As organizations begin to reimagine the future of their workplaces, it’s essential to develop a workplace strategy that puts people at the center of the plan. At Steele Strategies, we believe that a human-centered approach to workplace strategy is critical to creating a workplace where everyone can thrive. Here are five considerations to keep in mind when developing your organization’s workplace strategy:
1. Emphasize Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB)
DEIB should be a core consideration in your workplace strategy. Your space should be designed with inclusivity and accessibility in mind, from the layout of the physical environment to the technology and tools you provide to your employees. Engaging with employees will help ensure that the elements of DEIB that are woven throughout your workplace strategy are meaningful and ensure all employees feel valued and have the tools they need to succeed.
2. Prioritize Flexibility
The pandemic has shown us that workplaces need to be flexible to adapt to changing circumstances. A flexible workplace strategy should provide a mix of spaces that can accommodate different purposes, work styles and preferences. This could include open collaborative spaces, private workstations, and spaces that can be reconfigured for various purposes.
3. Consider Change Management
Change management is essential to successful workplace strategy implementation. Your employees need to understand why changes are being made and how they will benefit from them. Engaging employees in the planning and implementation of workplace changes can increase buy-in and ensure a smooth transition. According to research done by Prosci, projects with excellent change management are more than six times as likely to achieve their outcomes. Additionally, positive correlations are seen between change management effectiveness and projects staying on time and on budget.
4. Leverage Data
Data should be a critical component of your workplace strategy. Analyzing data on how your employees work, collaborate, and use space can provide valuable insights into how you can optimize your workplace environment. Surveys, focus groups, and other data collection methods can be used to gather information from employees to inform your strategy.
5. Be Agile
Workplace strategy is not a one-time event. It is an ongoing process that needs to be agile and responsive to changing circumstances. Regular assessments of your workplace strategy can help identify areas where changes need to be made to improve the work environment.
Utilizing a human-centered approach to workplace strategy that emphasizes DEI, flexibility, change management, data, and agility can help create a workplace where employees feel valued, productive, and engaged. Our team of experts is ready to help you develop and implement a customized workplace strategy that meets your organization’s unique needs and empowers your employees to excel in their work.
