How do you want to work in future?
The home office, using digital tools, and flexible working hours: these things, which became a necessity for many companies during the Covid-19 pandemic, have shown how much can change in a short time, and that less office space may be needed in the future. Fueled by the crisis, the way we work together in future will change permanently.
Our offices of the future will have to meet different requirements, look different and be used more creatively.
Advantages of transformation
Examples from our clients
Office space
40% reduction in real estate footprint
30% reduction in locations
Productivity
Average cost savings
50% reduction in internal travel costs
25% reduction in operating expenses
Employee well-being
Increased employee well-being
Successful transition to an "Office of the Future" is based on five pillars
Due to the Covid-19 crisis and the associated restrictions, new ways of working are becoming more essential than ever. Forward-looking work concepts bring numerous advantages for companies - both economically and culturally; for example, through significant cost savings due to reduced office space, increased employee productivity through adopting modern working methods, and the shift to a remote working model. These changes reduce stress and improve employee well-being - and these are just a few benefits, amongst many.
In order to successfully implement the “New Ways of Working” strategy in companies, the five pillars described below must be taken into account:
Manpower and office space
Current staffing levels, along with future office needs, can be re-evaluated and optimized in the context of factors such as core work time vs. flex work models, using a workforce planning tool. In addition, comparative analysis based on the Fit for Growth* strategic approach to unlocking performance potential is a proven Strategy& concept that can be used to reduce costs in a targeted manner, while achieving sustainable growth as a company.
*Fit for Growth is a registered service mark of PwC Strategy& LLC in the United States.
New technologies
The application of new technologies is fundamental in enabling employees to perform their work in the home office as well as they can in the regular office. For example, the ability to share a document live - and to work on it with multiple participants simultaneously - is essential. Another example is using collaboration tools, such as a chat function, to facilitate communication within the organization. In addition, knowledge should be shared and made available to all employees, to avoid siloed working. Based on an as-is analysis of the technology and requirements, we support you in finding the right provider and identifying the ideal technical solution for you.
Modern working methods
With remote working, a redefinition of collaboration and work methodology is needed, to ensure effective and smooth team-working. Applying agile methods such as "Lean" or "Design Thinking" helps to give employees structure in the new work situation, and also boosts efficiency, flexibility and productivity in an organization. However, these methods need to be implemented holistically and correctly for this to happen. It is therefore important to retrain employees, and actively establish a mindset consistent with the chosen methodology within the company. Clear communication and agreement on the availability of employees are also important with remote working, to ensure that sufficient breaks are taken and that an employee’s absence is respected by the team. We can support your company in identifying the optimum working method for you (e.g. by undertaking a gap analysis between on-site work in the office and work in the home office). A "Perform+" analysis is a further option, which takes the approach of analyzing team performance, work efficiency and productivity over time and improving them for the long term.
Corporate culture
Virtual interaction, in particular, strives for standards so that the corporate culture can be maintained even at a distance and employee trust preserved. Remote interaction between employees can be promoted by prioritizing it within the company, and developing clear rules together with employees. We employ various methods to implement this successfully, such as an Org-DNA-Profiler assessment or conducting a culture diagnosis.
Incentivization and training
It is important to ensure that the performance requirement has been clearly defined and communicated within the company. In a mobile environment, employees can be actively engaged by expanding their team skills for remote working.
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