These days, organizations are facing a pinnacle transition. This transition isn’t something companies can control, other than bribing employees to retire later than planned… The baby boomer generation is retiring. Your most experienced employees are throwing in the towel, settling down to enjoy the fruits of 50 years of labor. You’re going to need talented individuals to take their place: the cream of the crop, crème de la crème, to keep up your company’s momentum. What’s more, you need the right workplace environment to bring the best out of the employees you have and improve employee retention. It’s time to consider your workplace experience. Is it enticing? Appealing? Could it catch a fish on a hook? Most particularly, does it engage the employees?
Parts of the whole
Every day, office management’s senses are flooded with advertisements for products and tips that will help the company thrive. However, the key point is that most of these advertisers are promoting a single solution. Unfortunately, a single solution won’t cut it. It’s like having jam on bread without the peanut butter. As tasty as the jam is, the flavor just isn’t the same as the whole. In this article, we’re going to break down the individual pieces that make a world of a difference to your office — when used together.
The space
Around the world, office spaces are changing. Employees are pushing for hybrid work and most business leaders are giving it to them. As of this year, 50% of employees would consider quitting their jobs rather than returning to the office full-time. With the future of work turning hybrid with “remote work” the latest buzzword, many companies are transforming their real estate to either be smaller or more versatile than in the past. The work environment your company provides can have a huge impact on how employees manage their projects. Team spaces, including isolated conference rooms or in-the-open flexible workspaces, can do wonders for how productive and efficient a person is on the job. Ultimately, design your space to accommodate multiple types of work. Everyone accomplishes their best work in different conditions and the best workspaces accommodate them all.
The technology
A huge part of making functional, flexible spaces is having technology that works. A 2020 survey pointed out that workplace technology issues are more disruptive to productivity than employees taking sick days. The problem isn’t just malfunctioning technology — it’s also missing technology. Companies invest in technology to improve productivity and efficiency. Yet, imagine if a company never invested in an instant messaging system. Employees would leave their desks and traverse the office way more than they do.
Or, even worse, they wouldn’t bother to ask questions or follow up with their teammates. Now, imagine a hybrid workplace without assigned seating… without a desk booking solution. Again, employees would wander the office, wasting valuable work hours searching for an available place to work. The Joan Desk booking solution empowers employees to reserve a workstation with the tap of a button before even arriving at the office. With the help of an app, team members can book desks together or reserve out-of-the-way workplaces for focus time. The goal of technology isn’t to maintain the office experience — it’s to improve it.
Therefore, why not invest in a meeting room management system that’s proven to all but eliminate squatters, overrun meetings, and a whole lot of wasted time? Joan devices are the most reliable room booking displays on the market, along with a one-of-a-kind wireless installation and intuitive user interface. Together with Joan Room booking solution that syncs with the calendars you already use for scheduling meetings, you can create a seamless workplace management experience.
For more ideas on how to customize the office experience, check out our “Book anything: Flexible workspaces” article.
The people
Improving the workplace experience means supporting the people who work there. The more engaging an environment is, the more engaged the inhabitants are. The better their experience, the greater the employee satisfaction. Still, there needs to be a level of guidance — overseeing eyes that nudge people to interact with their surroundings and peers. For example, managers should coordinate their team members to meet on-site on the same days. Having team members at the office at the same time capitalizes on team-building opportunities, develops trust, fosters loyalty, and boosts employee engagement. Still, the office environment plays a huge role in smoothing team interactions. As mentioned earlier, faulty technology can have a serious impact on the workday. It’s not just hours that are wasted when projectors fail, but also the loss of motivation when employees struggle with poorly designed systems. Support the natural workflow by investing in the right tools and resources. If you’re not sure what the right tools and resources are, remember: that employee feedback is your greatest resource when uncovering employee needs.
The culture
46% of people say company culture is a huge factor in if they accept a job or not. Furthermore, 47% of job seekers are looking for a new job due to poor company culture. Having a well-functioning office space with reliable technology leaves employees free to focus on their jobs. A huge part of their jobs is developing relationships. Through developing relationships, company culture is grown. With more and more companies turning to hybrid work, organizations are struggling to develop modern ways to encourage culture. Many employees, especially new hires, are struggling with onboarding and discovering their place within the company.
Still, there are other ways to boost culture within a workplace. Games days, team getaways, company lunches, and potlucks, or even coffee breaks can go a long way to developing a strong company culture. Also, having the right spaces, along with the technology to help them run smoothly, can iron out the entire employee experience. Culture plays a big part — as important as the physical workplace, technology, and people. Why? Because all of these elements work together.
A holistic approach to the workplace experience
Don’t get stuck on the details. When you narrow your vision, you lose track of the whole. When deciding what technology you need, keep the space in mind, along with the people and their needs. All of these aspects are interconnected, with none working properly without the other. This interdependence is why employees still need office space. There’s no place like the office to interact with your colleagues, just as there’s no easier place to build company culture. Invest in office systems that have been proven to generate a positive experience. Nay, a great experience. Joan devices are built for this new age of flexibility where spaces change by the minute. Find out how Joan can enhance the workplace experience by scheduling a call with our team.
