A work environment is by definition a subjective experience. By the employees themselves – there is never enough room, it is too hot / too cold, there is too much noise, there is too much / too little light, there are not enough printers etc. For the managers – the building might be too spacious / too small, or the design might seem inefficient, etc. Due to this subjective experience, there is a high danger of impulse management. Such management happens when everything is done to satisfy either the managers or the employees at that moment. Why? Because a satisfied employee performs better or – the opposite scenario – if he is dissatisfied, he might leave the organisation.
To overcome this, it is important for the workplace manager – you know, the ‘old’ facility manager with a holistic view of duties, who also looks at issues such as HR, IT, mobility and sustainability – to first sort out the facts. To look at key figures and occupancy ratios, and on the basis thereof start a conversation with both employees and the management. Because of these figures, it becomes evident that efficiency in the workplace could improve.
A step by step guide to prevent impulse management
But how do you improve the workplace, and where do you start? For this, Measuremen developed the Workplace Maturity Model©, which considers three areas: means, activities and people. The first aspect focuses on all the workplace assets. The second area targets the activities and tasks carried out by the people in the workplace. Finally, the third concentrates on individual coaching and employee development.
The Workplace Maturity Model© has four phases that an organisation can go through, whilst improving workplace efficiency, namely: acknowledge, validate, manage and optimise. Each phase adds to the foundation laid in the first phase/phases. Moreover, communication and support in every phase are key, concerning both employees and the management. And with that the circle is complete. Because with this approach, the danger of impulse management will definitely disappear. As an organisation, you build up the information density step by step. This way, you make the approach to workplace efficiency in your organisation as solid as a rock.