The Workplace Is Broken
Like many things broken, it’s not just a mending that’s needed
Posted on 11-23-2018, Read Time: Min
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Across America, the Workplace is Broken. Yours is likely one of them.
This is occurring due to forces summarized in two words:
This is occurring due to forces summarized in two words:
- Fractures are when two elements of the business are supposed to be working together to produce a better result but aren’t doing either.
- Friction is when more energy or effort is required to get acceptable results from any interaction.
Like many things broken, it’s not just a mending that’s needed. Rather, an evaluation of how things have been traditionally done and how/why they are designed to work is required. As things change, we need this re-examination to see how to support new trends and objectives differently.
Many aspects of the workplace have changed. The biggest influencer has been the advancement of technology, which has had a huge impact on people and how (and maybe why) they work. It’s changed the game. Bedrocks of the workplace have been challenged or torn apart, as new attributes of corporate culture have emerged.
Many aspects of the workplace have changed. The biggest influencer has been the advancement of technology, which has had a huge impact on people and how (and maybe why) they work. It’s changed the game. Bedrocks of the workplace have been challenged or torn apart, as new attributes of corporate culture have emerged.
- No offices
- Mobility
- Working from home
- Work-life balance
- Bring your own device
- Collaboration
- Agile working
- Open spaces
- The Cloud
- Cyber security
- Crypto currency
What needs to be fixed? What can we re-examine to match how a modern workplace operates? Technology driven solutions are designed to achieve a single goal: raising incremental productivity and profitability. This is accomplished by implementing a methodology designed to ensure that the three ‘Swim Lanes’ that create silos converge at critical points along the continuum.
Look at the departments that impact employees and user experience day-in/day-out: Corporate Real Estate (CRE), HR and IT.
Look at the departments that impact employees and user experience day-in/day-out: Corporate Real Estate (CRE), HR and IT.
Three Swim Lanes
Due to the competing and conflicting goals and rules of Corporate Real Estate, HR, and IT, the workplace is a polarized environment where employees are stuck between these silos.
Smart, capable people that run these Swim Lanes are looking straight down to the bottom of the pool, staying in their lane. They aren’t doing intentionally; but it’s the way it’s always been done.
It’s similar to what became fractured modes in the auto industry, until W. Edwards Deming said it shouldn’t be that way. U.S. automakers weren’t interested, so he went to the Japanese, challenging concepts accepted as status quo because they’d been in place since Henry Ford. Design, manufacturing, assembly, inventory...all fractured elements and subject to re-examination and improvement. For decades after, Japanese automakers were superior in efficiencies and cohesion. Looking back it was obvious. But back then, you couldn’t get leaders to take on changes.
Same holds true for workplaces. We need to look at HR, IT and CRE in a converged manner rather than each Swim Lane delivering results measured unto only themselves, without looking at how they impact the business altogether.
Results of Fracture and Friction
Rather than asking only tactical questions, consider employees’ experience using technology to get work done. Responses consistently show that HR, IT and CRE aren’t working together in a meaningful way. Perhaps they are advising each other of what they’re doing, but ownership and accountability for outcomes certainly isn’t shared. While many blame technology apps, the real issues stem from infrastructure not supporting technology appropriately, lack of understanding as to what a solution is actually meant to be used for or how to use it, misconfigurations, and out-of-sync policies.
My findings show only 18% of the time was ‘a gap in technology’ the main stumbling block for maximizing technology. That means 82% of the time (!)was something other than not having the right tools.
Fractures and friction amongst the Swim Lanes is caused by lack of:
My findings show only 18% of the time was ‘a gap in technology’ the main stumbling block for maximizing technology. That means 82% of the time (!)was something other than not having the right tools.
Fractures and friction amongst the Swim Lanes is caused by lack of:
- Awareness (HR)
- Training (IT, HR)
- Infrastructure (CRE, IT, HR)
- Standards (IT, HR)
- Facility (CRE, IT)
- Existing support (HR, IT)
There’s no excuse for these shortcomings to exist in the modern workplace. Potential increase in productivity from remedying these simple issues is unlimited. Instituting a clear roadmap from the top down with policies and procedures can cure the ills.
Six Pillars of Technology Experience
Technology and its utilization has evolved at an accelerated pace. Focus had been on specific solutions, the new focus must be on delivering optimal experiences through the right tools, training and support.
Pillar 1: Meet
During meetings, employees need seamless operation. There’s no time for monitor, streaming or communications issues. Each team member should have the knowledge and ability to easily share pertinent information.
Pillar 2: Shared
Comfortable and aesthetically pleasing common spaces are important, even essential in the modern workplace. But enabling employees to collaborate using their own and shared devices is what turns common spaces into true productivity generators.
Pillar 3: Focus
The Right Tools + Proper Training = Maximum Productivity
Modern technology enables accelerated productivity IF tools are utilized properly. Otherwise they can lead to wasted time if a user is not properly trained. This leads to frustration, loss of focus, and a fall in productivity!
Pillar 4: Inspire
To harnessing the power of technology to raise productivity and the company’s bottom line, it is critical to align user perspectives with corporate perspective.
Pillar 5: Care
Every employee has strengths and weaknesses, with a range of technological savvy. Some require more hands-on guidance, others just an initial tutorial.
Pillar 6: Community
Cliques naturally evolve in a diverse workplace, with ensuing individual or group conflicts. However, a properly developed system allows individuals from different divisions, seniority levels and locations to connect easily, enabling them to come together and operate as a true team.
Pillar 1: Meet
During meetings, employees need seamless operation. There’s no time for monitor, streaming or communications issues. Each team member should have the knowledge and ability to easily share pertinent information.
Pillar 2: Shared
Comfortable and aesthetically pleasing common spaces are important, even essential in the modern workplace. But enabling employees to collaborate using their own and shared devices is what turns common spaces into true productivity generators.
Pillar 3: Focus
The Right Tools + Proper Training = Maximum Productivity
Modern technology enables accelerated productivity IF tools are utilized properly. Otherwise they can lead to wasted time if a user is not properly trained. This leads to frustration, loss of focus, and a fall in productivity!
Pillar 4: Inspire
To harnessing the power of technology to raise productivity and the company’s bottom line, it is critical to align user perspectives with corporate perspective.
Pillar 5: Care
Every employee has strengths and weaknesses, with a range of technological savvy. Some require more hands-on guidance, others just an initial tutorial.
Pillar 6: Community
Cliques naturally evolve in a diverse workplace, with ensuing individual or group conflicts. However, a properly developed system allows individuals from different divisions, seniority levels and locations to connect easily, enabling them to come together and operate as a true team.
Goals, Fears and Realities
"Successful leaders constantly challenge themselves and those around them". They have goals and dreams to take business to new levels. To modernize and become more agile. Leaders want to be nimble with the ability to compete even as things change.
Ask yourself:
- Is my team a collection of people or a truly unified force?
- Have I introduced inspirational concepts that provide a sense of mission? Or am I simply managing?
- Are we the target of imminent disruption?
- What can I do to help overtake our most admired competitor?
- How can I turn us into a true innovation machine?
While you may have established general goals, there is a disconnect between those goals and the day-to-day reality of the broken workplace.
We need to attract and retain talent that represents a modern corporation and future leaders.
Reality of the broken workplace:
First impressions of new, tech savvy employees are ‘it’s a mess’. They arrive on day one to no computer set up, a phone that’s not fully operational. They need to wait for login information to software essential for them to begin their work.
First impressions of new, tech savvy employees are ‘it’s a mess’. They arrive on day one to no computer set up, a phone that’s not fully operational. They need to wait for login information to software essential for them to begin their work.
We want to become a modern, mobile, flexible business, establishing a brand that supports the clients and employees that we want to attract.
Reality of the broken workplace:
Day to day decisions across HR/IT/CRE aren’t integrated, causing disjointed approaches and Swim Lane-specific decision making that results in implementation of spaces, tech infrastructure and HR policies that don’t support mobility and flexibility. Examples:
Day to day decisions across HR/IT/CRE aren’t integrated, causing disjointed approaches and Swim Lane-specific decision making that results in implementation of spaces, tech infrastructure and HR policies that don’t support mobility and flexibility. Examples:
- Desktops vs laptops – which individual needs what? Will users need personal computers in meetings? Work remotely?
- Manufacturer-specific solutions that block other manufacturers (think mobile phones and tablets)
- Policies that don’t specify or align varying working-from-home policies that complement or supplement different segments of employees.
We need employees to be skilled (or reskilled) for the digital workplace.
Reality of the broken workplace:
Employees aren’t aware of tools, training is inadequate and ineffective, awareness and training are delivered in ways that are too traditional and don’t fit the digital workplace. IT procurement policies are outdated with no great investments in tech.
Resolving Fractures and Friction
Every business is unique and every business has friction. Being agile relieves friction, making businesses more collaborative. Establishing what’s happening day to day is crucial. It is from this perspective that leaders define where they want to go, how to get—and stay--there.
The far majority of the time, the reality of employees’ day to day existence is not optimal because of the fractured nature in which HR/IT/CRE manage their silos. As the departments mainly responsible for servicing employee experience and engagement, not enough is being done to align these groups so their efforts are in sync.
Alignment is imperative. Once your version of corporate agility is defined, the only way the intent of the change is maintained is when silos are working in unison and collectively accountable to a culture of enablement that supports it. Without this effort, you’ll have employees overmatched, technologies not in sync with mobility and HR policies, modes of training that don’t fit all, company information that doesn’t hit intended targets, dysfunctional meeting spaces, and workplaces lacking modern solutions that have the added benefit of saving money.
These things cost money, drag on culture and don’t position the company to attract and retain great people. Particularly in a tight labor market, all businesses are competing for the same talent, those who will help us be more modern and competitive.
Tension between operations and innovation is beneficial. Friction and fractures aren’t.
The far majority of the time, the reality of employees’ day to day existence is not optimal because of the fractured nature in which HR/IT/CRE manage their silos. As the departments mainly responsible for servicing employee experience and engagement, not enough is being done to align these groups so their efforts are in sync.
Alignment is imperative. Once your version of corporate agility is defined, the only way the intent of the change is maintained is when silos are working in unison and collectively accountable to a culture of enablement that supports it. Without this effort, you’ll have employees overmatched, technologies not in sync with mobility and HR policies, modes of training that don’t fit all, company information that doesn’t hit intended targets, dysfunctional meeting spaces, and workplaces lacking modern solutions that have the added benefit of saving money.
These things cost money, drag on culture and don’t position the company to attract and retain great people. Particularly in a tight labor market, all businesses are competing for the same talent, those who will help us be more modern and competitive.
Tension between operations and innovation is beneficial. Friction and fractures aren’t.
Author Bio
| Tom Bradbury is a visionary leader and entrepreneur, highly experienced in the correlation of technology, human resources and corporate real estate. His firm, Workplace UX, utilizes a tech-based model for transforming fractured environments into a frictionless home for unparalleled collaboration. Closed silos, duplicative processes, confusion and conflicting goals, all give way to a singular focus on corporate achievement and, in turn, market leadership. Visit www.workplaceux.com Follow @WorkplaceUX |
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