Workplace Strategy for Today's Business Leaders

6 Strategy Trends You Can’t Ignore

In all my years as a Workplace Strategist, there has never been a time quite as fascinating as right now.  The dynamic between employee, employer and the workspace has been tipped on its head and even now, more than a year after the last pandemic restriction was lifted in Canada, there is still much discussion on how organizations should reimagine space for the, yet again, ‘new’ way of working.

Our team of workplace strategists at Bennett Design have noticed several emerging trends at the forefront of our industry recently. Some of these trends which have been integral to our proprietary d.i.g.™ Workplace Strategy Program for years, are now gaining the recognition they deserve. The six key trends below are significant given the uneven ground that many organizations are currently navigating when determining the future direction of their workspaces.

Analyzing Industry Benchmarks

Many organizations are struggling to know what direction to go in the ever-evolving Workscape or workplace landscape and are looking to industry benchmarks to bring some clarity. Navigating through the data to tease out values that are relevant and consistent with a specific business within that industry is key.  While industry benchmarks can be used to provide a broad view of what your peers are doing, the ultimate solution for your organization must be specific to your business goals and your people’s needs.

Today, we are striving to accommodate and include all layers of today’s employee working modes and must consider the space required to support them in the hybrid, remote and in-office personas. All of these factors will ultimately play into the longer-term real estate strategy, and square footage requirements of the firm.

Determining the ideal square footage needed for your company’s unique work style and in-office approach, is a multifaceted challenge. As workplace strategists, decoding these benchmarks is like putting together pieces of a dynamic puzzle. The assignment and ratio of space allocation between focus, collaboration and connection spaces is crucial to enabling productivity and belonging.  Industry benchmarks can be helpful in determining important office amenities and workplace practices that help attract talent in a competitive marketplace.

Evaluating Space Utilization

Space utilization extends far beyond just occupancy; it’s about really grasping how every area of the workspace is being used and why. What was once a straightforward measure of who’s in and who’s out based on badge swipes has evolved into a nuanced investigation.

Unveiling usage patterns, pinpointing underutilized areas, and having the flexibility to reconfigure space components through the use of adaptable walls and flexible furnishings aligns seamlessly with the dynamic shifts in how we are now working. It’s not just about squeezing every square inch for efficiency; it’s about a thoughtful balance—whether strategically investing in or divesting of space to adapt to evolving work dynamics.

Deciphering these subtleties in space utilization is like reading the workspace’s unique language, which allows for a tailored and efficient design that resonates with the emerging needs of the workforce and supports them in the work they do.

Fostering a People-Centric Workplace

The pandemic gave us the opportunity to reevaluate our lives in terms of lifestyle possibilities, priorities, and pace. This has resulted in employers having to shift their perspective to understand the view of the employee.

Corporate leadership responded by undergoing a fascinating evolution with the emergence of new roles at the C-Suite level, all orbiting around a people-centric attitude. The rise of roles like Chief People Officer (CPO) signifies a pivotal shift, where the focus is squarely on managing the intricate needs of people and workforces. It’s more than just launching programs to enhance people metrics like engagement, retention, and culture—it’s about addressing a spectrum of employee needs, spanning the physical, mental, emotional, financial, social, occupational, and purpose-driven realms. Alongside the CPO, roles like Chief Culture Officer, Chief Inclusion Officer, Chief Learning Officer, and Chief Workplace Experience Officer are taking their seat at the leadership table. Each role carries the weighty responsibility of elevating the employee experience, attracting top-tier talent, and retaining high-quality staff.

This move towards a people-centric leadership paradigm is a dynamic force reshaping the very fabric of organizational thinking and is influencing how we consider and design office spaces today.

Enhancing Organizational Alignment

Addressing the widening gap between employees and employers in values, management practices, culture, and the envisioned future of work within an organization is at the heart of improving organizational alignment.

Transforming physical spaces just isn’t enough; if there isn’t a holistic shift that aims to alter behaviors, cosmetic changes are just that – surface level.

Equally critical is for business policies, procedures, and practices to mirror and guide the desired cultural evolution. Bridging this gap entails not only reimagining physical spaces but orchestrating a comprehensive workplace transformation that is modelled by leadership and clearly articulates and demonstrates the positive corporate culture, values and creates a sense of belonging and connection to the company.

Navigating Technological Impact

In recent years, navigating technological change has become a major player in our workplace strategy world. One of the biggest hurdles involves creating an outstanding hybrid work experience in spite of the ongoing evolution of the necessary integration technology required to connect in-office and remote workers.

The price tag for routine upgrades can be a roadblock for many companies, especially when ensuring consistency across the entire organization is non-negotiable and upgrading one space necessitates upgrading all spaces.  Rapidly advancing technology will always outstrip a lease lifespan, so to successfully navigate this complex environment, organizations need a holistic approach that finds the sweet spot between technological innovation, cost-effectiveness, adaptability, and a reimagination of suitable spaces to support the tech experience.

Managing Change Effectively

Considering the volume of change that the workforce has been through both during and after the pandemic, it makes perfect sense that organizations must take a proactive stance to help their people navigate and adapt to the evolving environments and at this time, the importance of Change Management can’t be understated.

At its core, change management is all about people. It involves the systematic application of a structured process and a suite of tools aimed at effectively leading the human aspect of change and ensuring the success of desired outcomes. Change Management zeroes in on how to actively engage, foster adoption, and seamlessly integrate changes into the day-to-day work of individuals.

According to Prosci®, the global leader in change management solutions, organizations that excel in change management are statistically more likely to achieve project objectives, stay on schedule, and adhere to budget constraints. In this context, understanding the intricacies of projects and their objectives for an organization’s people, space and business is optimally achieved through a holistic workplace strategy approach. Recognizing the transformative potential of change management becomes critical for helping organizations through dynamic shifts with resilience and success.

Human nature is funny.  We generally hate change, but when we do make that change, or are forced to make a change as happened with the pandemic, it takes a person about 66 days to form a habit.  Once that habit is in place, we are right back to not wanting more change, so reverting back to the state we were in before is just another struggle.  This is the dilemma that Workplace Strategists are dealing with everyday; people were shifted out of full time in-office work, they developed a new habit and lifestyle and now are digging in their heels to not make another change.  Developing a successful Workplace Strategy must include the voice of the employee, because any future change in your organization or your space must account for the needs of the people to be accepted.

Our research indicates that hybrid work will be with us for a long time and while we know that there isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution for navigating the future of the workplace, it is clear to me that having a comprehensive strategy that aligns the employees’ values with the leadership’s vision is the place to start the conversation. A strong workplace strategy will give you the data-driven roadmap for the way forward.

Every program, process and finished product will be as unique as the people that make up the organization.