Insights from the forefront of future of work thought leadership

Around 59% of people say they’re disengaged from their jobs and this can lead to a barrage of challenges, including staff burnout, lower employee retention and major impediments to company productivity. When staff are engaged, they’re better equipped to fulfil their tasks, remain motivated and display company loyalty. To ensure that your employees remain engaged in their role and committed to your company’s greater mission it is fundamental to keep up with the evolving workplace expectations. 

In part 2 of this blog series, we break down the emerging workplace expectations and how organisations can better manage employee engagement to keep up and stay ahead.  

Creating a workplace as a service

Like its distant cousin Software as a Service (SaaS), Workplace as a service (WaaS) is driven by technology developments and evolving business demands but is focused on the work environment specifically. WaaS comprises cybersecurity, cloud services, software and hardware like laptops, printers, monitors and phones - so, everything an organisation and its staff needs to function in a workspace. Rather than being bought, these are leased by service providers. 

Not only does this offer greater data security, reliability and budget transparency, but this also takes employee flexibility to new heights which in turn, attracts top talent and caters to all working styles. This model allows companies to have a productive, tailor-made space that aligns with the needs and culture of the organisation. 

Neurodiverse spaces 

Many business leaders are well acquainted with the advantages of having employee diversity spanning across culture, gender, and disciplinary training. Perhaps lesser-known but equally advantageous are the benefits organisations can gain from neurodivergent talent as they bring fresh perspectives to a company’s mission and can recognise opportunities through a new lens. So, designing workplaces that nurture neurodiversity not only allows talent to feel included and function well, it’s an all-important aspect of good business. 

Workplaces can be designed to be inclusive of neurodivergent talent; from simple and intuitive wayfinding, to sensory stimulation, to the thoughtful use of colour and light, to limiting noise-induced distractions through considered acoustics. 

Hybrid working 

Now a widespread workplace expectation across the country, employees have taken a liking to hybrid working and have seen the merit in this model’s flexibility. In fact, 74% of the Australian workforce prefer working in hybrid environments. With this convincing figure, it’s imperative for organisational leaders to provide a variety of tools and resources that cater to both remote and in-office employees. 

This involves making technology, culture, security and company programs inclusive and accessible for each individual employee’s working needs. Value is best delivered through a workplace strategy that informs how to keep on-site and off-site teams motivated, engaged and productive. 

Smart buildings 

Again blending the physical workplace with advanced tech, smart buildings have revolutionised the role of the office to accommodate the workforce of the 21st century. And as tech-wise, Gen Z employees become an increasingly prominent percentage of the workforce, not considering what this demographic needs to be engaged and productive in their work would be a huge misstep for organisations. Smart buildings are an important tool for connecting employees and retaining them. The data obtained from smart building technologies provide insights into usage patterns and preferences and can include tech such as: 

• Real-time analytics of how people use spaces to help with the efficient and economical use of resources
• Lighting and temperature control so employees can choose a cool mellow space or a warm, well-lit area to conduct meetings or complete tasks
• Booking systems for tables or conference rooms, plus capabilities to sync schedules with other employees

Collaboration and social interaction 

Humans are inherently social beings. That’s why the efforts of creating workspaces that empower employee collaboration often bear fruit and contribute to surges in productivity. As much as 80% of businesses are already experiencing the business efficiency and process enhancing benefits of social interaction and collaboration. What’s more, this can also improve company culture and advance team faculties for critical thinking and problem-solving. Social interaction in the workplace can be achieved by establishing things like: 

• Central communication and social channels like Slack 
• Creating physical spaces with a variety of relaxed and comfortable seating options
• Investing in tools that aid collaboration and can securely perform data-sharing
• Creating a culture where ideas can be shared and where innovation is welcomed with open arms

As organisations contend for their relevance in the modern working landscape, it will no longer suffice to only manage workplace expectations - rather, it pays to exceed them. Pandemic or not, there were always bound to be transformational changes in the way we work and operate. The clincher then is to embrace the change, embody the willingness to adapt to evolving workplace expectations, and build the agility to respond to what the future holds in this space. 

The future is here

The role of the office is different, but it isn’t redundant by any stretch of the imagination. Businesses that recognise and prepare for this shift will remain attractive places to work. Explore more in our future of work in Australia guide.

The pandemic has changed workplace expectations, unlike anything that has come before. But the appetite for change existed well before Australia’s first confirmed case of COVID-19. 

In 2018, SuperFriend’s Indicators of a Thriving Workplace report surveyed 5,000 Australian workers from different industries. 1 in 4 reported high stress in their current role. Of these, 1 in 5 said they planned to leave their employer in the next 12 months. These pre-pandemic figures hardly paint the portrait of a workforce satisfied with the status quo. 

If the world was walking towards the future of work then – it’s sprinting now. Two years of unprecedented disruption have changed the role of the workplace. As the workforce takes its first tentative steps back into the office, businesses need to work hard to keep pace with these employee expectations. Those who fail to do so may struggle to attract and retain talent in today’s competitive job market.

Here are the main changes and how your business can adapt. 

Spotlight on tech and data 

Tech and data will both have a transformative effect on the role of the workplace. 

Technology is already making workplaces more effective. Think of the impact platforms like Google Workplace, Slack and Jira have had during the pandemic (that’s not even mentioning workflow software like Trello, Monday and Asana). This software has been instrumental in managing projects and breaking down information silos. Post-pandemic, the continued use of these platforms will mean more time for creativity and innovation.

With staff likely to work from home at least once a week, workplaces will evolve. Videoconferencing is a great example. Software like Zoom and Microsoft Teams have forever changed the meeting, WIP and catch-up. Hybrid working models cater for these technologies with bespoke meeting spaces integrated with these platforms, so remote staff aren’t penalised.

Data can also be utilised to drive workplace change. For instance, a company may realise that with hybrid working arrangements only 50% of the workforce is in at any one given time. The company would then be able to change to a hot-desking working arrangement and dedicate other space in the office to collaboration and creativity.

Focus on wellbeing

For employees who have grown attached to the lifestyle benefits of remote work, a focus on wellbeing is less of an added perk and more of a prerequisite. 

So, it’s encouraging to see businesses evolve to meet this expectation. 7 in 10 Australian employees now believe leadership places a greater priority on wellbeing. There is a range of benefits to be realised by this focus shift, from greater productivity to reduced staff turnover. 

It’s not fanciful to think of the workplace of the future as a positive space employees relish spending time in, rather than a space they return to with reluctance. To achieve this, business leaders and office designers need to consider a range of questions:

• How can the space maximise sunlight and fresh air?
• What measures are in place to encourage activity?
• Can the acoustics be changed to avoid excessive noise?

You can find inspiration in Axiom’s showcase.

Commitment to sustainability 

Just as voters are pressuring politicians for tangible action towards sustainability, so too are employees expecting greater commitments from their employers. 

A 2021 survey of over 1,200 Australian workers by Atlassian and PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) found that 74% of employees think businesses should be just as concerned with their social impact as financial results (up from 69% from the same survey in 2020). 

There are many ways businesses can demonstrate their commitment to sustainability, including:

• Going paperless
• Reusing items and having a recycling program in place
• Reducing energy with light-efficient fixtures and temperature regulation
• Adding plants and greenery to the office
• Working with sustainable suppliers.

The future is here

The role of the office is different, but it isn’t redundant by any stretch of the imagination. Businesses that recognise and prepare for this shift will remain attractive places to work. Explore more in our future of work in Australia guide.

Accurate and meaningful data is critical to making informed decisions about your workplace. Now, with the trend towards flexible working, the ability to understand how your space is being used and to accurately forecast future workplace requirements is essential for efficient workplace management. 

It is also important to note that as there has been such a rapid change in the way people work, towards a ‘work from anywhere’ movement, organisational leaders are looking for strong evidence that helps them identify what their workplace should look like in the future, and what will drive employees to come back to the office and re-engage with the vision of the business.

Some of the region’s most strategic minds in workplace strategy came together for our webinar to demonstrate how data can be utilised to drive workplace change. Panelists included: 

• Lisa Copland, Head of Workplace Strategy and Change at Presynct 
• Jo-Anne Mann, GM and SVP Sales, Asia Pacific at SpaceIQ
• Peter Black, Workplace Strategist at Axiom Workplaces 
• Steve Elliott, Head of Property and Facilities at QBE Insurance 

Let’s go deeper into the discussion here, to understand how we can effectively gather and analyse workplace data, and use such insights to make better workplace decisions.

How COVID-19 changed the landscape

Working flexibly and remotely had already been present in many workplaces, prior to COVID-19, it had not really been culturally accepted. 

Changes were slowly happening but it was accelerated as a result of last year. Flexible working became accepted and swiftly normalised. The stigma attached to it seemed to have disappeared overnight. Now tested and proven successful, the evidence that work still happened away from the office means employers need to be open to people working at home or remotely. Where companies once offered it but didn’t really support the cultural shift towards it, employees now expect flexible working as a permanent part of their employment. “No one cares about their desk anymore – they want flexible working instead,” says Lisa.

In fact, an in-webinar poll queried expectations for the average days in the office per week in the immediate future. Nearly 50% responded they expect 3-4 days in the office, and about 40% want only 1-2 days working on site. This clearly shows that flexible working is a majority preference, and that the future workplace will most likely remain a productive hybrid of working from home and at the office. Employers who don’t offer a flexible work practice risk losing a talent pool of great employees to other organisations who do, and will find it harder to attract great talent.

How organisations are gathering and analysing data

Steve Elliott shared how his organisation gathered data through utilisation studies. “We did it 6 weeks before COVID. What we lack now is data that is live and dynamic”.  The company recently invested in a tool that allows them to gather data through the employee check-in process.  Steve mentioned that this will provide them with daily data on the utilisation of the space and desks within the working environment.

Half of the webinar attendees seem to gather data in the same way. A second live poll demonstrated that around 50% of represented organisations measured the utilisation of space in the workplace (including desk and meeting room usage). 

Peter Black identified the challenges for organisations today confirming it was tough gathering data during lockdowns. “We struggled with it because COVID is a big gap – a year at home means you don’t have data.” You have to look at historical data to base future projections on. So, while the environment was completely different, pre-pandemic data is still useful in determining the kinds of spaces employees occupy at different times of the day and week.  

What decisions are being driven by data?  

Right now, most workplace decisions rely on understanding people’s behaviour as they divide their time between working at home and in the office. By engaging in a workplace strategy piece where employees and leaders are asked what they require in order to complete their tasks, and simply observing employee actions – management can have a better view of what people do when they work in the office. 

Currently, we are seeing a trend where employees use the physical workplace to connect and collaborate, then they work from home to engage in more focused tasks. This collaboration with employees enables leaders to identify which activities and projects are better done in the office or at home.

Steve also noted that “managers want to know when teams are coming in.” So, it’s important to get the data from people’s schedules to understand when they’re coming into the office or working remotely. Some employees book their schedules 2 weeks in advance. This data helps managers plan out support and other resources needed for each day. But as Jo-Anne pointed out, the information is not always accurate since “many people check-in, but don’t come in on the day.” 

Another decision that’s driven by data is the actual space and number of desks needed for each day. This is where the utilisation data of desks and space comes into play. Of course, there will always be ‘peak days and peak floors’. People move desks and use different work spaces on the same day. And this can skew the utilisation figures. So can user error: ‘How many people check-in, but don’t come in?’, asks Jo-Anne Mann. 

Both employers and employees are still adjusting to the new ways of working. So it can sometimes be difficult to get accurate data. Steve added that “We’re making decisions in the heat of a pandemic that won’t be here forever.” It’s essential to view the information from a bigger, more practical perspective.

What decisions SHOULD be driven by data?

We’ve seen how data is being used to plan daily activities and help make decisions on the amount of space or number desks needed each day. But the real value of data – where it can have a bigger and more profound impact on the organisation – can be seen when making future workplace decisions, and projecting into the future a working model for the organisation that can withstand changes in circumstances and variations in workflows.

How much change can we bring into the workplace? What headcount and how much growth can the current office space accommodate? To answer these questions, you need to look at the current and historical workplace data plus industry and market conditions. Plus, you need to explore and test out different scenarios. 

Peter highlighted that organisations now have the “intention to grow without growing.” That is to grow revenue and profitability across the business but not growing in staff numbers. To do this, you need to look at automating and streamlining processes, plus outsourcing routine tasks. Many companies tend to overestimate the amount of office space they need. “It’s a better story to expand,” says Peter. “It’s easier to outgrow a smaller space then expand, than to have too much space to begin with.” 

Companies are also able to add more spaces to innovate and socialise than before because when the data confirms they don’t need a desk for every employee, there is opportunity to introduce more variety of working environments within the same amount of space. This is something that may have been prohibited previously by budget and real estate costs.

In making future workplace decisions, It’s important to start by understanding the problem. What are you trying to achieve? The next step is to find and gather the relevant data. Then analyse and gain the insights to make the necessary decisions. But it is worth noting that different organisations have different drivers when it comes to analysing information and making decisions.

How can you redefine a space to create excitement about the office?

As businesses look toward a post-pandemic future and reopen offices, the biggest issue they need to deal with is encouraging people back to a physical workplace. Most employees are comfortable working from home and are not rushing back in. Employers need to redefine the workspace, and find ways to create a magnetic appeal for people to return to the office.

This is a common issue for many businesses, according to Peter. The office can sometimes feel like a morgue because nobody is there. You need to look at opportunities to “curate the office space.” Events, group work and mentoring opportunities – all these can bring the energy back to the workplace. 

If there’s anything that people miss about the office, it’s the active vibe they feel when working with friends and colleagues. The experience cannot be like sitting on your desk on your own and just staring at your screen. You might as well work from home. Employees come to the workplace mainly to connect and collaborate. And a big empty space with rows of individual desks and people working in separate corners won’t help build that buzz or activity.

Steve suggested using data to determine the optimum size of the workspace you need for people to work together and create an energetic vibe – all, of course, within a COVID safe environment.

“Data, data, data. Clearly articulate with rich data. The rest will flow.” That is Steve’s last piece of advice. And it’s a statement that clearly highlights how your business can be better at making critical workplace decisions in the new world of work.

Want to learn more about futureproofing your workplace to ensure success and growth in the future? Read our guide to the future of work in Australia.

Almost a year on from the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are starting to see the impacts of the crisis on workplace culture in Australia and it's clear that the future of work is being reshaped. But although the picture is coming into more distinct focus, the long term effects probably won’t be apparent for years to come.

What we do know is that the workplace, the workforce and the way we work have significantly and permanently changed. Lockdowns and travel bans have flipped what we thought about the nature of work altogether. Businesses have seen that employees don’t necessarily need to be in the office to get particular work done. Remote work has become the new norm. Commutes have been cancelled. Business travel superseded by Zoom meetings. So as we adjust to these new working ways, leaders must consider the effects this is having on company culture.

What is company culture?

Company or organisational culture is made up of every interaction within your business. It’s the processes, decisions and conversations held within your office and also what is played out online. In a recent webinar Axiom hosted, culture was likened to the body’s immune system. There to support the body, but if not treated well or looked after, it can fail or, in fact, attack.

Company culture is critical as it guides behaviour. It tells employees how to respond, what choices to make and how to handle tricky issues. Company culture is the unseen force which drives employee decision-making day in, day out. Culture tells employees what to do when their leader is out of sight.

How do we shape culture?

So if culture is this nebulous, almost unseen thing, how can leaders shape and improve it?

Before making any change, it is essential to understand your culture first and from there identify what you want to achieve. Without this initial understanding and vision of where you want to be, it can be easy to lose sight of the end goal and get stuck in business as usual.

In a recent webinar we hosted, it was mentioned that the higher you go up the corporate ladder, the less that person actually understands what the culture is within an organisation. So as businesses get bigger and organisational structures become more vast, so does the challenge of truly grasping what the company culture is like.

To help you get an understanding of your company’s culture, we’ve broken down what the culture of a high-performance workplace consists of:

We see company culture as an amalgamation of a few key things: Technology, Environment and Behaviour. These areas are interwoven, inextricably linked, and the building blocks of organisational culture.

Technology

Technology is a driver and enabler of culture. It provides the ability for seamless connections and also to make location agnostic. It fosters collaboration amongst teams and allows them to remain productive, whether in the office or remote. And while technology has been vital to the work from home shift during COVID-19, it’s just as important in the physical workplace. A bad technological experience, no matter the location, is remarkably detrimental to culture.

Environment

In a recent webinar Axiom hosted, we polled the audience, and most people said they plan to modify their existing physical office in response to the shift in working style we’ve seen over the past year. This is the perfect opportunity to think about how the physical environment can support and improve your company culture.

In our new hybrid working environment, it’s essential to consider how people are working in the co-located office. What tasks are being performed? How can the environment support those tasks specifically?

The other thing to consider is, now that people have the option to work from home, how can the physical office be designed in a way to attract staff back in?

To answer these questions, it’s essential to get to know your people by immersing yourself in your organisation. You need to understand your people, the type of work they do, and where and how they can do it best. In general, an office is a place of connection, learning, collaboration and socialisation, and designing the space to support these key elements will support strong company culture.

Behaviour

Behaviour is an obvious part of the company culture ‘pie’, which ideally should be underpinned by strong organisational values. The values held by employees on the inside will be reflected by their behaviour on the outside. However, creating company values, printing them on posters and sticking them on a wall is not good enough. Values must be role modelled from the top and built into the way business is done. Action must follow words, or company culture will suffer.

How has COVID-19 affected culture?

COVID-19 was a moment of truth for workplace culture in Australia. Businesses with robust, resilient and positive cultures are in much better positions than those with weak or negative cultures. In our last webinar, our panel noted that there had been a few common cultural themes highlighted over the pandemic. Let’s start with some positives.

For many employees, the move to remote work was an opportunity to get comfortable being more personal and open with colleagues. Work from home has been a window into people’s lives which wasn’t available before. Connections have become more genuine, and employees have felt they can be their whole selves.

Interestingly, given greater physical distancing, closer collaboration, and a willingness to jump in and help colleagues has also developed. This perhaps due to the “we’re all in this together” attitude that’s permeating companies.

The shared struggle has also seen an increase in empathy and understanding between colleagues, employees and employers. Before the pandemic, problems were usually individual and left at home. Now, everyone is weathering the storm, and the home is a genuine part of the workplace.

On the flip side, pandemic-induced isolation and job insecurity have unsurprisingly hurt employee wellbeing. Employees are struggling to switch off and set boundaries between work and home life.

Physical distancing, the rise in remote working and working in shifts also means less incidental, serendipitous meetings. These “water cooler” chats are often the catalyst for innovation, fresh ideas and collaboration, and we’re yet to see the true impact of missing out on them.

What is a cultural continuity plan?

Just like a business continuity plan, a cultural continuity plan is about making it through a crisis or navigating change and coming out the other side strong. It’s important that your business has the ability to translate what is important to the company (i.e. mission, vision and values) no matter what is happening externally or internally in order for your culture to be preserved.

Your cultural continuity plan starts with an outline of the things that are important to your company’s culture. Then it needs to address how these things will be protected when a crisis, like the pandemic, occurs. For example, if your business values social connections, and this usually looks like Friday night drinks at the pub, what will this look like in a lockdown situation?

How does the physical workplace affect culture?

As you now know, the environment is an integral part of the company culture ‘pie’. While it is only part of the equation, if you have a physical workspace, it is essential to building and supporting a thriving company culture.

However, we’ve found that most companies are not measuring how well their physical workspace supports their people, productivity and culture. Measurement is key to objectively interpret the progress of your company culture. Without proper measurement, you cannot see what’s being done well, what’s being done poorly, and where there are opportunities for improvement.

This is why Axiom developed the Workplace Thrive Index, a tool which will take the pulse of your organisation. Once the pulse has been taken with a carefully facilitated process, the Index score is measured against industry benchmarks and areas for improvement are determined. Want to know where your organisation sits on the Workplace Thrive Index?

Company culture is an essential part of the Future of Work, explore other considerations in the Future of Work: A Progressive Leaders Guide To Staying Ahead.