A complex question to answer but coming through very strongly from many research reports is how the workplace experience needs to support a sense of wellbeing, employee satisfaction and help individuals feel they are making a contribution to the organisation.
The Digital Factor
Individuals will experience the working environment in different ways but as the digital transformation of workplaces and buildings gathers pace, understanding and analysing data, looking for ways to reduce friction during a working day and supporting a feeling of wellbeing is essential for any forward-thinking employer.
For Facilities Managers, building owners and employers, putting people first in the design and management of workplaces is essential. The demand from employees is to have similar digital experiences in their working life that they use as consumers. They expect to be able to interact with brands and manage their digital lives through multiple channels. “There must be an ‘App’ for that” is now an expectation not a dream. Increasingly this is going to make the difference between a good day in the office and a bad day in the office. Can you find a desk to use? Is your favourite meeting room free? Where is the kitchen on this floor? Can you pre-order your working lunch? Can you change the temperature in the meeting room? The screen’s not working, who do you call?
IAQ & Workplace Performance
Recent research by LCMB utilising Spica GemEx data from a range of different commercial building types has highlighted the long-held view that environmental conditions (such as temperature, relative humidity and CO2) have a significant impact on staff cognitive ability and performance. Being in comfortable temperatures and good air quality at work is obviously really important but increasingly so too is the ability to navigate through the workplace and action some of the key questions asked above.
This is where the introduction and integration of technology can really help manage the workplace experience and provide individual employees a smooth journey through the working day. Sensors and software can provide valuable data and information to building managers. Connecting employees to the data, giving them visibility of the things that affect them, supporting them with practical and relevant information boosts the experience they have at work and how they feel about an organisation.
What makes for happy employees? Being connected, feeling supported, engaging with information and eliminating friction could be the answer. It all combines to make work a better place.
