Gone are the days when employees were willing to overlook minor inconveniences in the corporate office, like a malfunctioning coffee machine, booked-out meeting rooms, or an uncomfortable office temperature. The modern hybrid workforce now demands efficiency and productivity in the workplace, where they can get together with their peers, collaborate effortlessly, and do their work effectively without unnecessary hindrances.

In this blog, we explore how facilities management plays a crucial role in creating and maintaining efficient and productive workplaces that justify the time and effort of the commute.

Integrating technology to improve efficiencies in the workplace

In our previous blog, we explain how the efficient use of technology in FM can help cultivate collaboration and create optimum working environments for hybrid working employees.

The data and insight gathered from these devices can be used to improve efficiencies, which creates a more positive and comfortable workplace experience for employees. For example, sensors and monitors can signal to facilities teams to react quickly to an issue or problem, such as prompting a floor captain to make environmental changes if the air quality dips, or notifying teams that the traffic volume in a restroom has increased, and therefore requires more thorough cleaning.

Using technology in this way ensures that the corporate workplace experience is comfortable and enjoyable for employees during their in-office days.

Flexible, people-centric workplace design

In this hybrid working world, developing flexible, employee-centric workspaces, and adjusting existing spaces to cater to all types of work activities can improve efficiencies and make an employee’s time spent in the office worthwhile.

Work pods for focus, comfortable sofas and seating for informal catch-ups and meeting rooms for collaboration are some examples of how the corporate workplace can be adapted to the needs of the hybrid workforce, no matter how they choose to use it. By incorporating flexible design and optimising workspaces, employees can ensure enhanced productivity in the workplace.

Evolving roles to support efficient FM service delivery

Research indicates that employees reporting positive workplace experiences can be up to 16 times more engaged and productive than those with less favourable experiences. Facilities management teams need to be agile and have their pulse on new and developing trends to enhance the workplace experience. By doing so, the workplace will be positioned as a destination that is worth attending, and that is better than working at home.

As a result, new roles such as workplace experience managers are now commonplace in facilities teams and are dedicated to working with employees and visitors to improve the time spent in the office. These roles have been developed to create thriving workplace communities that positively impact culture to boost employee engagement.

As businesses navigate through the ever-evolving requirements and changing dynamics of the hybrid workplace, the role of an efficient FM service becomes integral to creating a workplace environment that exceeds the expectations of employees, which cultivates higher levels of engagement and productivity in the workplace.