We talk to many clients about new ways of working, mostly defined as Activity Based Working, and the potential it would have for their business.
Of course what everyone wants to know is, how to make sure it’s successful. I mean, who doesn’t want to be able to implement change without facing unhelpful resistance along the way? And in doing so, achieve an increase in engagement, an increase in productivity and create an environment where the majority of staff (> 95%) wouldn’t want to return to the traditional way of working?
If done correctly, these are just some of the benefits. We haven’t even touched on the substantial savings, better customer satisfaction and lower turnover of staff.
But, and this is a big but, its not as simple as it looks. The secret to creating a powerful concept and successful implementation lies in:
Setting a clear vision
The vision is key. Its related to the challenges of an organisation and should have as much an aspirational as an inspirational component. The senior leadership take accountability for this, and when it energizes people we know it’s the right one!
Building a desired culture
It's not about a nice and functional fit-out, or the best technology. As Peter Maher, former CEO of our first Australian client Macquarie bank stated: “It is not about the building!”. Building a desired culture that will make a difference is all about the people. The fit out and technology should always talk to this, but it should never be the other way around.
Driving strong engagement
Developing the requirements for your new way of working, through strong engagement with staff and leadership on all levels, will make sure you create the solutions that fully support your vision, and are unique for your company.
Creating valued understanding
Helping people to understand the new way of working, and supporting them to adapt and internalize it is crucial. It’s more than just communication and training. It's about creating constructive dialogue, leading, being led and taking ownership throughout the organisation.
Most organisations say that 75% or more of the success depends on the level of understanding and how well the change is embraced. Yet some organisations will only spend 10% of the total budget on this, and that won’t make it work.
Keeping it alive
It’s fair to say that the real work starts once you have moved in your new environment. We’re all human and we know that changing habits and patterns is easy to talk about but very hard to execute. So keeping the program running through the guidance of leaders, teams and individuals is critical in order for your new way of working to stay alive!
In conclusion...
It doesn’t sound that difficult, but the major challenge for most people is not having the experience to bring all these points to life. Success lies in being able to ask for help, and if its not your area of expertise then why not ask for help to get you there. 25 years in the field has at least taught us that!
Check out some of our case studies, and why not start the conversation?
Join in the conversation with us, and let us know what you think below....