2nd Jun 2025

How to Create Meeting Spaces that Encourage Collaboration

From rows of desks to landscaped spaces, offices are evolving. We’re moving from linear, hierarchical environments to ones that prioritise creativity, culture and connection.

That shift shows up most visibly in collaborative spaces, where the focus is no longer on status or formality, but ideas.

That’s why meeting rooms are some of the most valuable spaces in an office. They’re where people come together to collaborate, share ideas and make real progress.

But too often, poorly-designed meeting spaces hold teams back. Outdated technology and awkward layouts make it harder for people to connect, communicate and do their best thinking.

With over half of meetings now involving hybrid participants, teams need spaces that adapt to their needs, support a wide range of work and help everyone feel included wherever they’re joining from.

So if the goal is better collaboration, your meeting rooms need to reflect a more human scale: adaptable, inclusive and purposefully designed to encourage connection.

In this blog, we cover how to create meeting rooms that encourage collaboration, support hybrid work and adapt to the way your people work best.

Meeting room essentials

Even the best-planned meetings can be held back by poorly designed spaces. If your conference room has an awkward layout, poor acoustics or tech that just won’t cooperate, it can grind your meeting to a halt and cause frustration in the process.

The best meeting spaces are built around people: how they work, how they communicate, and what they need to feel comfortable and focused.

Here’s what to prioritise when designing a space that supports great meetings.

Technology

Reliable, modern technology is the key to a great meeting room. If your meetings are interrupted by poor sound quality, weak video connections or other clunky controls, it’s more than an annoyance. It’s a barrier to progress.

With the right technology, people can stay focused on the conversation, rather than trying to fix IT issues. That makes meetings feel more inclusive, more productive and less frustrating for everyone involved – especially in hybrid setups.

The right setup might include:

• Reliable AV systems with crystal-clear audio and video.
• Dual displays that let you view content and video feeds simultaneously.
• Interactive whiteboards or shared screens that support collaboration.
• Simple, secure screen sharing across multiple devices.

Looking ahead: Technology will continue to evolve and meeting spaces must keep up.

AI-enabled collaboration rooms, immersive tech zones and personalised environments that adjust to individual preferences (think lighting, temperature, desk height) will soon be the standard, not the exception.

Flexible Layouts

There’s no one way to run a meeting, and your space should reflect that. Modular, moveable furniture allows teams to shape the space around the session.

Whether it’s for a strategy session, daily stand-up or a one-to-one, flexibility is key. You can build flexibility into your workplace with:

• Modular, moveable furniture that can be easily reconfigured.
• Writable surfaces to encourage collaboration.
• Adjustable power points to keep devices charged, no matter the layout.

Acoustics and lighting

Bad acoustics and harsh lighting can leave people feeling tired, distracted or disengaged. Designing with comfort in mind helps you create a space where people can stay present and communicate clearly.

Consider including:

• Acoustic panels or baffles to absorb background noise and reduce echo.
• Layered lighting that can shift from task mode to soft ambient levels.
• Window treatments that reduce glare and regulate natural light.

A note on designing for the senses: As workplaces become more inclusive, addressing sensory comfort isn’t just a ‘nice to have’, it’s essential. These aren’t just productivity hacks; they’re signals that everyone is welcome and considered.

User control and sensory comfort

No two people work in exactly the same way. Giving people more control over their environment, even in small ways, helps make meeting rooms more inclusive and productive.

Small changes can go a long way, such as:

• Dimmable lighting and zoned heating or cooling
• Adjustable blinds for managing brightness
• Supportive seating that encourages good posture

Future-ready meeting spaces are customisable spaces. With more awareness of neurodiversity, different chronotypes, and mental wellbeing needs, workplace design has rightly shifted away from ‘one-size-fits-all’. Now, the most effective meeting rooms offer choice, flexibility and a variety of sensory experiences.

Designing for hybrid meetings

Hybrid meetings work best when everyone feels like they’re part of the conversation, not an afterthought.

When conference rooms aren’t designed with hybrid in mind, remote team members often find it harder to contribute. Whether it’s awkward camera angles, poor sound quality or simply being out of sight, these barriers make it harder for teams to collaborate.

Small design changes can make a big difference. For example:

• Curved tables and inclusive seating arrangements to ensure no one has their back to the screen
• Dual displays to keep both faces and content visible
• Cameras and microphones that track speakers naturally
• Tools like Miro or MURAL that bridge the gap between physical and digital teams

In summary, hybrid design is equity design. It’s about giving everyone a seat at the table, wherever that table is.

Making the most of smaller spaces

While large boardrooms often get the most attention, small meeting rooms play a big role in workplace communication. These spaces are ideal for quick check-ins, private conversations or focused calls – but only if they’re designed with the same care as the rest of the office.

Privacy is key, so acoustic insulation should be a top priority. AV tools should be just as reliable as those in larger rooms to keep meetings running smoothly.

If these rooms aren’t available or usable, people often end up taking calls at their desks or in corridors – which can compromise both productivity and privacy. Well-designed, small meeting spaces give people somewhere they can work without disruption.

Smarter scheduling

Even the best designed spaces lose value if no one can access them when they need to. Booking systems might seem like a small detail, but they have a big impact on how smoothly a workplace runs.

Room scheduling technology helps people quickly find available spaces and avoid awkward double-bookings or interruptions. Real-time displays outside meeting rooms show who’s using the space and when it’s free again.

Some systems can even track occupancy to give insights into how rooms are being used, helping you to adapt layout or resources over time.

Rethinking the purpose of meeting spaces

Meeting rooms aren’t just places to talk, they’re where ideas are built, relationships are formed and important decisions are made. In today’s hybrid, fast-moving workplaces, they’re critical infrastructure.

They shape how teams collaborate, how inclusive your culture feels and how well people can do their jobs – whether they’re in the office or joining remotely.

For early-career employees, they’re often where learning happens in real time. For leadership, they’re an opportunity to stay visible and accessible. And for everyone, they offer a shared environment where focus and contribution are valued.

Ready to invest in your meeting space?

We help businesses create spaces that make a difference, with smart technology, agile environments and people-first design.

If you’re thinking about redesigning your meeting rooms, get in touch. We’d love to help.