The experience economy has fundamentally changed our perception of workspaces. The static, one size fits all office is no more. Forward-thinking companies are now moving beyond the standard office design, recognising that employees, their internal customers, need to be involved in creating engaging, memorable and bespoke workplace experiences.
Organisations can improve employee satisfaction, workplace productivity and innovation by aligning their strategies with employee insights. The calibration can manifest in many ways. From ensuring a successful office design, to streamlining the usability of space and technology. This feedback can lead to even small changes that have a big impact on the work experience.
Avoid business barriers and costly consequences
These insights are invaluable and can be used to create business barriers. If you don’t understand what employees expect, it can result in reduced productivity, lower satisfaction and, ultimately, higher employee attrition.
Businesses must adopt services and technologies that can capture these insights to bridge the gap. Due to their inherent inflexibility, relying solely on generic workspace solutions that are one size fits all will not be enough. This can make it difficult to integrate with existing systems. The focus should be on flexible workspaces that are agile, configurable and innovative. These solutions can be customized to match the unique environments and requirements of each organization, as well as the nuanced insights gained from their employees.
Imagine a company that wants to know how their office space is being used. A one-size fits all approach in this case would be like trying to force different shaped pegs into a roundhole – unproductive, complex and unproductive. A more agile and innovative solution would be to integrate a resource reservation system with an access control system. This way, only those who have made a booking can enter the building. They will also receive confirmation of their attendance.
This allows the company to gain a better understanding of their business and identify patterns that are familiar. These patterns can be used to inform their strategy for property. This insight will help guide the strategy so that it is tailored to the building users’ needs and their working environment.
Insight to innovation
Data is essential to understand how offices are used. It’s also a driving force for making changes in office policies and design. Understanding how to collect and implement data is therefore more important than ever.
Where do businesses start?
Businesses need to start by adopting workspace management technologies that can integrate seamlessly with existing workflows. This allows for the efficient collection and analysis of data without adding significant time demands to employees. Each organisation has its own unique needs. It is important to tailor these channels to meet these preferences.
Then, using this information, the business can compare it to their current infrastructure. This will give them a valuable and clear overview of their workspace, the feedback they receive on it, and what adjustments are needed to improve employee satisfaction.
Now that the businesses have this view, they must act to make these improvements real. You can update your workspace policies or design. Data may show that an employee is booking meeting rooms exclusively for themselves, which indicates they are looking for quiet places to work, but nothing suitable is available.
A business can respond by introducing a desk booking system, which allows employees to identify quieter times in the office. This data can be used as a guide to interpret the insights provided by employees and recalibrate the workspace in accordance.
This process of adjustment can be intimidating for many. It doesn’t have to be. Businesses can streamline the implementation process by leveraging flexible workplace technologies.
It is important to remember that the process of gathering and implementing feedback from customers does not end at one point. Integrating systems that collect insights in real time and share recommendations can help businesses ensure that they are operating efficiently.
Enhancing existing and future workspaces
The experience economy has a profound impact on the way that businesses view workspaces. These spaces are no longer static, isolated places but are instead opportunities for adaptive innovation shaped by internal “customers”.
Businesses need to consider how they can reimagine these spaces to provide the employees with the tailored, unique experiences that are desired. This will allow organisations to create workplaces that are suitable for both existing and future employees.
Businesses must understand that customer feedback and its integration is an ongoing process. They must implement systems that provide real-time insights, make recommendations for how to align better with employee expectations, and help with implementing the necessary changes.
