CRUX Workplace

As businesses continue to navigate the ever-changing landscape of the workplace, it comes as no surprise that there are a variety of linked challenges at the forefront of real estate and workplace leader's concerns. From changing employee behaviors to optimizing office occupancy, the results from our recent Office Right-Sizing online assessment tool shed light on the key issues facing organizations today. One of the most striking findings is the prevalence of changing employee behaviors as a major challenge, with a quarter of respondents citing this as their biggest concern. With the continued prevalence of  remote work and flexible schedules, companies are tasked with adapting to the evolving needs and preferences of their workforce. This shift in employee behavior requires a re-evaluation of traditional workplace strategies and a focus on creating environments that support collaboration, productivity, and well-being. Reducing costs and optimizing office occupancy were also highlighted as significant challenges, reflecting a growing emphasis on efficiency and resource management. As businesses look to streamline operations and maximize space utilization, the need to strike a balance between cost savings and employee satisfaction and hence productivity becomes increasingly important. In light of these challenges, it is clear that organizations must be proactive in addressing the changing dynamics of the workplace. By redesigning office spaces, working out how much space is needed, and exploring innovative solutions for downsizing or moving offices, companies can adapt to the evolving needs of their workforce while also maximizing efficiency and cost-effectiveness. If you are grappling with similar real estate and workplace challenges, we encourage you to take our assessment, My Office Right Sizing Calculator, to gain valuable insights and guidance on how to navigate these complex issues. By understanding your organization's unique needs and priorities, you can make informed decisions that drive success and growth in the ever-changing business landscape. Take the assessment today and unlock the potential of your workplace! https://lnkd.in/dKAbyF84 #hybridworking #officedesign #cre #workplace

- Potential Client “How are you going to redesign our office so that it better supports hybrid working?” Me “We believe people centric design is important to success, so we’re going to do a deep dive across employees at all levels to understand their working patterns, preferences, activities and interactions” - Potential Client “Won't that take too long?” Me “No, we can engage your entire workforce by deploying our Workplace Engagement Platform within a month” - Potential Client “All 2,800 employees?” Me “Yes, and then we will meet with the leadership and managers to understand their views and the business drivers which is needed to inform the strategy” - Potential Client “How do I know that this will work?” Me “Well, we’ve been doing this for 20 years; helping organizations design and implement new, more flexible ways of working using these evidence based methodologies” - Potential Client “I’m not sure I have the budget for a complete renovation” Me “It’s not always the case that complete renovation is necessary; we are impartial on furniture solutions and construction work, so we will only recommend the interventions that are required. In many cases our clients save been 20 - 60% of office space when moving from a traditional office design to a flexible workplace designed for hybrid working, significantly reducing long term costs” - Potential Client “Sounds good, let’s put a proposal to our Board” OK, so that's a synthesis of several recent conversations, I wish it was that easy to move from conversation to proposal. The conversations are usually much deeper and extend into change management, HR policies, FM operations and technology solutions, and quite rightly so. The only way to successfully formalize and implement more flexible ways of working is through taking a holistic approach. It all starts with collating data so that solutions can be based on evidence rather than gut feel, or worse still, copying what another company has done. Reach out for a chat if you'd like to learn more about making the transition. #cre #workplace #officedesign #hybridworking

What do restaurants, workplaces and RTO have in common? Maybe not what you're thinking. As customers fade away from a tired restaurant, would a renovation bring people back? It's a gamble. Swap 'restaurant' for 'workplace' in the sentence above. In this article we dive into successful ways to create incredible workplaces; admittedly we only scratch the surface, but the approach and journey are often more important than the outcomes. #hybridworking #officedesign #cre #workplace

There is no magic wand to wave to successfully implement unassigned desking. I've set out in this article how we have approached this since 2006. By our own admission, this is a very lengthy article, but there's lots of ground to cover. So maybe hit the 'save' tab above and read later once the coffee's been made! But remember, in all of what we do, unassigned or assigned, the goal is to help employees do their best work, not to insist they fit into a design that doesn't suit their work. #officedesign #hybridworking #cre #workplace.

Here's a nice little hack; the team have produced this quick assessment calculator that works out how much office space your organization can save based on occupancy and working arrangements. It's high level and it takes a cautious approach, but will give you an idea about the size of the prize! Not only can right sizing reduce rental and other real estate operating costs, it also helps to create a more welcoming office space. It does this through creating communities or neighborhoods that achieve optimal occupation and interaction while still maintaining quiet places to work. Try out the calculator here: https://lnkd.in/dk5FFsiN #officedesign #cre #hybridworking #workplace

Ever tried making a decent loaf of bread at home, complex right? Surprises me that so many think that a 'hybrid' workplace is a simple mix of a few ingredients like lounges, phone pods and meeting rooms, arranged in an aesthetically pleasing way, add some funky colors, take a photo, and wow! what a solution. Read this short article to bake a better workplace (and bread!) for your people. #officedesign #cre #workplace #hybridworking

OK, OK, so we may be biased, but why wouldn't you want to spend 30 minutes chatting to a workplace consultant who could give you fresh insights into optimizing occupancy, enabling productivity, enhancing talent retention and possibly saving you $millions over the life of your next lease? Sounds like a brilliant return on investing 30 minutes to us..! #officedesign #hybridworking #fm #hr

Engaging employees in workplace projects is not as hard as it seems. Here are some of the common misconceptions: 1. Excuse: It creates unattainable expectations. “If I engage them, they’ll expect something I can’t give them” “People will be frustrated if their suggestion isn’t selected” -> Engagement Reality - The themes discussed should align with the scope and desired outcomes of the project. This is not a free for all or a time to make selections. 2. Excuse: Surface level input is sufficient. “I’ll wait and engage employees in picking finishes and selecting task chairs” “If we can’t really cater to their needs, what’s the point of asking for additional input” -> Engagement Reality - Employees are likely to be negative about surface level input when their core needs have not been met or asked for. 3. Excuse: Too many individual needs will surface. “There are too many opinions, I can’t accommodate every voice we’d have a million different projects” “I don’t want to open a can of worms!” -> Engagement Reality - Input from employee engagement is sorted into trends and themes uncovering deeper needs and information that will benefit the organization and employees. Employees value being able to share meaningful information productively in a structured environment. -> Excuse: The project will be slowed down or blocked. “Engaging employees will slow down the process- needing to find time to meet and get approval from everyone” “I know what their feedback will be, and it’s crazy, it doesn’t feel worth my time” -> Engagement Reality - Engagement processes can be run quickly at scale in an organization. The goal is not approval but to be informed. The process should make decisions easier, more effective, and reduce buy-in delays. 5. Excuse: The project should be well defined before employees are engaged. “I’m just getting the project underway- I’m not ready to engage anyone” "The project is two years' out" -> Engagement Reality - Information from employees through structured early engagement is critical to defining a project. Engaging too late creates some of the challenges stated in the myths above. * Let’s be clear, engagement is not a free for all. - Connecting with your employees in preparation for workplace projects should be focused and structured to align with the desired outcomes. - Communicating and learning from your employees has the power to help your company be a place that people want to be- a place you want to be. - Stop guessing by just using data like badge swipes and Wi-Fi usage. - Start really engaging with your employees to understand their role, activities and interactions at a granular level, and listen to what they have to say about preferences. - Multi-channel engagement is critical, giving you evidential data for decision making. - Want a quick and painless way of doing that? Use the sign-up form to check out our Three Step Process and book a free consultation. #hybridworking #cre #officedesign

Workplace strategy specialists solve the 'space needed' puzzle for companies, so you have confidence when seeking Board approval and briefing your broker. #officedesign #hybridworking #cre

This is gaining momentum, these are the benefits we've captured: ✅ Increased flexibility and employee satisfaction. ✅ Optimized occupancy. ✅ Enhanced collaboration and mentorship. ✅ Efficient use of office space/lowering costs. ✅ Attraction and retention of top talent. Implementation hints: 💡Flexible Workspaces - Enriched workplaces, co-created with employees can see a 17% improvement in productivity. •Integrate a mix of ABW layouts for in-person interactions. •Provide free-address for focus work, removing status settings in favor of shared areas to promote collaborative efforts over hierarchical structures. •Optimize space utilization using shared worksettings, reconfigurable furniture and partitions ensuring the office adapts to changing requirements and reducing costs. •Equal access to natural light for all employees, regardless of role. •Wellness rooms, multi-gender facilities, and dedicated prayer rooms to respect diverse backgrounds. Consider free access client lounges and concierge service. •Implement analytics and feedback tools to monitor space utilization and employee satisfaction. 💡 Workplace Technology - 74% of employees are more inclined to come to the office when they know their colleagues will be there. •Invest in presence technology, to inform employees of colleagues' in-office status, promoting seamless collaboration. •Implement advanced technology solutions such as interactive displays to create an immersive experience for remote colleagues. •Ensure all paper processes are digitized/scanned to allow access vis secure cloud platform. •Design dedicated spaces like internal libraries and tech-enabled conference rooms for workshops, seminars, and training sessions. Ensure these spaces are equipped with modern learning tools and resources. 💡 The Secret Sauce? Team Agreements..... ask us about this! Find out how to apply this to your firm by reaching out to the team.