A workplace destination that meets people's needs
More and more organizations are acknowledging the role that workplace plays in talent attraction and retention, and in turn, asking how they should effectively plan for the future. They want to know how they can tap into the supply of skilled workers in both urban and suburban markets and use the workplace to support and connect colleagues. A successful workplace environment considers both the physical environment and the total experience - the systems, technology, processes, services, events, and management.
Companies interested in creating a more meaningful work experience that caters to their top talent should start by challenging how they operate today - engaging their people to understand how individuals and teams function. This does not mean simply giving colleagues what they think they want, but rather engaging them to understand what they need and how that can best be provided within the context of the larger organizational objectives.
As the nature of work is shifting, the workplace must adapt to meet changing needs. People can work from anywhere today, but they will choose the office when it enables them to work smarter. At its core, the workplace must be functional - Is it convenient? Does it save you time? Does it support your need to focus, connect and collaborate?
CBRE's Workplace360 program addresses these questions and provides solutions for our own employees around the world. Workplace360 offices are designed to address talent attraction and retention by providing the best places for our people to work, based on extensive research of their behaviors and workstyles in each office location. We design workplaces to help our people collaborate more easily, focus without interruption, and conveniently connect using the latest technology. Instead of just another place to work, our workplaces are great because they are a destination of choice. In the Chicago area, CBRE employees have the ability to work in both our downtown office in River North and our suburban office in Oak Brook.
Of the many aspects that make a workplace successful in attracting and retaining talent, whether in suburban or urban markets, we have found the following key priorities are essential:
Provide flexibility and choice
Today's workforce expects options. Leading organizations incorporate a variety of spaces that support the various needs and preferences of employees. Everyone needs access to private space to support concentration and focused work, and surprisingly, most offices do not provide enough. A balance of spaces for concentration and collaboration ensures people have options depending on the type of work they're doing. But what good are options if you're not trusted to use them? Incorporating the right spaces should be paired with empowering your people to make that choice. People thrive when you untether them from one type of space and allow them to choose the best place or setting that's most conducive to the task at hand. Choice and flexibility are especially important when catering to a distributed workforce that's often flowing in and out of multiple work locations (e.g. home, office, client site, etc.).
Ensure access to seamless technology
Technology supports most, if not all, of our daily work activities. It enables us to access files from anywhere, co-create seamlessly, and connect virtually. However, time can also be wasted if people aren't given the technology they need or if they don't know how to use the tools at their disposal. Have you ever started a meeting 15 minutes late because you can't figure out how the conference phone works? Elevate the work experience by addressing dated technology and focusing on consistency and proper training. Make using it intuitive. For example, use the same type of conference phone and screen sharing technology in each of your meeting rooms to avoid unexpected challenges that lead to lost time and frustration.
Foster interaction
The predominate reason people come to work is to connect with and learn from their colleagues. The workplace should encourage these connections. Clients have told us there are days (or even weeks) they come into the office and don't even see a single colleague other than the receptionist. While the office should support the need to focus, it should also be stimulating. Does a low-energy office inspire you to do great work? Aim to create visibility and drive healthy utilization of the space to energize the office and make people more accessible. Movement is good. Give people the opportunity to build relationships and learn new things. Innovation happens when people are together. If colleagues aren't able to be in the same room together, easy access to tools like video conferencing and instant messaging can help bridge the gap.
• Jesse Sellers is the Central Region Lead for CBRE Workplace in Chicago.