Huddle rooms are quickly becoming the hot new thing in offices throughout the world. In fact, globally, there are currently more than 32.4 million of these rooms used by businesses of all sizes.
Are you interested in setting up this type of room for your business? Do you want to know more about the benefits before you dive in?
If so, read on to learn more about the importance of a huddle room, as well as how you can create the perfect one for your office.
What is a Huddle Room?
In simplest terms, a huddle room is a small, private meeting room meant for just a select few people to use at a time.
Most huddle spaces hold between three and six people at once. They’re often equipped with special technology to allow for things like teleconferencing and meeting with people in remote locations.
Some businesses have multiple huddle rooms to allow different teams to work together and brainstorm without having to take up a whole conference room.
Benefits of Huddle Rooms
There are lots of benefits that come with having a huddle room (or perhaps several huddle rooms) in your office. The following are some of the most common reasons why business owners choose to use them:
Private
As a business owner, you know that there are plenty of times throughout the week (or even throughout the day) when you need to have conversations without being overheard. Huddle spaces allow you and your team to have these conversations in a less conspicuous way than congregating in your office or the conference room.
Less Disruptive
Huddle spaces also create fewer disruptions, too. It’s easier to have conversations without distracting others from their work (especially in open-plan offices). Because of the way they’re set up, you won’t have to worry about conversations being heard and being disruptive, either.
Support Collaborative Efforts
It’s easy to collaborate when you have a huddle room set up in your office. This is especially true when the rooms are decked out with the proper technology, such as video conferencing equipment and software. With these tools, you can communicate with clients and colleagues while also enjoying some much-needed privacy.
Flexible
Huddle rooms can be great multi-purpose spaces as well. Use them for small meetings, brainstorming sessions, check-ins with various employees, etc. There are plenty of ways to use them throughout the workday.
Cost-Effective
Because they’re inherently versatile, these rooms pay for themselves pretty quickly, too. You don’t have to spend a lot of money to get a huddle room up and running, and you’ll likely get to enjoy a return on your investment soon after creating the room (or rooms) in your office.
Easy Remote Worker Integration
If you have a lot of remote employees as part of your business, having huddle spaces makes it easy for you to include them. They can easily be teleconferenced in to be part of meetings or brainstorming sessions, but you don’t have to worry about the extra expenses that come with providing them with permanent office space.
Improved Customer Experience
Huddle rooms help to promote a better customer experience, too. If your customers know that you have a private location to speak with them while at the office, they’ll feel more confident in you and your workers. They also won’t have to worry about sensitive information getting out while they’re working with you.
Tips for Setting Up Huddle Rooms
If you want to reap all the benefits that huddle spaces have to offer, you have to make sure yours is set up properly. The following tips will help you create a room that’s perfect for your specific needs:
Designate a Space
Start by figuring out where you’re going to put your huddle room.
You may be able to find a conference room and divide it into two or three smaller rooms. You could also clear out an office or two in the building and turn them into designated huddle spaces.
Remember, most huddle spaces are around 100-250 square feet.
Furnish it Well
Because the room is on the smaller side, you don’t have to spend a ton of money furnishing it. Make sure there’s a table for people to take notes and comfortable chairs for people to sit in, though.
You may want to purchase some simple decorations, too, so it feels more like a meeting room and less like an interrogation room.
Invest in Equipment
The biggest investment should be on the equipment for the room. Make sure you’re utilizing teleconferencing equipment that allows you to have video and audio chats with colleagues, remote workers, clients, and others.
Make it Sound-Proof
It’s best if your office’s huddle space can be sound-proof. This ensures that they’re private spaces where people can work uninterrupted without worrying about distracting other employees (or being overheard).
Acoustic panels are effective when it comes to blocking sound. Hang them on the walls, behind pictures or whiteboards, and on the partitions. You can choose soft furniture and using curtains, too, for additional sound-proofing.
Provide a Writing Surface
Finally, make sure the room has a large whiteboard displayed on the wall. Whiteboards are essential for brainstorming and note-taking. They also help to keep employees engaged and make sure that everyone’s on the same page.
Consider providing other writing surfaces as well. For example, you may want to have a stack of notepads handy (along with some pens) so employees can take their own notes and copy down what’s written on the whiteboard.
Create the Perfect Huddle Room Today
As you can see, a huddle room has a lot to offer your business.
Are you convinced that setting one up is a good option for you and your employees? If so, keep these tips in mind. They’ll help you create the perfect space for all of your meetings and brainstorming sessions.
Don’t forget to check out the other business resources on our site as well. They’ll provide you with other helpful tips and tricks to grow and improve your company.