy a new office pod for your building.
We work with the UK’s and Europe’s leading manufacturers of office pods, meaning we can get you deals and discounts that you just won’t get anywhere else. To find out more, speak to our team today.
Shop office pods at Rosehill now
For more commercial and contract furniture buying guide, information and advice, read the Rosehill blog…
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