Video calls have become as routine as email, yet many offices were designed long before the first Teams invite landed in anyone’s inbox. The result is a surprisingly common gap: there is nowhere quite right to take a call.
Forward-thinking businesses are filling that gap with purpose-built spaces that give video calls a proper home in the office, making the hybrid day run more smoothly for everyone.
Hybrid work is here to stay
Hybrid working has settled firmly into British working life. According to the Office for National Statistics, more than a quarter (28%) of working adults in Great Britain now work hybrid jobs, the highest share since the ONS began tracking these patterns, and the proportion has been rising steadily since 2022.
For businesses, that means the office has a new job. It is the place where people come together, but it is also where many of them spend a good part of the day connecting with people who are somewhere else. Supporting both activities well is now central to a productive workplace, which is why office pods like those designed by MEAVO, are becoming a familiar feature of the modern office.
The hidden cost of the wrong space
When there is no dedicated space for calls, people improvise. They take calls at their desks, perch in corridors, or book a meeting room designed for eight to speak to one person on screen. Each option works after a fashion, but none is ideal.
Calls taken at desks add to background noise and make it harder for colleagues to concentrate. Conversations in corridors lack privacy, which matters when discussing clients, contracts or staffing. And meeting rooms booked for solo calls are unavailable for the collaboration they were designed to host.
Technology adds another layer. The Owl Labs State of Hybrid Work 2025 UK report found that 79% of UK workers say they lose time to what it calls the “meeting tax”, with employees losing around seven minutes just getting hybrid meetings started, and 71% admitting they have abandoned attempts to get video technology working in a meeting space altogether. Spaces designed specifically for calls, with simple, reliable set-ups, remove much of that friction.
What a great call space looks like
The best spaces for video calls share a few essential qualities.
Acoustic privacy. Conversations should stay inside, and office noise should stay out. That protects confidentiality and allows people to speak naturally.
Clear sound. Sound-absorbing interiors prevent echo, so callers sound clear and professional rather than distant.
Flattering lighting. Soft, even lighting helps people look their best on camera, without glare on screens.
Comfort for longer calls. Quiet ventilation, comfortable seating and a stable work surface make it easy to stay focused through a lengthy meeting.
Power and connectivity. Accessible power sockets and USB charging mean no one has to cut a call short because of a flat battery.
A space for every kind of call
Not every call is the same, and today’s pods and booths come in formats to match.
Single-person phone booths are ideal for calls, client check-ins and one-to-one video meetings. Compact and self-contained, they fit easily into open-plan areas.
Two-person meeting pods suit interviews, appraisals and conversations where two colleagues join a call together.
Meeting pods for up to four people are designed for small hybrid meetings, where a few people in the office connect with colleagues or clients on screen, without tying up a full conference room.
Together, these formats let businesses match each call to the right space, freeing larger rooms for workshops, presentations and team sessions.
A smart investment for growing businesses
For small and medium-sized businesses in particular, pods and booths offer a practical alternative to building new rooms. They are freestanding, so they can be installed quickly without construction work or disruption to the working day. They take up little floor space, making them easy to fit into existing layouts. And because they can be moved, they adapt as teams grow and can be taken along to the next office, protecting the investment for years to come.
They also send a positive message to employees. Giving people a comfortable, professional place to take calls shows that the business understands how they work and wants to make their day easier.
Getting started
Look at how calls happen today. Notice where people go when they need to take a call, and how often meeting rooms are used by one or two people.
Plan for your busiest days. If most of the team is in on the same days, design around those peaks.
Mix the formats. Combine single-person booths near busy desk areas with small meeting pods for group calls.
Ask for feedback. Once the new spaces are in use, check in with the team and refine the mix as needed.
Completing the hybrid office
The hybrid office is at its best when every activity has a natural home. Desks for individual work, open areas for collaboration, meeting rooms for bigger sessions, and now, dedicated spaces for the video calls that fill so much of the modern working day. By adding phone booths and meeting pods, businesses can close the gap, give their teams the privacy and professionalism they need, and make the office an even better place to work.
