The office, and what employees expect from it, has evolved over the last few years. Workplace leaders have an opportunity to change the role of the office to be better for productivity, social connection and wellbeing.

Remember a few years ago when the death of brick and mortar retail at the hands of the pandemic was constantly forecast as just around the corner? Well, that didn’t happen, because retailers rethought what physical stores offered consumers. Stores became destinations that gave consumers something they couldn’t get online.

It’s time for the workplace to do the same.

A successful hybrid office is fueled by purpose-driven attendance, not heavy-handed return-to office mandates. That’s what the future of work actually looks like, rather than a forced attempt at returning to a past that, if we’re all being honest with ourselves, nobody really liked all that much.

To build a better workplace, the people who would benefit from coming into the office should be able to plan the perfect day, easily. But there’s a few things preventing that, and chances are, we’ve all experienced them.

Here are three reasons employees hate coming into the office and the steps you can take to fix them.

1. Figuring out when colleagues will be in is a pain.

Almost 60% of employees in a 2023 survey reported team-work and socializing as the biggest draws for coming into the office.

The prerequisite for this is having the right people – friends, colleagues and managers – in the office at the right times. But it can be pretty painful and time-consuming to figure this out. Messaging colleagues and work besties on Teams or Slack and figuring out where they’ll be sitting are mental gymnastics that nobody has time for.

The prospect of doing all this work and then turning up only to find out that everyone on your team has decided to work from home also makes the office look pretty unappealing.

How to fix it: Automate the searching and schedule-coordination process, so it’s easy for people to see which days their friends and colleagues are coming in.

2. It’s impossible to get quiet work done.

Noisy roommates, kids and just wanting a change of scene are all reasons people aren’t coming into the office for teamwork or socializing.

But when you turn up only to find the office packed to the brim with people jostling for desk space and chatty Cathies, it makes you wish you’d never bothered to sacrifice the relative peace and quiet of your home-working space. It also damages productivity and fuels resentment.

No one should have to invest in noise cancelling headphones because of poor workplace management.

On the flip side, when you discover you’re the only one in for the entire morning after an hour-long commute, coming into the office to be around colleagues automatically becomes a huge waste of time. Sometimes it can feel downright eerie and unsettling.

Both of these scenarios have this in common, however – they’re a clear signal to employees that their workplace experience isn’t worth investing in. Both are a sure fire way to prevent people from ever coming back in and telling their colleagues about it.

How to fix it: Give employees a way to see how busy or quiet the office will be in advance.

3. There’s no compelling reason to go into the office.

And no, getting work done isn’t a compelling reason.

Employees aren’t a captive audience anymore and haven’t been for a long time. So the good old-fashioned free snacks, ping pong tables and Friday beer fridges aren’t going to be adequate to make the office a desirable destination for most people.

So what does? There’s no easy answer, because it varies from person to person.

Some might want to plan days in the office when there’s a company-wide huddle or quarterly get together. Others will want to spend time with colleagues in non-work environments like happy hours or lunch yoga classes. And others, especially younger employees, will look for in-person mentorship and development opportunities.

Indeed, 83% of Gen Z reported mentorship as being critical to their career development, but only 52% report having a mentor.

How to fix it: Showcase office events and socials in advance, so people have a compelling reason to come into the office and overcome remote work inertia.

So what’s the right way to rebuild social connection and drive purposeful attendance – without slapping on a mandate?

Check out this on-demand webinar for everything you need to know.

The post 3 Reasons Employees Hate Coming into the Office and How to Fix Them appeared first on Smartway2.

As a facilities manager, you can play a vital role in reducing emissions by employing sustainable facilities management practices. Let’s start with the basics. 

What is sustainable facilities management?

Sustainable facilities management is a collection of methodologies, processes and tools that ensures workspaces minimize and neutralize impact on the environment.

A facilities manager can achieve this on a day-to-day basis by reducing resource consumption, creating an energy-efficient workplace with a reduced carbon footprint.

Here’s why sustainable facilities management is so important — and how you can implement sustainable practices within your own organization.

Benefits of sustainable facilities management 

Other than being the morally right thing to do, there are lots of reasons to champion sustainability at your workplace.

Cost reduction

Sustainability brings financial benefits to your business, as a number of brands have already discovered. For example:

• United Airlines invested in lighter planes and saved $2 billion on fuel
• LEED certified buildings, including Meta’s headquarters and the Empire State Building, reduce their maintenance costs by 19% and their energy use by 25% 
• The University of California-Davis saves $120,000 on electricity per year by switching to LED lighting systems

By making your building operations more efficient, you protect the planet and boost your bottom line.

Meeting ESG regulations more quickly 

To avoid the most catastrophic impacts of climate change, global emissions need to be reduced by 45% by 2030. 

Thousands of companies have pledged to cut their carbon emissions to net zero by 2050. 

Multiple ESG deadlines are looming on the horizon too, including mandatory disclosure of energy consumption and carbon emission data in the UK and mandatory disclosure of greenhouse gas emissions, climate-related financial data and governance processes in the US. 

Integrating sustainable FM practices into the day-to-day will help your organization meet ESG deadlines faster, which in turn bolsters reputation and competitive advantage. 

Better hiring and retention

Employees, especially those in the millennial and Gen Z generations, care about the environment. They want to work for companies that can demonstrate corporate social responsibility and sustainable practices.

A 2021 survey of Canadian employees even found that those working for sustainable companies reported better mental health and overall wellbeing. 

Commit to going green, and you may find it easier to recruit top talent — and hold on to existing staff.

67% of employees surveyed by IBM reporting being more likely to accept a job offer from a company dedicated to sustainability. 

38% of executives surveyed by Deloitte cite better recruitment and retention as a benefit of their organization’s sustainability efforts.

But concerningly, 38% of employees believe their organizations aren’t doing enough to address climate change and sustainability. 

Building and using green office spaces plus waste reduction are initiatives that almost a quarter of employees aged 18-34 would like to see their organizations do more of. 

7 things facilities managers can do to improve workplace sustainability

If you’re committed to sustainable facilities management, there’s no better time to take action. The widespread adoption of hybrid working has created an enormous opportunity to reconsider how we use spaces and resources within the workplace.

So let’s dive into how you can capitalize on that opportunity and work to improve sustainability at your organization.

1) Conduct a sustainability audit

Before you can create a sustainability plan, you need to know what’s working — and what isn’t — when it comes to reducing your carbon footprint. A sustainability audit will help you to analyze current sustainability efforts and find areas for improvement.

You can then set sustainability targets and create a plan of action for achieving them.

2) Replace or upgrade older equipment

Older electrical equipment uses more energy than newer alternatives. So it’s well worth replacing old workplace appliances and machinery with more energy-efficient versions.

And don’t stop there! Budget permitting, the following improvements can all help to lessen your company’s environmental impact:

• Use LED lighting systems
• Invest in a more efficient HVAC system
• Replace old window units with new and better-insulated ones
• Insulate the roof and walls of your workspace

Implement any of these ideas, and you’ll reduce your energy usage and your bills.

3) Create and encourage the use of efficient systems and equipment

Sustainable facilities management is most effective when sustainability is embedded in company culture. You can do your bit to achieve this mindset by establishing guidelines and systems that your whole organization can follow.

Ensure people know what and how to recycle workplace resources. Consider everyday items like paper, cans, plastic, and glass. But also provide info on what to do with large-scale e-waste like old computers and batteries.

Also, instruct employees on how they should leave their desks at the end of the day, fully shutting down equipment rather than leaving it on standby.

4) Install extra occupancy sensors

Placing intelligent occupancy sensors in spaces that aren’t in constant use – like meeting rooms, kitchens and collaboration spaces – cuts unnecessary energy consumption and carbon emissions. 

Sensors trigger HVAC systems to turn on and off when people enter and leave a space, slashing energy use without having to rely on constantly reminding everyone to switch off the lights and turn down the thermostat.  

5) Use workplace data to strategically reduce energy consumption

One of the main advantages of hybrid work from a sustainability perspective is that the office isn’t full five days a week. And depending on your organization’s hybrid work policies and schedules, some days of the week may be a lot emptier than others. 

Workplace data from occupancy sensors, WiFi signals and workplace booking tools like Smartway2 illuminates which days of the week are emptiest. You can reduce energy consumption on these days by closing empty floors or zones or even predicting the right amount of food to order for the cafeteria. That means less energy used on lighting, heating, cooling and servicing empty spaces, and less waste created. 

6) Find green partners

Examine your suppliers and partners. The people who provide products or services to your workplace should be able to demonstrate a strong commitment to the environment.

Eco-friendly cleaning supplies, a seasonal canteen menu, and an energy supplier who specializes in renewable energy sources can all help you to improve your environmental performance.

7) Scale back your office space

Because many businesses have adopted a hybrid office model long-term, they’re finding they need less office space. Cutting down on office space is another great way to make your facilities more sustainable. It’s all part of that “reduce” mindset.If the space you’re getting rid of is older and less energy efficient that’s an even bigger plus. 

But bear in mind that making the wrong resizing decisions with your corporate real estate portfolio can end up costing you down the line. So rather than making the cut based on assumptions, look at workplace data to pinpoint chronically underused areas before making a decision. These are the best candidates for downsizing.  

Hybrid office work also means fewer employees making a daily commute, which again helps to cut your company’s carbon footprint.

Use technology to drive your sustainable transformation

Going green is much easier when you have the right workplace technology.

Smartway2 by HubStar‘s workplace scheduling and analytics software can help your organization operate more sustainably, while cutting costs and improving workplace experience.

The post Sustainable Facilities Management – The Vital Role FMs Can Play appeared first on Smartway2.

80% of offices will be sticking with hybrid work policies in the future, enshrining competition, choice and innovation into the workplace.

An office that stays competitive, innovative and worthy of choice requires talents and skill sets that are relatively new.

That’s why a quick LinkedIn search reveals that the number of job titles and postings for one particular role are on the rise.

In this post, we’ll look at what a workplace experience manager does and why this role is quickly becoming a must-have.

What is a workplace experience manager and what do they do?

A workplace experience manager makes sure that each employee has a comfortable and productive experience in the office.

However, the role has become exponentially more important in the hybrid world, where the convenience of remote work is in constant competition with what the office has to offer.

A day in the life of a workplace experience manager is incredibly broad and varied.

Core responsibilities include:

• Workplace design
• Researching and vetting workplace technology
• Being an ambassador for workplace culture
• Employee wellbeing
• Internal communications
• Onboarding new employees
• Event management
• Building relationships with local businesses
• Attracting talent and retaining employees
• Cross-collaborating with different departments and stakeholders

Let’s take a closer look at what a workplace experience manager does and why the role has become such a must-have over the last few years.

A workplace experience manager develops and implements a workplace strategy.

There are multiple stakeholders with the opportunity to positively disrupt the way we work, with a workplace experience manager is just one of them.

The most effective way to make this happen is through a workplace strategy.

A workplace strategy aligns the work environment with work habits and preferences. It improves performance while reducing costs and carbon emissions.

In other words, it’s a plan for how an organization should work.

It’s not solely their responsibility, but workplace experience managers are critical for creating and rolling out an effective workplace strategy. That’s because they’re on the front lines with employees and can give insight into work patterns and preferences that other stakeholders can’t.

HR, Real Estate, IT, Operations and Facilities Management teams are all involved too, but often it’s not their number one priority.

A workplace experience manager acts as a facilitator and between all of these stakeholders, making sure that workplace experience doesn’t get pushed down the priorities list.

A workplace experience manager finds ways to build social connection in the office.

The most innovative organizations know that it’s not about just getting employees back in the office at any cost.

Rather, it’s about getting the right people in at the right times and for the right reasons, with connection being one of those reasons.

Building social connection is so paramount to the workplace experience’s manager’s role because:

• Social connection powers better performance both in and out of the office
  
• We’re in the midst of a workplace loneliness crisis that’s worse for our health that 15 cigarettes a day and costing the US economy $154 billion per year

You can’t force people to bond and form friendships in the workplace, no matter how many mandates or free pizza lunches you slap in place.

That’s why a workplace experience manager can find the best, least-cringey ways to provide opportunities for people to connect with each other. They see and hear what people like and dislike about the office on a level that other workplace leaders cannot.

A workplace experience manager finds ways to improve the workplace experience for everyone.

Three things determine an employee’s workplace experience – workplace design, technology and culture.

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A workplace experience manager’s role combines researching, vetting, overseeing and project managing all three of these components.

And they’ve got their work cut out for them.

Nearly half of employees in a recent survey reported that their current work environment hinders their productivity.

A third believe their employers aren’t providing technology that helps them do their jobs well.

And a whopping 64% don’t feel their organization has a strong company culture.

The role responsibilities we’ve covered here are the main ones, but there’s many more that could fall under a workplace experience manager’s umbrella.

And no two workplaces are the same, organizations need a consistent framework to make sure they’re improving workplace experience while keeping costs and carbon emissions low.

That’s where a workplace strategy comes in.

Check out this on-demand webinar for the framework you need to develop a successful one.

The post Workplace Experience Manager: The Role, Defined appeared first on Smartway2.

But these 5 blog posts stood out as the most popular.

So as we shake off our holiday food comas and remember how to do our jobs and what day of the week it is, here are last year’s most-read workplace posts from the Smartway2 blog.

1) Want to Banish Commute Regret Forever? Manage Office Occupancy

We’ve all been there. Waking up early and braving the trials and tribulations of the morning commute into the office, only to immensely regret your decision. Managing office occupancy to make sure you’re getting it just right is the antidote to commute regret. Here’s why, and how to do it.

2) The Role of a Workplace Experience Manager: Defined

The number of Workplace Experience Manager job postings skyrocketed last year. But what exactly falls under a Workplace Experience Manager’s remit, and why is this relatively new role quickly becoming critical to the success of the modern hybrid office? Find out here.

3) 23 Questions to Ask in Your Next Employee Workplace Survey

Employee feedback is a valuable source of data if you’re looking to improve your workplace. But if the right questions aren’t asked in the right ways, it’s virtually impossible to get actionable answers and understand what people really think. Use these questions in your next survey to get the insights you need to build a better workplace.

4) 6 Ways to Improve Your Workplace Experience

How can you improve something as nebulous and abstract as workplace experience? In this post, we dive into the core components of a great workplace experience and six ways to start creating a better one.

5) The Dos and Don’ts of Hot Desking Etiquette

Hot desking has become the status quo for most offices since the pandemic, but without the right approach it can be an absolute nightmare for employees. In this post from Smartway2 Product Director Huw Davies, check out the dos and don’ts of hot desking to make it work for everyone.

The post Top 5 Most-Read Workplace Posts from the Smartway2 Blog in 2023 appeared first on Smartway2.

Only 1% of executives have employees working fully remotely according to a recent survey by Ernst & Young, down from 34% in 2022. So for the other 99% of executives with employees interacting with an office in some shape or form, improving workplace experience is becoming increasingly more critical. 

But what can you do to improve something as abstract as workplace experience, which can mean a lot of different things to different people? 

Asking these questions now is definitely a wise move. As we’ll see a little later, an improved workplace experience positively impacts recruitment and retention. 

And with 75% of Chief Human Resources Officers prioritizing employee experience improvements in 2024, if you’re looking for a time to start improving your workplace, it’s now. 

In this post, we’ll cover the definition of a positive workplace experience and six things you can do to start improving yours in 2024. 

What is workplace experience?

A workplace experience is how employees internalize and interpret the interactions they have with their company’s physical workplace, plus the context underlying those interactions. 

An employee’s workplace experience is determined by three different components:

Office layout and design 

This includes everything from office architecture to the physical resources you have available to employees.

It’s been proven that “both architectural and atmospheric elements can determine employee perceptions about social norms, organisational behaviour and social interaction possibilities”, according to a 2022 study on how office aesthetics drive employee experience, well being and even job choice. 

Workplace technology 

The digital work environment is another element of workplace experience. And with many employees spending at least some of their time working remotely, the workplace tech that connects people has become just as important as the physical workplace.

With the help of effective, easy-to-use technology, employees should get the same workplace experience whether they’re working remotely or in the office.

Workplace culture 

64% of employees feel they don’t have a strong company culture. That’s pretty concerning, because it means more than half of employees don’t believe their organization has a strong set of behaviors, values and even a sense of psychological safety.

When people are in the same physical space, it’s workplace culture that creates the buzz, vibe and sets the stage for the quality of interactions people have with each other. Improving it takes more effort since culture isn’t just created in the workplace, but that’s where it manifests. 

The importance of workplace experience

You may hear some businesses using the terms workplace experience and employee experience interchangeably. But the two terms are actually a little different.

Workplace experience is more focused on how a workplace’s physical and digital reality impacts how an employee feels about working there. And it forms part of the overall employee experience.

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Workplace experience impacts a variety of different business objectives, and it has the potential to improve all of the following:

Employee experience and satisfaction

When employees don’t have a comfortable work environment and don’t have the tools and resources they need to get a job done, they feel frustrated, which impacts their satisfaction levels.

Studies show that employee unhappiness has a ripple effect throughout the whole workforce.

Improving the workplace experience can help you to get on top of dissatisfaction and employee complaints before they become bigger problems.

Productivity

When employees feel supported by their physical and digital office and company culture, fewer obstacles stand in the way of their day-to-day work. Whether at home or in the office, they have everything they need to do their jobs to the best of their ability.

But all work and no play can leave people feeling burned out and less productive in the long run. So a positive workplace experience also acknowledges the need for breaks and fun.

This is why some offices have incorporated tech-free detox spaces, meditation rooms and outdoor spaces into their workplace design. 

Talent retention and attraction

Why would employees look for another job when they feel happy and productive and work in a space that supports their well-being?

A focus on workplace experience can help to improve employee retention. It can also give your talent acquisition efforts a boost, and it’s even been proven that office aesthetics can determine which job offers employees accept. 

That’s because:

• Happy employees are more likely to sing your praises on employer review sites
• Workplace experience contributes to a positive employer brand
• You have a vibrant, welcoming office space that you can showcase to candidates
• You attract diverse talent because you provide a wider variety of work environments

Reduced real estate costs 

Real estate is usually a company’s second biggest cost after salaries. And now that office occupancy has plateaued and large swathes of office spaces are sitting empty, any way to reduce real estate costs is welcome. An improved workplace experience helps get people back into the office and make better use of the space you do have. It also shines the spotlight on underused spaces that can be repurposed or cut from the portfolio altogether. 

By examining the workplace experience, you analyze how employees use the physical office spaces available to them. You can then find ways to maximize the value of that space and potentially use less space too.

Better business growth

All of the benefits listed above combine to create a positive company culture where employees feel actively engaged in their work.

This translates into better business growth because:

• Happy workers are 20% more productive
• Companies with a highly engaged workforce have 21% higher profits
• Organizations with a highly connected workforce are more likely to minimize customer costs and meet financial targets
• Considering that workplace stress costs the US economy $500 billion, a workplace experience that promotes employee wellbeing (which is most important) saves money (still important but not as much as people’s wellbeing)

6 ways to improve your workplace experience in 2024

1) Talk to employees

Hybrid workers come into the office for a variety of different reasons. Some are seeking a quiet retreat away from their noisy kitchen table while others want face-to-face communication in collaborative workspaces.

But what do your employees want from a workspace experience?

You have to ask them to find out. Employees should always be your first point of call when you’re planning to make workplace changes.

They can identify friction points in the physical and digital workspaces and suggest improvements. This provides an excellent foundation for your workplace experience plans.

Crafting the perfect employee workplace survey is both an art and a science. Get it right, and you’ll understand how to build your office experience around what employees want. 

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2) Plan your office layout and design 

Whether your employees are in the office every day or only sporadically, office layout and design has a huge impact on their workplace experience. 

It may not be something you’ve considered in great depth, but it’s worth taking the time to really understand whether your office layout is currently working for your employees.

Think about whether your office is conducive to a variety of workplace activities, such as:

• Quiet, concentrated work
• Creative collaboration
• Informal meetings
• Formal meetings
• Private client calls
• Break time and recreation

Your office layout should provide comfortable spaces for all of these activities.

If your office layout is falling short, there are many ways you can adapt it to suit the needs of the modern workplace.

You can implement flexible office space or activity-based working, incorporate office pods, install a coffee shop area for informal get-togethers, or use modular office furniture so spaces can fulfil more than one function.

The founding principle?

Data-driven office design. 

3) Adopt a hospitality mindset for your offices

81% of employees having a great workplace experience say that choice of working environments is at the heart of it.  People aren’t going to stick with a company that doesn’t take care of their comfort and well-being. That’s why some facilities managers are choosing to treat employees like a hotel would treat their customers.

This hospitality mindset helps ensure employees get an enhanced workplace experience, not just the bare minimum. Some big corporations are taking this concept to the next level, providing on-site fitness classes and spa facilities.

But you don’t have to max out the budget to make employees feel cared for. Ensuring that you’re always ticking the basics is a great place to start.

You should try to provide:

• Clean and well-lit workspaces
• An ergonomic desk space, with a standing desk if requested
• A kitchen stocked with tea, coffee, and maybe a few healthy and unhealthy snacks
• A well-maintained office space

And if you can do more to increase employee comfort and enjoyment in the workplace, you’ll find that it’s well worth the investment.

4) Implement the right workplace technology

Workplace tech should empower people to get things done to the best of their ability and make it easier to plan a visit to the office. 

Top notch desk monitors, communication and project management tools, AV equipment all make it easier to work in the office. But when employees have a choice between the office and the convenience of home, workplace tech needs to deliver something more. 

Workplace booking and scheduling tools can be a pain to use when they’re clunky and not user-friendly. But when desk and meeting room booking systems are built for the complexity of numerous hybrid work schedules and workplace preferences like Smartway2, tech can actually make everyone’s workplace experience better. That’s because you have the certainty that you have control over your workplace experience, and what you get when you roll into the office is exactly what you signed up for. 

The right tech removes friction between employees and having a productive, comfortable day in the office. It can even make the commute more worthwhile. 

5) Hire a workplace experience manager

If managing the workplace experience on top of your teams’ existing responsibilities sounds like too much of an ask, consider hiring a dedicated workplace experience manager.

Another salary is a big commitment, but you may find that improved workplace experience helps you drive revenue and lower costs in other areas.

For example, good workplace experience can:

• Boost recruitment since potential employees are more likely to accept job offers
• Reduce your recruitment costs because employees are more likely to stick around
• Improve your sales because happy employees are more engaged with their work
• Improve productivity because employees are less likely to take time off sick

You also have someone who can drive workplace experience across your organization, linking facilities, IT, and HR teams to make your efforts a lot more effective.

6) Measure KPIs

How do you know if your workplace experience is actually improving? 

Whether you hire a workplace experience manager or are simply increasing your budget for new office design or workplace tech, you need a way to judge the success of your efforts.

To do this, you can look at several different metrics.

• Employee satisfaction scores
• Employee retention rate
• Decreases in employee absenteeism
• Increase in internal promotions and job acceptances
• Customer satisfaction survey scores

By regularly surveying your employees and tracking the other stats you have available to you, you can set goals, measure progress, and find new ways to improve.

A great workplace experience rebuilds social connection and collaboration. But this can be tricky to get right with hybrid work patterns and schedules. Check out this on-demand webinar for a deep dive into how to rebuild social connected and create better workplaces.

The post 6 Ways to Improve Your Workplace Experience in 2024 appeared first on Smartway2.

This might not seem like a massive oversight. After all, both of these terms refer to experiences people have.

But failing to differentiate between employee experience and workplace experience has harmful consequences for both employees and organizations. 

So in this post, we’ll be taking a deeper dive into employee experience vs workplace experience: their definitions, their differences and why it’s important to address them separately. 

What is employee experience? 

Gartner defines employee experience as “the way in which employees internalize and interpret the interactions they have with their organization, as well as the context that underlies those interactions.”

Employee experience starts before people join a company and concludes when they leave.

Its core components are as varied as hiring, onboarding, relationships with managers, perceptions of leadership, compensation structures and exit interviews. 

What is workplace experience? 

Workplace experience is how employees internalize and interpret the interactions they have with their organization’s physical workplace, plus the context underlying those interactions. 

Although it falls under the overarching category of employee experience, workplace experience has different and more specific core components.

Workplace experience starts when people plan a day in the office and ends after they leave. Its core components include: 

• Workplace design
  • Architecture 
  • Space planning 
  • Furniture
    
• Workplace technology
  • Equipment like desk monitors and meeting room screens 
  • Communication apps like Slack and Teams 
  • Desk and meeting room booking systems like Smartway2
    
• Workplace culture
  • Perks and amenities like coffee stations and yoga classes
  • Social connection, both planned and spontaneous 
  • Psychological safety and openness

What’s the difference between employee experience and workplace experience? 

Workplace experience is location-dependent, while employee experience is not. 

Why is it important to differentiate between employee experience and workplace experience? 

Since employee experience encompasses workplace experience, only focusing on the former means ending up with a partial and incomplete perspective that will end up costing you profits, people and impact on the planet. 

Think of it like this. Oat milk, soy milk and cow’s milk all fall within the overarching category of “milk”. But if you’re a barista using regular milk instead of oat milk, you run the risk of ruining someone’s morning. 

Since workplace experience is location specific, fewer variables go into determining whether it’s good, bad or neutral versus what it takes to improve employee experience.

If you’re trying to improve workplace experience, it’s simpler to break the process down into individual projects and phases and set metrics to measure success, rather than waiting for overall employee experience to improve as a result. 

The quality of your workplace experience determines whether employees want to come into the office or not. For many organizations struggling with return-to-office strategies, it’s increasing the number of people in the workplace that generates a return on corporate real estate spend. That’s why it’s so timely to focus on what contributes to a positive workplace experience now.

On the flipside, trying to improve employee experience by focusing excessively on the workplace doesn’t take into account the multitude of things that aren’t location-dependent at all (e.g. leadership transparency and diversity and inclusion policies), which is a recipe for out-of-touch leadership and bad retention. 

How to improve your workplace experience

If you’re looking to build a better workplace, you’re not alone. Improving workplace experience is the number one priority for 67% of corporate real estate leaders. 

Let’s break this down into the three categories that comprise workplace experience: workplace design, technology and culture. 

Workplace design

Employees spend 42% of their week working with others and 35% working alone, according to Gensler’s 2023 Global Workplace Comparison Survey. 

But default office design hasn’t changed much since the pandemic, with the majority of space dedicated to individual desks and a smaller portion for meeting rooms and collaborative areas. So the first step to workplace improvement is understanding the right ratio of individual to collaborative spaces based on current workplace habits and preferences. 

There’s two ways to measure workplace habits and preferences – occupancy data and data from employee feedback, whether that’s from surveys, focus groups or interviews. 

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Incorporating this data into the workplace design process, or data-driven office design, builds and iterates the office around what the ideal workplace experience looks like. 

(Pro-tip: the ideal workplace experience is constantly changing and differs from person to person. That’s why data-driven office design is so critical to improving the workplace experience)

Workplace technology

Tech in the workplace serves two purposes: 

• Empowering people to do their jobs better than they can while working remotely 
• Making it easier to plan a great day in the office

Let’s break that down. 

Imagine you need two large monitors plus your laptop to work effectively. You’ve perfected your setup at home, but it would be nice to go into the office once or twice a week to meet up with your team. 

Ideally, your workplace should provide two monitors that are better than the ones you have at home.

And before you set your alarm and make the commute into the office, you’d like to have the certainty that the tech you need will be waiting for you when you get there, instead of non-existent or snatched up by someone else. That certainty could come from reserving the right desk through a desk booking system that lists desks by equipment and functionality. 

So other than providing top-notch tech in the office – whether that’s desk monitors, AV equipment, employee workplace apps or anything else – organizations can also improve their workplace experience by using tech to help employees plan their visits to the office. 

A different work environment from the one you expected is a huge source of commute regret for employees. Expecting a poor workplace experience is a recipe for a stalling return to office. 

Workplace culture

Job site Indeed defines workplace culture as “the environment you create for your employees and the sum of your organisations’ traditions, interactions, attitudes, values and behaviours.” 

A simpler definition is the vibe or buzz people get when they come into the office. 

If you’re thinking that this sounds like a difficult thing to improve, you’re not wrong. And that’s because culture is impacted by so many things – how an organization handles conflict, how transparent the leadership team is and even who decides to come into the office on which days. 

But as nebulous as workplace culture is and as difficult it can be to improve, organizations can create the right conditions for culture improvement in the office – but can never force it. 

Here’s how. 

• Give teams and individuals autonomy over when and how they experience the workplace. This ensures people’s interaction and behaviors are genuine instead of forced, which builds a lasting culture
  
• Prioritize social connection through workplace design. Office layouts, furniture and types and sizes of available meeting rooms all give spontaneous and planned interactions more spaces to occur
  
• Provide the right office perks and amenities. Things like yoga classes and espresso stations give people chances to experience what psychiatrist Edward Hallowell calls “human moments” – connections that can only happen in person

What does it take to rebuild social connection in the office and improve workplace culture? Check out this on-demand webinar for a deep dive!

The post Employee Experience vs Workplace Experience: What’s the Difference? appeared first on Smartway2.

If you’re trying to figure out your workplace strategy, refine your hybrid work policy or redesign your offices, understanding what employees think and feel about the physical workplace is invaluable.

But even more importantly, employee workplace surveys are one of just many ways you can get the data you need to rebuild the workplace as a facilitator of social connection.

And that’s absolutely key these days, since we’re smack in the middle of a social connection crisis.

Not only does a lack of social connection damage productivity and performance in the workplace, it also erodes our wellbeing.

The Surgeon General of the US National Health Advisory, Dr. Vivek Murphy, believes this has reached epidemic levels, saying “The harmful consequences of a society that lacks social connection can be felt in our schools, workplaces, and civic organisations, where performance, productivity and engagement are diminished.” 

Workplace leaders and innovators have an opportunity to rebuild social connection in the workplace and benefit society as a whole.

Check out this on demand webinar for a deep dive into rebuilding connection in your hybrid office!

Designing your workplace in conjunction with employee feedback doesn’t just build connection between people and leadership teams – it ensures that the end result is a place where people can build friendships, communities and stronger relationships while doing their best work.

But surveys can be a tricky puzzle to solve. What you don’t want is non-descriptive, unactionable feedback that tells you nothing about what people actually think of your office.

That’s why the questions you ask, as well as how they’re asked, are critical to getting enough responses and getting the data that can help you improve the office and the workplace experience it offers.

Benefits of a (great) employee workplace survey

• Understanding employee work patterns and preferences
• Increased employee engagement
• A physical workplace that boosts social connection and performance
• Employee-centric office layout and design
• Successful hybrid policy and hybrid work schedule choices

However, getting the right kinds of feedback from employees is easier said than done. Many view employee surveys as an empty gesture or a box-ticking exercise, and feel their input won’t make a difference.

What’s more, employees might hesitate to say how they really feel, or their written answers may simply not reflect how they’re currently using the physical workplace and want to do so in the future. That’s why it’s key to look at other metrics, like occupancy levels, to paint a full picture of employee behaviour in the office.

Asking the right questions can go a long way to overcome these roadblocks.

Best practices for creating an employee workplace survey

Ask both close and open-ended questions.

Close-ended questions (yes or no, multiple choice) are easier to pull data from but don’t provide the full spectrum of employee feedback. Open-ended questions provide more detail on what employees really think and feel, but are time-consuming to answer and make it more difficult to collate data from hundreds and thousands of responses. Using both in your survey gives you the best of both worlds.

Be mindful of the order and ensure there’s no leading questions.

The order of the questions impacts how people answer them. And when a question is worded so it prompts employees to give the desired response, the feedback you get won’t be accurate and employees will automatically disengage from the survey.

Pilot the survey with a small group of employees.

Based on their feedback on the survey, you can tweak the order, phrasing and number of survey question, so any kinks are ironed out before the entire company gets the survey.

Prioritize ease and speed.

To get the full breadth of feedback, you want as many employees answering the survey as possible. But what tends to happen, just like with Yelp reviews, is that only those with strong negative feedback take the time to give their input. Make the survey as quick and easy as possible to get more feedback from more employees within a shorter time period.

Send reminders.

Everyone’s busy, and employee feedback surveys are going to be at the bottom of people’s to-do lists unless they have strong opinions. Sending a few reminders, and emphasizing that feedback will make the office and workplace experience better, will prompt employees to take a few minutes to give you their thoughts.

Share the changes you’ve made based on feedback.

This builds trust, credibility and demonstrates that employee feedback is taken seriously. So if new meeting rooms are in the works because the majority of survey responses said there weren’t enough, shout it from the rooftops.

23 employee workplace survey questions to improve your workplace experience

Here are 23 questions to include in your next employee workplace survey to get truthful, actionable feedback that will help you create a productive and connected workplace.

1. How many times do you come into the office on the average week?
   
2. Which days of the week do you typically come into the office?
   
3. How many times a week do you plan on coming into the office over the next 6 months?
   
4. In your opinion, what’s the ideal number of times to be in the office per week?
   
5. How often do you use different areas of the office (e.g. individual desks, hot desks, meeting room, break room)?
   
6. What do you enjoy most about coming into the office?
   
7. What do you enjoy least about coming into the office?
   
8. To what extent do you feel that the office provides the tools and resources that help you work your best?
   
9. What do you enjoy most about working remotely?
   
10. What do you enjoy least about working remotely?
    
11. Which of the following would make you more likely to come into the office?
    Spaces to collaborate and brainstorm with my team
    Knowing that my colleagues and work friends will be in on the same day
    Quiet spaces to work individually
    Opportunities for connecting social with colleagues like breakfasts, lunches and happy hours
    Other [please describe]
    
12. How often do you work outside of regular business hours?
    
13. Which office amenities do you use?  (e.g. kitchen, break room, office pods, phone booths)
    
14. How important are natural light, greenery, and ergonomic furniture to your work environment?
    
15. How satisfied are you with the current office layout and design?
    
16. What would you change about the current office layout and design?
    
17. What changes would you suggest to improve your work environment?
    
18. Are there any specific areas in the office that you find distracting or disruptive to your work?
    
19. How do you prefer to work in the office – alone or with others?
    
20. How often do you need to access office storage and files?
    
21. How important is noise level and privacy to you when working?
    
22. How do you prefer to work, sitting or standing?
    
23. Do you need any specialist equipment that can only be accessed in the office?

Employee workplace surveys are one of several ways you can make your hybrid workplace the place to be for connection, productivity and peak performance. For a deeper dive into what it takes to rebuild social connection for high-performing hybrid organizations, tune into our upcoming webinar on Thursday October 26th at 4 PM BST/ 11 AM EST.

The post 23 Questions to Ask in Your Next Employee Workplace Survey appeared first on Smartway2.

What is employee experience?

An employee experience is the overall impression an employee gets from all interactions with their employer over the course of their career. 

These interactions may be positive, negative or neutral and can happen in a variety of different settings including on-the-job, during off-the-job training, or through social media.

An exceptional employee experience gives employees the autonomy to do their best work.

What makes an exceptional employee experience?

Here’s a non-exhaustive list of what it takes to get your employee experience right: 

• Balancing collaboration with individual productivity, whether that’s in the office or remotely
  
• Clear communication that builds trust, and the tech stack to support it
  
• Flexibility in the ways work can be done, with the focus being on results
  
• Support of physical, mental and emotional wellbeing
  
• Continuous learning and development opportunities 
  
• Social connection with colleagues
  
• An organizational culture and values that align with your own
  
• A top-notch work environment in the office 
  
• Engagement in what you do on the job every day, because you know it contributes to something bigger

Listing off every component of an exceptional employee experience and describing how to make it happen would fill an encyclopedia. That’s why this post is covering examples. 

It’s particularly important to look at employee experience in the age of hybrid, remote and flexible working. Evidence strongly supports the case for using these work patterns to improve employee experience. 

Engagement levels are lowest for fully on-site employees, according to Gallup, and a 2022 study in the International Journal of Work, Health & Organisations found that flexible working resulted in better physical health and reduced absenteeism for employees.

The bad news is that simply slapping a flexible or hybrid work policy in place isn’t enough to get your employee experience right. 

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Only half of employees think their company is doing enough to improve hybrid work. The other half probably aren’t too happy with their employee experience. Chances are, there’s a discrepancy between the experience employees have while working remotely and in the office. 

But for every company completely missing the mark on their employee experience, there’s another one getting it bang on.

Here are five examples of companies with exceptional employee experiences.

1) DoorDash

San Francisco based food delivery platform doordash is a shining example of what a flexible workplace looks like. Under the company’s Flexible Workplace Model, the number of in-office versus remote days is determined by managers and teams, with requests to work fully remotely being considered. 

“Rather than requiring employees to work in an office for a set number of days, we recognize that elements of both in-person and remote work will differ depending on how distributed

each team is, and the nature of each team’s work,” the company wrote in a May 2022 blog post. 

Employee feedback is central to how workplace decisions are made, with surveys going out every quarter. 

Feedback is also the basis for office layout and design. “We’ve been redesigning our spaces to listen to our employees,” says Katy Shields, VP of People, in an interview with office furniture manufacturer Steelcase. “Seventy-five percent say they want to come in for those big meetings, or social events.”

2) Monday.com

Being a project management tool that helps teams wherever they’re working from, it comes as no surprise that monday.com’s employee experience is the cream of the crop. 

97% of employees say it’s a great place to work, and it just made the cut of the UK’s best workplaces in 2023. 

So what’s the secret? One of the company’s main priorities is “creating a culture that employees can feel connected to, whether they work in-person or remotely.” Another is creating an attractive working environment in every office that showcases the company values and gives employees a space to make them a reality through their work. 

3) Ericsson

Swedish telecoms company Ericsson redefines what it means to use flexible working and create employee-centric workplaces. 

As public opinion turned against remote work in the latter part of 2021, Ericsson doubled down on flexibility to maintain the right employee experience and recruit the best talent. 

That means a trust-based hybrid work schedule. “It’s up to each manager to coordinate with their employees – how do you become the most productive,” said Peter Laurin, Head of Managed Services, in an interview with Bloomberg. “How do you get the most collaboration and output while having high employee satisfaction.”

Ericsson even used employee personas to redesign 102 offices around 52 countries, so workspaces mirror what employees want from the workplace. 

4) Shopify

Canadian ecommerce giant Shopify was doing hybrid work even before the pandemic, and still has half of employees working remotely. 

But that doesn’t mean Shopify doesn’t value in-person connections in the office. “Build in periodic IRL time for meaningful and intentional moments of connection, not just people working next to each other at an office two days a week,” says Michael Merola, VP of Employee Experience, in an article for Fast Company. “We’ve invested in spaces around the world to host these moments.”

And in a move that anyone who’s ever experience Zoom-induced exhaustion will appreciate, the company has cut 32,000 hours of meetings out of employee schedules.

5) Lyft

Lift sharing service Lyft became a fully flexible workplace in March 2022, with almost all employees having the choice of where to live and work. 

That doesn’t mean a lack of get-togethers though – employee travel to and from office gatherings is expensed by the company. 

What’s more, US employees are offered unlimited paid vacation and a Udemy subscription for continuous learning.

Smartway2 makes hybrid and flexible working effortless, helping you create an exceptional employee experience.

The post 5 Exceptional Employee Experience Examples appeared first on Smartway2.

Out of those who declared their disability status, 14% of civil servants are disabled as of 2022 – a 4% increase since 2010.

A Civil Service with the “widest range of talent, skills and experience” is a key tenet of the UK government’s Diversity and Inclusion strategy. It follows that the workplace should be the visual embodiment of the public sector’s diverse and inclusive workforce, regardless of whenever employees choose to come in.

Even if the most disabled employees feel they’re more productive working from home, opportunities for in-person connection, collaboration and relationship building should still be accessible to them.

An inaccessible public sector workplace damages productivity, cuts back on knowledge sharing in the workplace and gives public sector organisations a smaller talent pool to recruit from.

All employees should have the support they need to perform their roles to the best of their ability. The right approach to workplace accessibility ensures the public sector workforce is reflective of the diverse population it serves.

Here are three steps to creating an accessible hybrid workplace for UK public sector organisations.

Use a consultative approach

A consultative approach to workplace accessibility engages disabled employees in identifying the obstacles that prevent them from coming into the office and having a good workplace experience.

Employees experiencing less visible disabilities may have needs that haven’t been considered or implemented. Accessibility initiatives that don’t consult with all employees will never be fully inclusive.

Engaging with employees also makes sure public sector workplace leaders can make data-driven decisions.

Employee surveys are an obvious place to start, alongside focus groups and one-on-one consultations.

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The goal here should be to understand:

• What’s preventing employees from accessing the office – whether that’s lack of space, assistive technology, equipment or anything else
• The reasons they’d like to come in, and
• The changes required to create the ideal working environment

Understanding what employees want out of their workplace experience will help to shape changes to office layout, design and functionality. An example could be ensuring that disabled employees can book meeting rooms and breakout spaces with the right functionalities in advance.

A consultative approach will likely uncover existing challenges faced by disabled employees in the office.

For example, lack of individual quiet spaces could be a trigger of anxiety for employees with environmental sensitivities, or employees may be feeling pressure from a manager to come into the office more regularly when they feel they’d be more productive and comfortable with more days of remote work.

Catalogue office spaces and functionalities

Consulting with employees is critical for an accessible hybrid workplace. The next step is to make sure the right types of spaces exist, and if not, to make the right changes.

Whether you experience a disability or not, one of the biggest upsides of remote work is control of your work environment.

Lack of control over the work environment is a drawback of office work for any employee. But for many disabled employees, an insufficient work environment could mean an unproductive day in the office or even not being able to work at all.

Ramps, wide hallways and wide desks are no-brainers in an accessible hybrid workplace. But less obvious functionalities, like quiet spaces and dimmer lighting – can be imperative for employees with cognitive disabilities who want to come into the office.

It also follows that the first step in creating an accessible hybrid workplace is to ensure the individual spaces can support the needs and preferences of disabled employees.

Up-to-date floor plans and employee feedback are both good places to start when cataloguing workplace accessibility features.

Implement accessible desk and meeting room booking software

After understanding what disabled employees need to make coming into the office worth their time and making sure the right spaces and functionalities exist to serve them, the next step to creating an accessible hybrid workplace is to make sure employees can access and reserve the spaces they need.

Even if the right types of spaces exist, there’s no guarantee the employees who need them most can access them – and have the reassurance they can access them before coming into the office.

That’s where resource booking software can bolster the accessibility of a hybrid workplace in two key ways:

• Making desk, meeting room and workplace booking accessible to employees with disabilities by integrating with assistive technologies (e.g. screen readers), keyboard-only navigation and using a web browser with extra magnification instead of an app
  
• Connecting employees with the right spaces that have the adjustments and modifications for a comfortable and productive working experience. These are the adjustments and modifications identified during the cataloguing of existing office space – for example, booking a wider workstation in a quiet area.
  
  Pro-tip: If employees are coming in to meet with their teams, a useful functionality for resource booking software would be alerting employees when their coworkers have booked desks or meeting rooms

Software is constantly evolving towards a better, easier user experience with more functionality, and the accessibility of that software should be no different. Accessibility isn’t a tick box exercise – it’s an iterative process that should change along with employee needs and preferences.

Smartway2’s intelligent workplace scheduling software helps public sector organisations create hybrid workplaces that give everyone an outstanding experience. We’re committed to continuously iterating our software to make it as accessible as possible to employees experiencing disabilities, for a more engaged and inclusive workplace.

The post 3 Steps to Create An Accessible Hybrid Workplace appeared first on Smartway2.

Most of us have experienced commute regret triggered by either of these two scenarios:

• The office is packed to the brim because everyone’s come in on the same day. It’s impossible to find a decent desk and sit near your colleagues. All the background noise and personal space invasions make it an unproductive day.

• No one comes in at all on the day you do. The office feels like a post-apocalyptic wasteland, and it’s so quiet you can virtually hear the fluorescent lights humming overhead. Sure, you can pick any desk you want and work in complete silence, but the entire reason for coming in – collaboration – is now null and void.

In both cases, you have a terrible workplace experience. And in both cases, you immediately decide your morning commute was a waste of time. You won’t be repeating it anytime soon and you’ll probably be venting about it to your closest colleagues.

Managing office occupancy is the antidote to commute regret.

The last three years have proven that the majority of tasks can be done just as productively working remotely. That means the biggest reason people come into the office is other people.

The challenge facing workplace leaders is figuring out how to alter the working environment to facilitate social connection and collaboration without sacrificing comfort and productivity. This is what people are after when they jump in the car or board the train in the morning.

Managing office occupancy is one way to improve the workplace experience and make that morning commute worth it.

But why is better management office occupancy the secret to making the workplace experience worthwhile? That’s what we’ll be diving into in this post.

What does it mean to manage office occupancy?

Managing office occupancy is the optimization of the volume of people versus space, so each workspace delivers the best possible employee experience.

When office occupancy is managed properly, quiet areas are quiet and collaborative areas have just the right level of buzz to get connections and ideas flowing.

What’s more, it’s effortless for employees to access and plan their time in the workplace with certainty that what they get out of the office will be far greater than the effort they put into getting there.

Some companies are attempting to control rather than manage office occupancy via strict mandates ordering people to be in the office for a designated amount of time.

But as we can see from the reaction to Amazon’s recent return-to-office announcement, controlling occupancy risks revolt and damages employer credibility if people don’t think there’s a good enough reason for them to be there.

A far better way to boost occupancy is to encourage people to come in when they feel they’d benefit from it and then consistently delivering an employee experience that’s worth the commute.

Managing office occupancy is a process of understanding how people are already working in the office, identifying areas of friction standing in the way of a better employee experience, and then removing those frictions.

The benefits of managing office occupancy

A better workplace experience

Managing office occupancy prevents under and overcrowding. Everyone should have the right spaces and resources they need at the right times, so they can work comfortably and productively. In the long run, this improves your employer brand for both existing and prospective employees.

In an age where everyone is telling their employees to come back into the office, focusing on the workplace experience before the mandate is a massive differentiator.

Reduced workplace operating costs

Shaping the workplace around work habits and preferences might lead to discovering that floors, zones and even entire buildings aren’t being used. Adjusting the use of heating, AC, lighting and facilities management services in proportion with how employees are occupying the space is a big cost-cutter.

Read more: How to Cut Corporate Real Estate Costs in 2023

Reduced office carbon footprint

Reducing energy usage reduces carbon footprint. Managing office occupancy can also be a way to further reduce environmental costs. For example, by making meeting rooms on the east side of the building available in the morning to make use of natural light, then switching to meeting rooms on the left side in the afternoon. What’s more, a commitment to reducing daily environmental costs can help your business be more energy efficiency and also boosts your employer brand.

Read more: How to Reduce Your Office Carbon Footprint by Understanding Workplace Occupancy

Managing office occupancy well means that your office becomes the place to be while also putting a satisfied smile on your CFO’s face.

But what are the steps workplace leaders can take to manage office occupancy, improve the workplace experience and banish commute regret forever?

Watch this space for part two of everything you need to know about managing office occupancy, coming next week!

Smartway2’s intelligent workplace scheduling can help you manage office occupancy by personalizing employee experience. With Smartway2, it’s easy to book the right desks, meeting rooms and services employees need for a productive, collaborative day in the office that keeps them coming back.

The post Want to Banish Commute Regret Forever? Manage Office Occupancy appeared first on Smartway2.