Thinking about working environments holistically – how people, places and technology work together
We recently had the opportunity to organise a panel at New Work Evolution. There, we discussed how people, places and technology interact when we think about working environments holistically. We are all aware that our world of work is constantly changing. To meet these changes, we need new solutions. New ideas and thoughts require new perspectives. This is precisely what our interdisciplinary User Centric Spaces and Places team is working on.
Our mission is to create spaces that connect people and their ideas; places that promote creativity and collaboration, that build bridges between the physical and virtual worlds. The challenges are manifold.
Our experts design, optimise, plan, implement and organise new working environments so that they function as desired in practice and meet all expectations. To achieve this, we take a holistic approach that focuses on people, places and technology.
Very important: the right support.
Engaging and activating people
Changes have an effect on people. They are often associated with fears and worries. In one of our projects, a company is changing location and moving to a new building. It is a big change for the 1600 employees.
They need time and experience to get used to and adapt to the new working environment and changed working methods. There are no longer any fixed workstations in the reduced office space; instead, there is desk sharing, activity-based working and hybrid working. This opens up many opportunities for employees that a modern office concept offers them. It is a learning process in which people need to be taken on board. Then they will understand buildings and technology as tools and be able to decide for themselves how they want to use them.
That’s why we get involved early on in the project and support the transition in various teams. Through in-depth analysis, we want to understand exactly how an organisation is structured, how employees work and how the premises are utilised. The findings about the processes and utilisation requirements are used to create a customised concept, because:
There is no one-size-fits-all solution in office planning.
It is essential for the success of the transformation process to mobilise a company’s senior management to lead by example. Managers must set an example of change and provide clear guidance to make the transition easier and encourage employees.
Technology follows function
Modern technologies are driving such change processes. But technology does not work alone. Rather, it is a support tool. Technology can help to achieve a desired goal if it is used correctly. It is not an end in itself, but is subordinate to the need, the purpose, the nature of the space or the behaviour of the user. The individual use case dictates which technology is used in the project.
Here too, from a planning perspective, an understanding of the structures, processes and the objective must first be developed in order to translate them into a technological design.
Three core aspects need to be considered here: Communication, collaboration and organisation. Nowadays, these must be thought of as hybrid. The transformation of society, the world of work and organisations is here to stay. For these new approaches to be accepted, digital processes must be intuitive and permeable. They must help to improve collaboration, increase productivity and strengthen competitiveness. Users must be empowered to use the technologies profitably and not see the technology as an obstacle or replacement.
Even if technological development continues to advance, personal interaction remains very important in many cases. A video conference, for example, still cannot achieve the closeness and sense of togetherness of a face-to-face meeting. Body language or moods in the room, for example, are far more difficult to read online. Too much is still lost in digital communication, even if new approaches to communication and increasing immersion are constantly being worked on.
It is therefore important to create several offerings in parallel and to design inviting places with a quality of stay for coming together, the use of which is particularly suitable for certain activities and situations depending on requirements.
One common goal
Places, technologies and people can only work together. Change can succeed if everything interlocks and all project participants act as a community. Ultimately, you also need the right mindset. Being open to trying out new things; having the courage to make mistakes. Our appeal: change can also be fun if you see it as further development and pursue a common goal.