It’s that time of the year again. Valentine’s Day! They say opposites attract and we believe the same to be true when it comes to the workplace: the ability to work from home without interruptions plus access to the office for team collaboration. Over the last year, a vast majority of companies around the world were able to experience this new reality and had plenty of time to learn how to adjust to it — ultimately creating a hybrid workplace structure that empowers employees to work successfully when, where, and however they can be most productive.
As we plan to welcome employees back into the workplace in a few short months, the marriage between the “me” and “we” space has been all we think, dream and talk about to deliver an unparalleled employee experience. Simply put, we are in LOVE with the hybrid workplace.
Here are some of our favorite things about the reimagined work model of the future and why we think everyone should embrace these benefits of the hybrid workplace:
1. Employee Experience Is Now Core to the Brand
“When the world went into lockdown in March 2020 and offices started to close, the notion of working from home was an alien concept to many, myself included. Over the last 11 months, organizations have come to realize that employees can be as productive, if not more, working from home. The flexibility this arrangement provides is what I love most about the hybrid workplace.”
– Andrew Butterworth, VP of UK Operations, FM:Systems
Employee experience has become a company-wide initiative to help employees stay productive, healthy, engaged, and on track. By designing a workplace that embraces flexibility and agility, organizations are allowing employees to create a place to get their best work done. After all, a happy employee is a productive employee.
2. Everyone Doesn’t Need A Desk… But One is Available for Those Who Do
“I am no stranger to remote work, as the office I worked out of was closed many years ago due to an acquisition. When I would go into the office finding a desk would oftentimes be a challenge. Going forward, I believe facility managers will be more mindful of people that are not in the office everyday. Ensuring that there is an easy intuitive way for remote employees to book a spot and easily find co-workers they work with will make the best use of their time when onsite versus hunting for a free desk.”
– Kellie Hunter, VP of Global Services, FM:Systems
Most organizations are reconsidering office layouts to raise the amount of space per employee while others are considering new office policies to better manage an agile workforce. With hoteling and desk reservation systems, organizations can now provide on-demand access to the office for hands-on projects while allowing employees to determine the “me” space that best suits their individual style of work.
3. Attract and Retain Top Talent Regardless of Where They Live
“In a Market Connections April 2020 survey of government employees, 3 out of 4 respondents felt they could telework at least part time in the future. To attract and retain top talent, government agencies and leaders need to embrace and enable employee workplace preferences for an “ever ready” workplace that is secure and healthy. Thanks to the great advancements in communication and collaboration capabilities, plus workspace access and configurations, a range of outcomes and citizen support can be achieved from anywhere – making the talent recruitment a national effort to find the ideal candidate for the position based on skills and not just location.
– Mark Guthrie, VP of Government, FM:Systems
Technology has played an important role in the evolution of the hybrid workplace over the past few decades but it will also become a key factor for recruitment. No longer limited to competing for talent locally, companies can now gain immediate access to more talent and perhaps more relevant talent that knows no geographic bounds.
Looking Ahead…
A new workplace era is here and it brings digital capabilities, the ability to transition back and forth between in-office interactions and working from home, as well as new ways to increase employee engagement and happiness. Every step of the way, our team at FM:Systems is here to help facilities of any size adopt the hybrid approach to increase productivity and deliver the ideal employee experience.
The workplace transformation we are witnessing will set the stage for years, if not decades, with the benefits of a hybrid workplace including wellbeing support, productivity and career growth of all employees.
Hear Michael Gresty, FM:Systems’ VP of Analytics and Eddy Wagoner JLL’s Global Chief Information Officer share key findings and explore opportunities that the hybrid workplace brings to both employers and their workforce as they transition to this new way of working in the Understanding and Preparing for the Shift to the Hybrid Workplace webcast.
