Creating an Engaging Office Environment for Colleague Collaboration Using Workplace Data

The use of technology in the workplace is nothing new, but how and why we use it is changing. As more companies aim to create better employee experiences and work environments, it’s necessary to adopt the right tools to make that possible.

This article will take a closer look at how evolving workplaces and behaviors in the workplace require the need for more supportive technologies and how businesses can use these technologies to create more productive and collaborative environments.

The Way We Work Is Changing

Though the pandemic acted as a catalyst that forced companies to take a closer look at how they run their business, our work environments and styles of work have been changing for a few years now. As newer generations that are more mindful of their needs and the needs of others have entered the workforce, the way we work has started to shift.

Mental health, for example, has become a major priority for today’s workers, and as such, they prioritize healthier work-life balances and working for employers that offer more flexible working schedules, such as hybrid or remote work. This shift can be attributed to many different sources. Anxieties have risen in the past couple of years, especially after the pandemic, meaning people are more mindful of how they work and how their work affects their overall well-being.

Employers and business owners as well, are more understanding now of how important it is to create better employee experiences and better office setups that allow for varying needs and work styles. And as we are living in a digital age, one of the best ways to create better workplaces and better employee experiences is to leverage the right tools and technologies.

The Right Tools and Solutions

As in-office working is no longer the primary default, managing a team where everyone is not all in the same place at the same time can get challenging. Some employees might come in, but others might not. Some might only come in for a half-day and then work the other half at home or from some other remote location, like a coffee shop or a coworking space. As such, coordinating and scheduling can become a nightmare, but it’s not impossible — not if you have the right tools.

By adopting new technologies that better support this new norm of hybrid and remote work styles, you can better manage your staff and ensure that everyone is still communicating and working together in a productive manner.

1. Better Scheduling: Know Who’s Where and When

Nothing is worse than planning to come into the office to meet with someone only to find that they aren’t at the office for the day. Or you may have multiple employees that come in at the same time without enough desks available or meeting rooms getting double-booked or overlapping. When you have a team of hybrid workers that don’t necessarily all work a set schedule, you can easily run into coordination errors.

This is where calendar management and scheduling software can come in handy and make a huge difference. Having one tool that everyone uses to show where they are and when allows you to keep better track of everyone, so there is no confusion, misunderstandings, schedule overlaps, or missed absences.

2. Clear and Effective Communication

When everyone knows where everyone is, it allows for better communication all around. You can also use messaging apps and software so no matter where your employees are, they can easily get in touch with one another to discuss projects and set up meetings.

Poor communication is one of the primary reasons employees will have bad experiences and feel frustrated with their job. But if the right tools and apps are used to keep everyone in the know and easily connected, this is less likely to be a problem.

3. Personalized Solutions to Meet Individual Needs

With hybrid work environments, each employee might have different needs. For example, some might have a full office setup in their home, while others might need to occasionally book a workspace in the office so they can have access to the equipment and devices they need for the day. But if you only have so many workspaces available to go around, this can be hard to manage.

With workspace booking software, your employees can see when desks or workspaces are available and when they aren’t so they can plan their day or week accordingly. This way, everyone can more easily get what they want depending on their individual needs without any misunderstandings or double bookings.

4. Seamless and Coordinated Workflow

If you are constantly dealing with scheduling and communication errors, it can disrupt workflow and productivity. And the longer this goes on, the more friction it creates amongst staff, which can lead to higher turnover rates.

With the right solutions, however, everything will run more seamlessly, and everyone will be more coordinated, making it easier to communicate and collaborate on projects and get work done on time. Meetings will also be more productive if everyone is getting along and communicating effectively. You can schedule meetings more easily, so everyone knows where to go and to be prepared ahead of time with meeting room booking systems.

Considerations When Implementing New Technology into the Workplace

While adopting new technologies is often beneficial and necessary, it’s important to go about it the right way. Simply dropping a new software on everyone and expecting them to adapt right away is likely to end in more confusion and chaos. So make sure you have a quality digital transformation strategy to get everyone on board and prepared.

This means having a roll-out plan and notifying employees of new changes that are going to happen, conducting training sessions to help staff learn how to use new tools and software, and having upper management and team leads offer assistance and guidance when transitioning into new technologies.

The Right Tech Can Make All the Difference

If your company is making changes to how you work or is struggling to keep up with managing a hybrid team of remote and in-office workers, you might need to consider some upgrades to the technology you are using. Digital automation with the right tools and software can help you minimize stress and maximize output.

Not only are workflow and productivity essential, but collaborative and engaging employee experiences are as well. The best way to get all of these things working together in harmony is to implement a new strategy that makes use of the latest workplace technologies.

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Guest post written by Sam L Bowman