The overwhelming majority of players and specialists active in the world of workspaces remain perplexed: it should no longer be necessary to remind people of the importance of attractive, safe, and efficient concepts, as the media, social networks and companies have popularized this topic repeatedly. But the reality is quite different.
It seems that we are still confronted with the same old thinking, from “it’s been done before” to “there’s no need to invest in it” to “we know how to do it”.
Let’s be honest: if some experts or consultants are looking to exploit the market, most players want to make their experience, their experiences, their know-how available because they are convinced that the topic is very - too - sensitive to be discussed only internally and between two work sessions…
The pandemic, certain “new” restrictions, generational changes, and market constraints require companies to be twice as adaptable and responsive.
If companies in the secondary sector are experiencing a relatively slow evolution, the tertiary sector is during a veritable hurricane of paradigm changes. So how can we react correctly without panicking?
The following elements can be used as food for thought:
• Are we seeing a change in the way our clients and partners interact with us and how do we respond? Do they still come to our offices as much as they used to, or do we have to find alternatives?
• Are we facing a major generational shift in the next 4-5 years in terms of both our clients and our staff?
• Do we need to bring all our staff on site at the same time? And if so, at what pace, under what conditions, etc.?
• How much of the staff must travel for the company’s business activities? What about their travel to and from work?
• How can we improve performance and - at the same time - employee satisfaction?
• Are our business and management models, our governance still relevant?
Being able to answer these questions positively does not yet mean that the workspaces are adequate: It is a matter of complementing these reflections with more “immersive” approaches by combining a whole series of factors so as not to invest in the wrong place.
There are no right or wrong answers, but a minimum of “standards” must be part of the solution catalog. In most of the cases known or reported, companies are in the middle of the road, unable to reap the benefits of an integrated and well-thought-out solution.
At the risk of being labeled as a “vendor of consulting hours”, the best solution is often born from “internal-external” collaboration. Beyond this somewhat short-sighted view, it is the real mess that is observed in many companies that encourages us to emphasize these points. In a country of SMEs, it is essential that awareness is multiple, because it is the entire economic fabric that is impacted.
Have a good week, good thoughts and see you soon.