Companies are always looking for the next new working environment which will save real estate costs and improve worker productivity at the same time. Telecommuting has been very popular recently as a growing percentage of the American people work remotely at least some of the time. But as The Atlantic details, there are real communication problems which exist with telecommuting and so some firms are looking to bring workers back into the office.
That does not necessarily mean recreating the work environment of offices and cubicles. A new idea is creating an agile working environment. In this environment, workers can work anywhere at any time instead of having to work at a specific desk from 9 to 5.
An agile working environment grants workers true autonomy to get their assignments done at their own pace, which encourages creativity and knowledge sharing as workers feel freer to share their ideas. Furthermore, CIO points out that such environments are an excellent way to attract millennial workers who desire flexibility and want to know “why” they should do something instead of just following orders.
However, creating a new working environment is an investment which will inevitably invite pushback from workers content with the way things are. Some businesses are unsuited for an agile working environment. Businesses have to understand what conditions are necessary and how to create this new environment with minimal pushback and maximum efficiency.
- What is the Proper Size?
The simplest yet perhaps most effective argument in favor of an agile working environment is how much it can save in office space. Real estate is one of the biggest expenses due to telecommuting. Larger offices also mean larger heating and cooling bills, hurting the company’s bottom line and damaging the environment.
Even an agile working environment needs private spaces for small or specialized groups to work. But if a large portion of your company already telecommutes and your business has wasted office space, then it is all the more reason to shrink your office into an agile working environment.
- Transition Slowly
A major challenge with agile environments and shared spaces is that workers do like having a place which is “theirs.” Workers in a cubicle can decorate their space with photographs and pictures which gives them a sense of belonging. Then there are the workers who worked hard to get that corner office and will be highly displeased to see it shared with everyone else, as well as inevitable disputes for workers looking to get the most desirable spots where they can play SCR888 in private.
Companies must thus develop a good wayfinding system so that workers can quickly find a place to work and locate important colleagues. Furthermore, do not move to an agile system all at once. Start with a small test group of workers who telecommute often first. Then over time, move to a system which has more and more workers share space. Also ensure that there are plenty of private spaces for workers to be by themselves.
- Create an Innovative, Equal Culture
The idea of an agile workplace environment is to create a place where workers feel free to collaborate and share data with one another. But if that culture does not exist to begin with, then most workers will feel confused and unhappy about the change.
An agile workplace can foster a culture of unity, but it cannot create one out of whole cloth. A business has to work to create such a culture by promoting equality, ethical views, and encouraging workers to speak up with concerns. Even if you choose not to build an agile workplace environment, Salesforce notes that such a culture carries advantages such as stronger customer loyalty and employee engagement.
- Promote Mobile Technology
Companies have always been looking to save real estate money and promote equality, so why is there a push for agile working spaces now and not in the past? In part, the reason is because new technology makes creating such a space easier than ever as bulky laptops are replaced with sleek tablets.
Promote technology which makes it easier for workers to move around. Give them smaller laptops, access to docking stations, and follow-me printing.
- Collect Data
An agile work environment needs data to reach its potential. Which workspaces are popular and which are neglected? Are there periods where the lights can be shut off momentarily to save energy? Manual inspections have their biases and flaws, and so companies should turn to technology like sensors to detect when and where workers are using different spaces.
Some workers may object to such data collection, which is why it is important to be upfront and tell them that the data is collected at an anonymous level. Data and analytical software make it easy to analyze your workplace utilization, creating an efficient agile workplace which fosters cooperation.
