Private focus spaces without rebuilding the whole office.

Private focus spaces without rebuilding

the whole office.

Open environments work better when people have places to step away. Pods and focus spaces can support phone calls, video meetings, heads-down work, sensitive conversations, small group collaboration, and short-term privacy without turning every need into a full room buildout.

MBI helps clients evaluate pod and focus space solutions that fit the way people use the workplace. Whether the need is a single-person phone booth, a small focus room, a shared video meeting space, or a quiet zone within a larger floorplate, we help compare options for privacy, acoustics, ventilation, lighting, technology, placement, budget, and long-term flexibility.

Open offices need places for quiet, privacy, and control.

When every conversation, call, or focused task happens in the open, people start competing with the space instead of using it well. Pods and focus spaces can give employees and guests more choice without requiring every private need to become a conference room or permanent office.

01 Your open office has nowhere for calls

Phone calls and video meetings can quickly disrupt shared work areas. Pods can create a more appropriate place for short conversations, virtual meetings, and private calls.

02 Your teams need more focus without more offices

Not every focus need requires a private office. Pods and small focus spaces can create quiet destinations for heads-down work, review time, or short-term concentration.

03 Your conference rooms are being used for one-person meetings

If large meeting rooms are constantly occupied by single-person calls, smaller focus spaces may help free up the rooms that should support group work.

04 Your hybrid work environment needs better video support

Hybrid work creates more demand for spaces where people can join video meetings without disrupting others. Pods can support more controlled environments for sound, lighting, seating, and technology use.

05 Your space needs privacy without permanent construction

Pods can add privacy within open areas, lounges, cafés, libraries, administrative zones, or shared workplaces without requiring every solution to be built into the building.

06 Your staff, students, or guests need choice

Different people need different settings throughout the day. Pods and focus spaces can support a healthier mix of open collaboration, quiet work, private calls, and short-term retreat.

Different focus needs call for different types of spaces.

A phone booth, solo work pod, video meeting pod, small collaboration pod, and quiet lounge setting all support different behaviors. We help compare options based on how the space will be used, who will use it, how much privacy is needed, and where the solution should be placed.

01 Phone Booths & Call Pods

Give phone and video calls a better place to happen.

Phone booths and call pods are useful when people need a quick place for calls, virtual meetings, or sensitive conversations without occupying a larger room. They can reduce disruptions in open areas and make it easier for employees to take calls without leaving the workplace.

Our team helps evaluate the number of booths needed, where they should be placed, how they support ventilation, lighting, power, seating, standing use, acoustics, and how easily people can find and use them.

02 Solo Focus Pods

Create quiet destinations for heads-down work.

Solo focus pods give individuals a place to step away for concentrated work, reading, writing, research, or short-term tasks that need fewer distractions. These spaces are especially useful in open offices, libraries, student centers, administrative areas, and shared workplaces.

Together, we compare pod size, furniture fit, ventilation, lighting, privacy, acoustics, finish direction, and placement so the pod becomes useful instead of ignored.

03 Video Meeting Pods

Support hybrid work without disrupting the open office.

Video meetings work better when users have a controlled setting for sound, lighting, camera position, seating, power, and screen use. A video meeting pod can help create a more consistent experience for the person inside the pod and the people joining remotely.

We work with clients to evaluate pod layout, monitor support, power access, lighting, acoustics, seating, table size, and placement within the workplace.

04 Small Collaboration Pods

Create small-group spaces without taking over larger meeting rooms.

Some pods support more than one person and can provide an informal setting for one-on-ones, quick project reviews, coaching conversations, interviews, or small-group collaboration. These spaces can help reduce pressure on conference rooms while giving teams a more private place to connect.

MBI helps clients determine when a collaboration pod makes sense, how many people it should support, what technology is needed, and how it should fit with surrounding lounge, workstation, or meeting areas.

05 Accessible & Inclusive Focus Options

Plan focus spaces for different users and different needs.

Focus spaces should not be treated as one-size-fits-all. Different users may need different room sizes, seating types, clearances, technology setups, lighting levels, privacy conditions, or accessibility considerations.

Kimball International’s pods offering includes single-person sit-down and stand-up pods, larger multi-guest pods, and an ADA-compliant model, with built-in power, ventilation, and personalized lighting.

We help think through user needs early so the final mix of pods and focus spaces is useful to more people, not just easy to place on a plan.

06 Focus Zones Within Open Areas

Create quiet areas without fully enclosing every setting.

Not every focus space needs to be a pod. Some areas may be better served by acoustic lounge furniture, screens, freestanding dividers, modular walls, or a combination of products that create calmer zones within the open environment.

Our team helps compare pods against other focus-supporting options so the solution fits the actual need, not just the trend.

The right pod solution depends on privacy, placement, comfort, and how people will use it.

MBI works with partner brands that support privacy, focus, acoustic comfort, and flexibility within open environments. The goal is not to add pods just because they are popular. The goal is to identify where private or quiet settings are truly needed and choose the right product path for the space.

Pods & focus Gallery

Need a better place for calls, focus, or quick private conversations?

You do not need to know the exact pod or focus product before starting the conversation. Tell us what is not working in your current space, who needs privacy, and how the focus areas should be used. MBI can help compare pod and focus space options that fit your space, budget, timeline, and larger workplace plan.

faqs

What are office pods?

Office pods are product-based privacy or focus solutions that can be placed within a larger environment. They may support phone calls, video meetings, focused work, small meetings, or quiet retreat depending on the product size and configuration.

Are pods soundproof?

Not always. Some pods provide strong acoustic separation, but “soundproof” should only be used when a specific manufacturer documents that performance. In most cases, it is safer to think of pods as privacy and sound-management solutions, not guaranteed soundproof rooms.

What is the difference between a pod and a focus room?

A pod is typically a product-based enclosure or focus setting that can be placed within a space. A focus room may be created with modular walls, glass fronts, demountable walls, or traditional construction. The right choice depends on privacy, performance, building conditions, budget, and future flexibility.

How many pods does an office need?

That depends on the number of people, how often calls and video meetings happen, how many meeting rooms are being misused for one-person calls, and how much quiet space the workplace already provides. MBI can help evaluate the right mix rather than guessing.

Where should pods be placed?

Pods should be visible enough to be used but not placed where they create congestion, distraction, or awkward circulation. Placement should consider workstations, meeting rooms, lounges, power access, acoustics, accessibility, and daily movement through the space.

Can pods support video meetings?

Yes, many pods can support video meetings, but the furniture and technology details matter. Lighting, seating, camera position, power, monitor support, ventilation, and acoustic performance all affect the experience.

Are pods only for corporate offices?

No. Pods and focus spaces can support education, healthcare administration, government, libraries, senior living staff areas, commercial real estate amenities, and other shared environments where privacy or quiet work is needed.

Can pods be moved later?

Some pods are more movable or reconfigurable than others. Movement depends on product size, power requirements, ventilation, assembly method, flooring, access path, and the manufacturer’s installation requirements. MBI can help clients understand what is realistic before selecting a product.

Do pods replace conference rooms?

No. Pods and conference rooms serve different purposes. Pods are often best for calls, focused work, short meetings, or small-group use. Conference rooms are still needed for larger meetings, presentations, client discussions, and group collaboration.

What is the best first step?

Start with the privacy problem. Tell MBI whether people need places for calls, video meetings, focus work, confidential conversations, or small collaboration. From there, we can help compare pods, focus rooms, freestanding dividers, modular walls, and acoustic solutions.

Private focus spaces without rebuilding the whole office.