07 Aug Much Ado about Workplace Strategy
Is Workplace Strategy equal to a ‘Beautiful Office’?
In a rapidly evolving economy and workplace, you’d only hope things were just as simple.
Some say Workplace Strategy is synonymous with Activity Based Working (ABW). Some say it may hold the future of work and some reckons it’s the silver bullet to productivity and business success.
Workplace Strategy 101
So, what is workplace strategy and why does it matter so much?
Agile organisations know that their fundamental goal is to boost staff performance. In a knowledge work economy, people are the motor that keep organisations evolving, adapting, growing and advancing.
How can then a workplace better support human performance? A workplace then must support all the different activities involved with knowledge work – things like collaboration, inventiveness, novelty, concentration and mentorship.
Having a workplace strategy connects your business strategy with your workplace initiatives to peak performance and reduces cost.
Workplace Strategy Defined
Workplace Strategy is the dynamic alignment of an organisation’s work patterns with the work environment to enable peak performance and cost reductions (Savage).
In practice, a workplace strategy is: “a systematic approach for improving the effectiveness and efficiency of how work space is used by changing the way work space is configured (Springer).
The workplace has evolved to being more than physical address or accommodation for staff. It’s a microcosm of people coming together to achieve corporate goals and for it to become optimal it must integrate 4 core elements.
The Optimal Workplace and its core elements
Workplace Strategy Driver
Over the past 20 years, the magnitude and pace of change in the workplace have pushed office designers, planners, managers and strategist to develop new and better ways of supporting how people work. Workplaces must evolve to be more flexible, supportive, innovative and agile.
Your organisation only has the option to evolve or stay behind and dwindle.
The Value of Workplace Strategy
Through effective workplace strategy workplaces will realise their full potential to meet business goals and objectives and get the greatest return on their investment. Organisations also benefit from:
- Reduce Real Estate and Facilities Costs
- Improve work performance
- Increase organizational agility and flexibility
- Improve communication & collaboration
- Increase creativity & innovation
- Increase employee satisfaction
- Improve employee work-life balance
- Improve brand, image identity and culture
- Attract and retain the best talent
- Reduce environmental impact
- Improve healthy work environments
It might take some experimentation to make sense which workplace strategy is best suited for you. Also, you can surely utilize a blend of the previously mentioned strategies. Start it right at the onset by investigating the present condition of your working environment and audit the information you have about your real estate and your staff.
Explore our Workplace Survey or reach out to Hubb today.
References:
https://theurbandeveloper.com/articles/what-is-workplace-strategy
https://serraview.com/3-workplace-strategies-attracting-top-talent/
http://www.jll.com.au/australia/en-au/services/corporates-occupiers/workplace-strategy
https://workdesign.com/2014/02/designing-workplace-strategically/
https://hbr.org/2016/05/7-factors-of-great-office-design
https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/235375
https://www.iofficecorp.com/blog/why-a-workplace-strategy-is-key-to-improving-the-employee-experience
http://www.hok.com/thought-leadership/workplace-strategies-that-enhance-human-performance-health-and-wellness/
Savage, A. ―Workplace Strategy: What it is and why you should care‖ Journal of Corporate Real Estate, Vol. 7 No. 3, 2005
Springer, T. ―AWS Basics‖ KImball Office. June 13, 2010. Chicago, IL . © 2010 HERO, inc..