As we buckle up for the toughest financial conditions since 2008, attention in the working world is turning towards optimization.
Plenty of businesses are going with the tried and tested formula: cut jobs, save cash, improve profitability and hope for an increase in share price.
But there’s a crucial component missing. While slashing jobs may be a quick fix, it doesn’t solve deeper underlying problems around productivity and efficiency.
Enter hybrid. The work system 63% of the highest growth companies are choosing for 2023.
Getting on top of your work culture, and viewing it as a fundamental factor behind optimization, performance and growth, will help ensure your company doesn’t fall behind this year.
Real estate is at the forefront of hybrid’s powerful proposition to companies looking for optimization strategies this year.
Business leaders in a post pandemic world are looking between their workforce and their office space, at a loss for what to do. The ebb and flow of office goers can be so unpredictable that it’s hard to know what kind of space is right for the business.
Yet it can’t go on forever. Sizeable monthly rent payments are the uncomfortable reminder that you’re paying for a lot of unused space.
That’s where hybrid comes in. Implementing a tool to help manage your desk space and collaborative projects has three immediate outcomes for the office:
A combination of these three outcomes will give you unprecedented insight into the role your office plays in your company.
Finally, after all this time going back and forth, the real numbers will sit right in front of you. We only need 18 desks to operate at maximum efficiency, so why not move to a smaller office and really invest in that space?
At Kadence, we’ve seen that story time and time again. We’re in the privileged position to be helping companies first hand when it comes to uncovering exactly how their space is being used, and where the opportunity for cost optimization lies. (On that note, why not try our ROI savings calculator to see what your margins might look like?)
Implementing the right hybrid work system sooner rather than later is the first step to making considerable savings on your company’s office space.
When it comes to optimizing on performance, hybrid has a deeply important role to play.
By treating remote work and in person work as two separate entities with their unique benefits, implementing a hybrid system will not only bring out the best in both worlds – it’ll mean employees actually enjoy the process of work again.
Meetings where collaboration and co-creation are expected will be conducted in person. Workshops, brainstorms, high level strategy sessions and cross-functional all hands are all perfect examples of the kinds of meetings that are so much more efficient – and enjoyable – when hosted in person.
On the other hand, remote work will still be a valuable refuge for deep concentration and focus work. It’s just a fact that some employees prefer getting into the flow in their own spaces – and why shouldn’t they? As long as those employees play a part in the physical meetings where they can add unique value, they should be empowered to deliver high quality work wherever they see fit.
Every employee is different, and everyone has their own specific rituals and needs. Companies doing hybrid right will discover that it has a profound impact on performance, because their employees will feel empowered to deliver high value work in the way that works for them.
In the section on real estate, I hinted at the fact that hybrid work will make an office feel alive again. But how?
Managing a physical space better will mean that the traffic of people coming in and out becomes a whole lot more structured. From offices that resemble graveyards on Tuesdays and coffee shops on Fridays, companies will find that implementing a hybrid tool helps their office spaces develop a familiar rhythm once more.
If you also make sure to take good care of the space, and turn it into a destination workplace, you’ll quickly see your office become a community again. A thriving social entity that builds relationships and acts as a huge source of motivation and support.
With all the talk about quiet quitting and under-performing, it feels like it’s high time for businesses to take serious steps towards revitalizing their workforce.
Hybrid will do just that — helping companies rediscover their communities, boost motivation, and ultimately further optimize their employees’ performance. A flourishing workforce means a flourishing business.
I’ve made the case for why hybrid should be a key part of your optimization plans this year.
But the final missing link is precisely what implementation of hybrid work you go for. It’s a big decision that can mean the difference between a glorified Google Calendar and a nuanced piece of software that goes above and beyond simple desk booking.
Here at Kadence, we’re committed to helping you find just the kind of system that will help your employees and business flourish in trying times.
If you’d like to learn more about hybrid work, and tools that help you coordinate your team, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us. We’d love to hear your story and provide whatever help we can.
