The Vital Role Of Staff Engagement In Workplace Change

The pandemic has dramatically altered many aspects of life. The workplace in particular has undergone rapid changes with organisations having to re-assess the way they work and re-structure business models in order to survive. Our collective working from home experience has taught us a lot about how our people work. Businesses can now use this knowledge to better understand behaviours, technologies and space before committing to change.
 
No workplace will be the same and as we adapt to our new normal the need to involve our people is paramount. There is an opportunity to harness the best of both pre and post COVID work styles. BRM assists organisations to survey, engage and get their people involved in order to explore preferred and future ways of working.

​Staff Engagement Can Uncover Key Insights To Guide Decision Making
 

• Your Technology – How well does your current technology support the current working environment? What additional technology will you need to move to flexible/remote working?
• Remote Working – How has your team responded to their recent working from home experience? Did they feel supported? How many days per week would they like to work from home?
• Use Of Space – The space should support economic goals but should also support the wellbeing of staff. Are your people happy to hot desk? Which spaces benefit which people?
• Meeting And Collaborating – What is the preferred way of meeting? Is it online or in physical meeting rooms? How frequently does your team interact or work collaboratively?
• Wellbeing And Mental Health – Does your team feel “looked after” when it comes to their physical and mental wellbeing? To what degree do they feel the space, connectivity and management support them? Is there a return to work plan when restrictions ease? Are your people feeling scared or eager to return? What will they need to make them feel more comfortable?

 
Case Study: Staff Engagement In The Not For Profit Sector
 
BRM has recently conducted staff engagement surveys for a Melbourne-based Not-For-Profit organisation who wants to be a better steward of their resources. Needing to reduce their occupancy costs by up to 40%, the organisation is facing a decision of whether to stay in their current space or move to a new premises.
As BRM’s property team provides guidance on the space itself, our workplace consultants have conducted a series of staff surveys which will give management insights into the current needs of their teams. The outcome of BRM’s service will be a space that not only fulfills the organisation’s economic goals but supports the wellbeing of its people.

The above survey conclusions reveal a few interesting points about the staff of this particular organisation:

• We cannot rely on assumptions about our staff based on pre-COVID working conditions as people’s style of working has changed
• People value their wellbeing at work which will lead to a change in working styles
• Different meeting styles support different personalities within the organisation, i.e Zoom gives ‘quieter’ people a platform to speak, as opposed to a traditional face to face meeting environment where they would feel intimidated
• Staff are interested in increasing days off site 

 
How Engaging Your Staff Allows For A Better Change Process
 
The staff engagement service provided by BRM is not a series of numbers presented to your HR department. Rather, it is an interactive experience designed to get everyone on board the change process. Not only does staff engagement explore new ways of working, it empowers your people by offering them choice and a say in the direction of the workplace. The organisations who listen to their people experience a greater willingness to change because their people have been an active part of the change process.
 
At BRM, property and people go hand in hand. We guide organisations through decisions that are not only fiscal, but emotional and wellbeing decisions. Our property advisors could find and create the most functional workspace, but it means nothing if it doesn’t support and nurture the people within in.
 
Download our guide to staff engagement here
 
To find out more about BRM’s staff engagement services contact our workplace solutions team