New Rules Of Engagement For The Modern FM
It's widely established that employee engagement is vital for business success. Engaged employees are not only generally happier, they are also more productive, motivated and committed to helping you to achieve your organisational goals.
Yet research suggests the UK has one of the least engaged workforces in Europe with only 23% of employees stating they are engaged at work.
Why is this significant? Traditionally the FM role might have encompassed all of the physical aspects that make up a modern workplace. But more often, today’s FMs are also expected to contribute to items such as employee engagement, experience and culture.
The result is a formidable challenge for the modern FM, as it is tasked with supporting re‑engagement amid the ‘Great Office Return.’ However, the good news is that creating a more engaging workplace design doesn’t have to be overly costly or complex.
Take Employees On Their Journey
A key step when considering a new workplace design should be to engage your team. Ask employees for their input. What do they think currently works and what doesn’t? What would help them in their day‑to‑day? It’s also vital to gain a full understanding of work‑flow patterns, job functions and how your team works. After all, there’s no benefit in planning a huge open collaborative space if 70% of your workforce are focused on individual work.
Curating Collaboration
Changes in the way we work – including increased globalisation and digitalisation – have fundamentally altered the nature of teams. Different teams no longer sit in the same corner of the office, where they can simply talk to each other in person as required. Today, in any one team, you may have members working physically in the office home or virtually with colleagues spread across continents and time zones.
The workplace must support these different interactions by providing a variety of collaboration spaces designed to deliberately encourage teamwork, communication, and innovation. This could include everything from large open plan working spaces through to creative hubs or pods for smaller team huddles and dedicated conference meeting areas.
Enabling Individual Focus
Equally, offering the opportunity for privacy is a must. After all, we all need some time to disconnect and focus. This can be particularly important for employees who generally work in the office and do not have the luxury of the privacy afforded at home‑working.
Quiet zones or secluded spots throughout the office will give your people an option to retreat when they need to concentrate. Visual privacy can also be created using elements such as screens, decorations or planters. Private booths also work well, particularly if employees require a space to discuss confidential work and speak privately.
Support Social Interaction
Amid reduced in‑person working, connection becomes an even more important priority for the physical workplace.
It is therefore important to provide spaces for social, informal connections throughout the day. This could involve creating a breakout area designed to create a middle ground between work and home and support a range of working practices or general catchups. This could include a mix of comfortable lounge seating, tables and chairs, as well as adaptable seating choices, like stools and bean bags. Here the most important thing is to create an informal ambience, where employers are relaxed and feel comfortable.
More Than Just An Office
A well designed workplace can shape behaviour, accelerate connections, deepen relationships and strengthen morale. Therefore, it’s no surprise that more companies are rethinking their approach to the workplace as a powerful opportunity to re‑engage employees and drive productivity.
For more information please visit Rhino Interiors at www.rhinooffice.co.uk
