At an Innovate Carolina Signature Series workshop at the Innovate Carolina Junction, workplace strategists from Steelcase and design thinking experts from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill explored how organizations can design effective hybrid work models. The session brought together leaders to examine how to balance in-person and remote work in ways that enhance both employee experience and organizational performance.
John Hughes, principal at Steelcase Applied Research & Consulting, emphasized that hybrid work is not a new concept but one that has rapidly accelerated, leaving many organizations without clear guidance. He encouraged leaders to approach hybrid work holistically—considering culture, processes, technology and physical space rather than focusing solely on office attendance.
Georgia Rappole, client business manager at Steelcase, introduced the concept of “work modes”—focus, collaboration and socialization—to help organizations better understand how employees spend their time and what environments best support each activity.
Liz Chen, PhD, MPH, of Innovate Carolina’s Design and Innovation for the Public Good (DIPG) team, demonstrated how human-centered design methods can guide hybrid work decisions. Using tools like journey mapping and structured brainstorming, leaders can design solutions that are desirable, feasible and sustainable.
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