- Originally published: October 23, 2023
- Last updated: December 11, 2024
Gone are the days when employees clocked in at 9 and left at 5. With employees feeling more satisfied in a hybrid model and reporting higher productivity, a good hybrid workplace solution shouldn’t complicate things—which is exactly why choosing the right one is crucial.
At Archie, we know a thing or two about hybrid workspace tools, so I’ve used our team’s expertise to put together this guide. Whether you’re updating your current hybrid policy, transitioning from a traditional setup, or designing a brand-new hybrid workspace, it will help you choose the best hybrid work software for your business.
💡TL;DR
Archie is a great choice for hybrid office management, especially if you want something flexible, affordable, and easy to use. If your company needs advanced features and is okay with spending a bit more, OfficeSpace is a good option. For businesses that are watching their budget, Tactic is a simple tool for booking office resources. If you prefer a hybrid workplace system that works directly with Slack or Microsoft Teams, you will like Officely.
In this guide:
What is a hybrid office solution?
A hybrid office solution brings together people, spaces, and technology to create a flexible, efficient, and supportive work environment. It’s the foundation of a hybrid workplace, making it easier for employees to collaborate, stay productive, and feel supported, whether they’re working from home or the office.
Key features to look for in hybrid office software
There are plenty of tools that facilitate hybrid work (and we’ll go into more detail a bit later). Essentially, the best hybrid work software offers a mixture of advanced features and third-party integrations, including:
- Booking desks, meeting rooms, and office equipment: Employees can book workspaces and office resources at their convenience. This maximizes office space utilization and gives employees the flexibility and assurance of a dedicated workspace when they choose to come in.
- Recurring reservations: Hybrid workspace software often allows users to reserve the same desks and meeting rooms for recurring sessions, eliminating the need to rebook every time.
- Interactive floor plans: Visual office maps let employees see the layout and choose desks or meeting rooms with a simple click, making booking fast and intuitive.
- Real-time availability: To avoid double bookings, people can check which desks or rooms are free in real time. Some systems allow filtering by amenities like monitors or whiteboards for tailored preferences.
- Space usage insights: Hybrid workspace solutions track workspace usage, peak times, and trends to help managers optimize layouts and resource allocation.
- Visitor management: Letting guests check in, providing real-time arrival notifications, and allowing pre-registration to reduce wait times. Some systems also include digital document signing for NDAs or compliance paperwork.
- Touchless check-ins: Features like QR code scanning and mobile app check-ins make entering the office safer and more convenient. Traditional tablet sign-ins can also complement these methods.
- Wayfinding and digital signage: Helping employees and visitors navigate the office efficiently with digital displays that show booked spaces, available desks, or important announcements.
- Customization options: Hybrid office management software can be tailored to fit a company’s branding and accommodate various user types, such as employees, visitors, or contractors.
- Mobile access: Giving employees the flexibility to book spaces, adjust schedules, and stay connected on the go with mobile apps.
- Integration capabilities: Most hybrid workspace tools connect effortlessly with tools like Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, or Slack, streamlining processes for bookings, notifications, and collaboration.
At its core, hybrid workplace software aims to bridge the gap between a dynamic workforce and static physical spaces. By offering tools for various work patterns—from those who frequent the office daily or to those who come in occasionally—hybrid office solutions guarantee that each and every employee can get their work done.
The cost of hybrid workplace tools
Hybrid workspace solutions help save money by optimizing workspace use, downsizing office space, and improving hybrid office management. However, you’ll need to invest upfront to reap these benefits.
Pricing varies depending on the hybrid workplace platform. Some charge per user, which can get pricey as your team grows. Others charge per resource, like desks or meeting rooms, which can be more cost-effective for larger companies with more employees than spaces.
Here’s a quick comparison of monthly costs for managing 100 desks and 200 employees, charged per month in US dollars:
💰Tactic: From $300 ($3 per desk per month; meeting rooms are extra at $6 per room per month)
💰Archie: From $324 ($159 for 25 resources like desks and meeting rooms per month)
💰Officely: From $500 ($2.50 per user per month, desk booking through Slack/Teams)
💰Kadence: From $800 ($4 per active user per month)
💰Envoy: From $1,000 ($5 per active user per month when billed annually)
When choosing a solution, look for transparent pricing without hidden fees, and ensure the hybrid workplace platform can grow with your business. Watch out for basic plans that seem affordable but lack key features like room booking. Some tools also charge setup fees, so compare the overall value, not just the starting price.
Best hybrid workspace solutions compared
- Archie: Best for affordable, scalable hybrid workspace management.
- OfficeSpace: Ideal for hybrid work management on a bigger budget.
- Tactic: Great for organizing hybrid team schedules.
- Skedda: Perfect for creating custom booking workflows.
- Robin: Best for booking resources with basic visitor management included.
- Envoy: Ideal for secure resource booking and visitor management.
- Officely: Designed for booking resources directly in Slack or Microsoft Teams.
- Kadence: Best for AI-powered resource booking.
Archie
Archie is an all-in-one hybrid workspace solution. Whether you need to book desks, reserve meeting rooms, or manage visitors, Archie makes it easy. The pricing model is cost-effective, charging per resource (like desks or meeting rooms) instead of per user, which is great for companies with fluctuating office attendance.
🔑 Key features
- Room and desk booking: Reserve desks and meeting rooms or set up recurring bookings. You can also assign permanent desks to employees who need them.
- Interactive floor plans: Employees can view office maps and book their preferred desk or room with a simple click.
- Employee lookup: Archie helps your employees find out where their coworkers are sitting or if they’re at work that day. You can also use this feature to track office attendance easily.
- Neighborhood zoning: Create team-specific zones to encourage collaboration while maintaining flexibility.
- Visitor management: Archie provides a modern, touchless check-in option with QR codes. It lets you maintain comprehensive records of all visitors to improve security.
- Mobile access: Reservations can be booked and managed via mobile apps. Archie’s app is free to download, and optional branding is available at an extra cost.
- Workspace analytics: Get detailed reports on how desks and rooms are used to optimize layouts and minimize wasted space.
🔎 Pros & cons
➕ Easy to use: An intuitive interface that makes it simple for hybrid teams to get started and use the hybrid workplace platform. If you run into any problems, Archie’s offers excellent support.
➕ Budget-friendly: The resource-based pricing model makes it affordable for growing hybrid teams.
➖ Best for larger teams: Smaller teams may find the pricing model less beneficial since the Starter Plan includes 25 resources.
💳 Pricing
$159/month, including 25 resources, mobile and room apps, in-app chat support, and setup assistance. Visitor management is an add-on module. Try Archie for free with its available trial to see if it fits your team.
OfficeSpace
OfficeSpace is a powerful workspace management platform designed to handle desk and meeting room bookings while also optimizing office layouts. It’s packed with features and integrations, making it a great choice for businesses ready to invest in high-end features for managing hybrid workspaces.
🔑 Key features
- Conference room scheduling: Book meeting rooms effortlessly to help teams collaborate and avoid scheduling conflicts.
- Seat assignments: Assign permanent desks to employees who need them while keeping other desks open for hot desking or hoteling.
- Visitor management: Includes a check-in system to boost hybrid workplace security, although this feature is a separate module.
- Deliveries management: Alerts employees when packages arrive and keeps records to prevent lost items.
- Analytics & reporting: Gain valuable insights into how desks, meeting rooms, and other spaces are used to optimize layouts and boost efficiency.
🔎 Pros & cons
➕ Comprehensive features: Offers robust tools for desk and room bookings, as well as advanced space planning and reporting.
➕ Powerful space management: Goes beyond basic bookings with features for move management and in-depth analytics.
➖ High costs: The per-user pricing model and high setup fees can be costly, especially for larger teams.
💳 Pricing
Plans start at around $60 per user per month, with setup fees beginning at $2,500. It’s best to contact OfficeSpace directly for exact pricing and details, as they don’t list prices on their website.
Tactic
Tactic is a user-friendly platform that helps hybrid teams easily book desks and meeting rooms, whether working remotely or in the office. It integrates seamlessly with popular tools like Slack and Microsoft Teams, making it a good choice for businesses transitioning to hybrid work models.
🔑 Key features
- Meeting room reservations: Quickly book meeting rooms to ensure teams have the right spaces for collaboration without double bookings.
- Desk booking: Employees can reserve desks effortlessly, which is ideal for hot desking setups.
- Desk zones: Organize desks by floors or departments, allowing teams to sit together in designated areas.
- Seating assignments: Assign desks temporarily or permanently to meet specific needs or preferences.
- Future booking limits: Set how far in advance desks can be booked to ensure fair access for everyone.
🔎 Pros & cons
➕ Easy to use: Tactic’s intuitive design makes desk and room booking simple for employees and provides managers with clear insights into space usage.
➕ Flexible resource management: Features like automated desk assignments and customizable rules adapt to different workplace needs.
➖ Technical issues: Some users report technical issues when logging in for the first time.
💳 Pricing
Plans start at $3 per desk per month, with additional charges for room scheduling and visitor management. A free trial is available to help you explore its features before committing.
Skedda
Skedda is an easy-to-use platform for booking desks and managing office spaces. Designed for hybrid offices, coworking spaces, and event venues, it offers straightforward tools like interactive floor plans, custom rules, and seamless integrations to help optimize space usage.
🔑 Key features
- Desk & conference room booking: Your team can use the drag-and-drop interface to book desks and meeting rooms with real-time availability.
- Interactive floor plans: Customizable maps give employees a clear view of the workspace, making it easy to pick the perfect spot.
- Custom booking rules: To manage resources efficiently, you can set rules such as time limits, cancellation policies, and user permissions.
- Neighborhood zones: Create dedicated zones for teams to sit together while maintaining flexibility.
- Integrations: Skedda integrates smoothly with popular tools like Slack, Kisi, and Google Workspace.
🔎 Pros & cons
➕ User-friendly: The intuitive design requires little training, making it easy for teams to adopt.
➕ Customizable booking rules: Flexible settings let you tailor the system to your office’s needs.
➖ Limited analytics: Offers basic reporting features compared to some other competitors.
💳 Pricing
Plans start at $99/month for up to 15 spaces, with higher-tier options available. A free trial lets you explore the platform before committing.
Robin
Robin makes it easy to manage office spaces, from booking desks to reserving meeting rooms. Perfect for hybrid workplaces, it provides real-time updates and integrates seamlessly with popular tools to streamline reservations and encourage collaboration.
🔑 Key features
- Meeting room bookings: Employees can check in at the door or book available rooms with a single click.
- AI-assisted desk booking: Robin automatically assigns the best desk for employees based on past bookings and preferences.
- Interactive office maps: Real-time maps display desk availability and office layouts, simplifying workspace selection.
- Employee check-ins: Offers options like QR codes, WiFi-based auto-check-ins, and access control system integration.
- Advanced analytics: Tracks office usage, highlights peak times and helps optimize layouts to better meet employee needs.
🔎 Pros & cons
➕ Focus on desk & room booking: Designed specifically for hybrid and hot-desking setups.
➕ Real-time updates: Helps employees locate colleagues and available workspaces, encouraging teamwork.
➖ Per-user pricing: Costs can rise quickly for larger teams, making it less affordable for big organizations.
💳 Pricing
Robin starts at around $70 per user per month. Since pricing isn’t listed on their site, you’ll need to contact Robin directly for more details. A 14-day free trial is available to explore its features.
Envoy
Envoy is a trusted platform for managing desks and office spaces while prioritizing workplace safety. It’s an excellent choice for companies aiming to improve their hybrid work setup without sacrificing security or efficiency.
🔑 Key features
- Desk and room booking: Employees can easily reserve desks or meeting rooms whenever needed.
- Workplace safety tools: Includes visitor screenings, capacity limit management, and emergency response features to keep your office secure.
- Delivery management: Tracks incoming packages and notifies employees when deliveries arrive, ensuring nothing gets lost.
- Analytics and reporting: Offers detailed insights into space usage, helping you optimize office layouts and resources.
- Seamless integrations: Works smoothly with tools like Slack, Microsoft 365, and Google Workspace.
🔎 Pros & cons
➕ Strong security focus: Touchless check-ins and visitor screenings add an extra layer of safety.
➕ Comprehensive analytics: Gain valuable data to make informed decisions about office space and resources.
➖ Per-user pricing: Costs can rise quickly for large teams or companies with variable attendance.
💳 Pricing
Pricing starts at $5 per monthly active user (billed annually) for room booking. Visitor management is charged separately.
Officely
Officely is a desk booking tool that works directly within Slack and Microsoft Teams, making it easy for employees to reserve desks, meeting rooms, and other office resources without switching apps. It’s designed for seamless integration and user convenience, perfect for hybrid teams.
🔑 Key features
- Slack-integrated room booking: Your team can quickly book meeting rooms right from Slack.
- Resource management: Straightforward reservation of desks, parking spots, bike racks, and pet-friendly spaces.
- Office visibility: Shows who plans to be in the office, making it easier for teams to coordinate schedules.
- Event planning: Facilitates organizing office events, lunches, and team gatherings.
- Space usage insights: Tracks attendance and space utilization data to help you optimize your office layout.
🔎 Pros & cons
➕ Seamless Slack/Teams Integration: Your employees can book desks and rooms without leaving their main communication platform.
➕ User-friendly: Intuitive design ensures quick and hassle-free reservations.
➖ Slack dependency: Some features, like room booking, currently work only via Slack, so it’s not an ideal choice for businesses that don’t use it.
💳 Pricing
Officely starts at $2.50 per user per month and is free for teams with up to 10 users. Its features can be explored during a free trial.
Kadence
Kadence is a user-friendly booking tool designed to make managing office spaces easy for hybrid teams. It streamlines desk and meeting room reservations, helping boost productivity and reduce office costs. Employees and managers value Kadence for its intuitive design and reliable customer support.
🔑 Key features
- Smart desk & room booking: Employees can quickly reserve desks or meeting rooms whenever they need them.
- Interactive floor plans: Color-coded maps let users easily find available desks and popular areas in the office.
- AI-assisted booking: Kadence AI helps book multiple desks, manage changes, and send updates when teammates adjust plans.
- Real-time notifications: Alerts let employees know when teammates cancel bookings or when preferred desks are free.
- Mobile app: Your employees can book desks and rooms from anywhere with the mobile app.
🔎 Pros & cons
➕ Simple to use: Kadence’s straightforward interface makes it easy for employees to get started quickly.
➕ Friendly support: Users praise the responsive and helpful customer service team.
➖ Limited customization: The system might not work as well for teams with highly specific or complex workflows.
💳 Pricing
Kadence starts at $4 per active user per month, with custom pricing options available for larger enterprise plans.
What other tools enable hybrid work?
Apart from desk reservation tools and room booking systems, here’s an overview of some of the best hybrid enablement software solutions
- Communication apps: Tools like Slack, Microsoft Teams, and Gmail make it easy for in-office and remote employees to stay connected. These platforms enable quick updates, team collaboration, and even company-wide announcements.
- Virtual meeting tools: With team members spread across offices, homes, and remote locations, virtual meetings are essential. Platforms like Zoom or Microsoft Teams make connecting easy for one-on-one check-ins, team huddles, or larger company-wide discussions.
- Collaboration platforms: Hybrid teams often require tools that allow both in-person and remote employees to collaborate seamlessly. Digital whiteboards like LucidChart or Zoom’s whiteboard feature enable brainstorming in real time, while Google Docs allows simultaneous editing from multiple users. These tools bridge the gap between physical and digital workspaces, making teamwork efficient and inclusive.
- Project management solutions: Tools like Asana and Airtable help hybrid teams manage workflows, track progress, and stay organized.
- Document sharing & knowledge management: Platforms like Confluence and Google Workspace streamline how teams share knowledge and collaborate on documents.
- Employee engagement & social tools: Dedicated Slack channels and solutions like Donut foster workplace connections by scheduling virtual coffee chats or celebrating employee milestones. These platforms help hybrid teams maintain social bonds, strengthen workplace culture, and build trust among team members.
Hybrid workplace tools FAQ
Hybrid office software helps companies manage flexible work setups. It improves office space use by showing how desks and meeting rooms are utilized, reducing wasted space and costs. At the same time, employees get more flexibility and can easily book desks or rooms that fit their needs. Built-in integrations with tools like Slack and Zoom make collaboration between on-site and remote workers seamless.
With hybrid office solutions, you can track maintenance and energy use to save money and improve efficiency. Data on office occupancy shows which spaces are popular and which aren’t, helping you adjust layouts to meet employee needs. If fewer employees come in due to the hybrid work policy, downsizing your office can cut rent, energy, and upkeep costs while supporting your team.
Start by assessing your organization’s needs, such as team size, work habits, and existing tools. Develop a clear plan with timelines, training sessions, and follow-ups to help employees adjust. Involve your team by asking what features matter most to ensure the tools meet their needs and encourage engagement.
Then, offer thorough training and share guides, videos, and tips through multiple channels like email and Slack. Regularly collect employee feedback to identify what’s working and what needs improvement. Use analytics to track tool usage and refine your approach over time. With thoughtful planning and clear communication, your team can easily adapt to hybrid solutions, improving productivity and workplace flexibility.
Hybrid office software works as a web and/or mobile app. Employees can check real-time availability for meeting rooms or workspaces, select a date, time, and location, and book the space they need. Managers or admins can also make reservations on behalf of their teams. The system updates instantly to prevent double bookings and usually syncs with company calendars, keeping everyone’s schedules organized and up to date.
Archie is a great pick for managing hybrid workplaces, especially if you want something flexible, budget-friendly, and easy to use. If your company needs advanced features and doesn’t mind paying a bit more, OfficeSpace is a good choice, too. For businesses keeping an eye on costs, Tactic is an easy solution for booking office resources. If you want a system that works directly with Slack or Microsoft Teams, though, consider choosing Officely.
Berenika Teter
Archie's Content Manager, fueled by filter coffee and a love for remote work. When she’s not writing about coworking spaces and hybrid workplaces, you can probably find her exploring one.
