TWEP - Episode 19 - Workplace Culture - The elephant in the room

The Workplace Experience

This week lets talk about one of the biggest issues organisations are struggling with, Workplace Culture.

There is a shopping list of things that can easily, that is right easily tip a workplace culture that is operating in equilibrium or powering ahead

The first two, Workplace Environment and Flexible Working have an impact on the third, Workplace Culture. Post the pandemic many organisations of various sizes are struggling with maintaining or at worst even reinstating either workplace culture.

During and after the pandemic the traditional role or people and the work place was generally handed over to HR. But was it really the right decision. Workplace experience is a large part of the employee experience, which was the traditional HR remit. Our HR partners have a could have a great assets in their "kit of parts" being the office, but without their facilities bed fellows or knowing how to lead the change management in this space, it will be like hammering a nail in with a $3 hammer.

Our HR Partners have been tasked to lead return to the office, or organisational hybrid working or return to the office practices and protocols, even the oversight on what should happen if there was another pandemic wave, that the population was not vaccinated against.

This is often driven by Senior Leadership, as it looks to fit. But the expertise on the building access, its facilities, the commercial relationships with building owners, vendors and suppliers sit with the FM or Corporate Real Estate Team. These experts drive the success of the such directives.

What makes the workplace environment be the winner over working from home, the pub (don’t laugh, you might feel envious, I was envious watching a lady between zoom calls eat a dozen oysters, washed down with a glass of sparkling wine at 2pm on a Thursday afternoon. (ok so I'm hearing everyone say HR policy, blah blah blah, better than a clients employee I had to pick up some workplace survey data from which was handed to me off the home office desk next to the bong - now I am hearing the ahhs

There needs to be visible change in the workplace environment. Many workplaces were spatially bastariszed prior to COVID to ensure there was a desk for new starters. The post pandemic workplace needs to resolve these issues. Employees still consider the health considerations and social distancing as more important than prior to the pandemic. It needs to remain front of mind to ensure your people consider the workplace as one of the safest places they can be.

People must be able to see change. They must be able to understand and appreciate changes that they can't see. The things that are important like increased cleaning commitment, day cleaning, access to the building, end of trip and building facilities such as lobby cafes, communal meeting spaces just to name a few.

It is also important for management is continue to remind occupiers of the importance of physical distancing, remember physical distancing not social distancing. We need al people to be less distant socially, we need higher level of engagement to assist in maintaining and improving the workplace culture.

Senior leadership should not under estimate their people, you cant put lipstick on a pig - you can but you may as well save your 10 bucks. The physical workplace environment is one of the most powerful tools in the kit of parts that can keep your workplace culture on track or contribute to the successful power house of an organisation. Any shortcuts will be discovered if you like it or not, there is only room for genuine effort. Often HR also does not understand the true value of a functional, effective and easy to use workplace.

The workplace truly does contribute to workplace culture. Don’t underestimate it , but let’s face it, it’s&