AGILE WORKING CHECKLIST - Office Principles€¦ · Increased Innovation Agile working is the key...

AGILE WORKING CHECKLIST

A guide to implementing an agile workplace

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© Office Principles 2015 0118 975 9750

officeprinciples.com

A GUIDE TO IMPLEMENTING AN AGILE WORKPLACE

CONTENTS

» What is agile working? Page 3

» What are the drivers for agile working? Page 3

» What benefits can I expect? Page 4

» When is the best time to implement agile working? Page 6

» Who should form part of the change management team? Page 7

» What are the obvious barriers to change? Page 9

» How do you carry out the research? Page 10

» What are typical agile working spaces? Page 11

» How do I communicate with my staff? Page 11

» What technology do I need for an agile office? Page 11

» What furniture do I need for an agile office? Page 14

» How do I measure the success of agile working? Page 15

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WHAT IS AGILE WORKING?

Agile working is a workplace strategy that provides people with a choice of settings for a variety of

workplace activities. Rather than forcing individuals to undertake all their work at a traditional desk

setting, agile working allows people to decide themselves where it is most suitable work setting for

them to complete their work. Spaces are designed to create flow from intense, focused work to

impromptu meeting areas and formal meeting rooms, depending on the tasks that an individual is

undertaking. It empowers your staff to choose their working style and allows your business to contract

and expand in demand of headcount without expensive change management and alterations to the

built environment.

We need to be clear that agile working does not need to be a hot-desking programme in order for it to

be implemented. An agile office offers multiple work settings to support a shared desking strategy.

Also agile working isn’t a working from home programme. That can be part of an agile working

strategy if the organisation decides to implement a flexible working policy. However, agile working

essentially focuses on the experience the employee has whilst in their office environment.

Creating an office environment that will accommodate an agile working strategy can be daunting, but

by breaking everything down, and considering all the stages, it will make the task a lot easier.

WHAT ARE THE DRIVERS FOR AGILE WORKING?

There are several key drivers to agile working and if it is to be executed well, businesses should not

overlook the benefits that come with designing a flexible working concept. Adopting a smarter way of

working can result in a faster, cheaper and more sustainable methods of work strategy.

Does your workplace support business growth and objectives?

Does your workplace create brand differentiation?

Does your workplace drive talent retention and attraction?

Does your workplace support your sustainability credentials?

Is your workplace cost efficient?

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WHAT BENEFITS CAN I EXPECT?

In a recent letter to the Daily Telegraph, 22 corporate bosses, which include Ian Livingston, chief

executive of BT, Martyn Phillips, chief executive of B&Q, Mark Ovenden, chairman of Ford Motor

Company, and Adam Crozier, boss of ITV, said: "Our companies and organisations differ in size,

sector and location but we share a common view that workforce agility is generating significant and

tangible financial benefits for our businesses." Check which benefits could be important to your

company?

Reduce real estate costs

Traditional office space is costly for any business. Real estate is a big part of the equation

when it comes to reducing your overheads. By investing in an agile environment your

organisation can save on rent, service charges, rates, heating, maintenance, lighting, staff

turnover and more.

Space utilisation

A lot of companies are spending money on space that is under-occupied. The introduction of

agile working sees a significant improvement on workplace efficiency, as staff now require a

reduced amount of personal space. This results in a significant reduction in terms of fit-out and

occupational costs or can free up space for other work, social and leisure purposes.

Accommodate a fluctuating workforce

An agile office is built with change in mind, preparing your company for inevitable demands.

Because space and resource efficiency are key functions in an agile workplace, your business

can readily adapt to speedy expansions and contractions.

Increased productivity and efficiency

It is vital to create an efficient and optimal working area where your team can feel energised

and motivated. Not only can a great agile office design strategy elevate productivity and

morale, but it can also help to promote and reinforce a corporate identity. Agile working

empowers the staff and helps them feel engaged and appreciated.

Reduce carbon footprint

Designing a new office brings the opportunity to creating a greener and smarter workplace.

This can greatly improve sustainability while reducing cost and your company’s carbon

footprint.

Attract and retain the best talent

A stimulating workplace encourages staff to stay with their employer, inspires new talent to

want to join and generally builds the brand’s reputation as the employer of choice. Agile

working creates an environment that reflects the value of your brand and consistently attracts

and retains the best people which are a vital ingredient to the success of your business.

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Increase staff engagement

An agile office can increase flexibility in communication and staff engagement. In doing so the

business can create a more responsive and measurably productive way of working that can

lead to increasing profitability.

Reduce absenteeism costs

Absenteeism comes at a high cost for the employer. A survey performed by The Chartered

Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) showed that 56% of employers found that

absenteeism dropped after they adopted new ways of working. One of the major causes of

employee absence is lack of motivation. By optimising your workplace you can improve the

enjoyment that staff experience when coming into the office and therefore boosting the

incentive to come to work.

Business continuity

Agile working enhances corporate resilience and business continuity. Indeed, for many

organisations, the capacity to maintain operations through major incidents is the principal

business driver for agile working.

Improved staff performance

Take a look at exceptional companies such as Google, Unilever and BT who have maintained

an outstanding reputation as employers. By creating a stimulating workplace and valuing their

workers; they benefit from staff loyalty and high performance. A well-designed office will enable

staff to be truly dynamic through different styles of work and is the foundation for a high

performance workplace

Increased Innovation

Agile working is the key to increasing creativity and innovation within a workplace. An effective

design strategy can help to stimulate divergent levels of thinking by providing a surrounding

that is responsive to employee needs, therefore keeping workers engaged.

Increase brand equity

First impressions are everything in the corporate world. How a customer views your

organisation is crucial to your business image. A successful design can act as a great

advertising strategy by portraying your company as a strong and dynamic workforce.

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WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO IMPLEMENT AGILE WORKING?

Refurbishing & Relocation

These are the main catalyst when considering workplace optimisation. A new building is a

great opportunity to implement an agile strategy, as it starts as a blank canvas, saving you the

time and hassle of removing or changing existing structures, furniture and fixtures.

New Technology

Emerging technologies mean that your office will need to be able to accommodate how they

work if you want to keep up with your competitors. It’s a good idea to start thinking about

future-proofing your office for these advancements, in order to fully take on board a more

efficient way of working.

Leadership Change

A change in leadership can often be the motivation for change in the office and thus an

opportunity for a positive change. This is a great time to implement agile working to instil new

innovation; making the office work more efficiently is a great way to reshape the company and

stamp the new personality of new leadership.

Expansion & Project launches

You may need new spaces to accommodate new teams or product launches. A major benefit

of agile working is increased shared knowledge amongst colleagues, so the transition and

development of new workers into the office is seamless or at least minimises disruption.

Merger & Acquisitions

Merging companies can present issues with combining different cultures. You need to be able

to accommodate the growth or consolidation as well as personal needs from both

organisations. An in-depth analysis of both organisations and a change management

programme can bridge cultural differences and create a harmonious organisation.

Lease Event

A lease event can be a great opportunity to implement agile working. Given the efficiency of

agile working, you may find yourself needing less space, thus reducing property costs or it may

be possible to consolidate into less space and consider sub-letting some of your current floor

space.

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WHO SHOULD FORM PART OF THE CHANGE MANAGEMENT TEAM?

The CEO

The CEO will want the office to support his vision and brand, and will want to have the ultimate

say over the design and costs.

Finance Director

The finance director will want to reduce premises overheads whilst accommodating a growth

strategy, and will be very interested in the ROI that an agile working strategy will bring to the

company

IT Director

Technology will be important in the implementation of an agile working environment and the

company may need to make some heavy investments into new IT systems and telephony.

Operations director

The operations director will be interested in solutions to reduce the company’s carbon footprint

and meeting the sustainability targets as well as operational efficiencies.

Human Resources

The HR manager will be interested in creating an office environment that will motivate and

support the staff and attracts the best people for the future.

Facilities Manager

The facilities team will want an office environment that will respond to the challenge of more

staff in less space and to minimise churn and changes as the organisation develops.

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Office Manager

The office manager has an ear to the ground, and knows what is going on, on a day-to-day

basis. They will have valuable input into the type of office space that will best support your

employees. They also make good ‘change champions’ and are a vital link and mouth piece.

Marketing

Marketing will want to ensure that the new office environment reflects the company’s brand and

image.

Workplace Strategy Consultant

A workplace consultant will guide you through the change management process and provides

a needed conduit between the senior management and the staff.

Designer

A great design is critical to the success of an agile working environment, and your designer

needs to work closely with the workplace strategy consultant to define the brief and create the

perfect office layout.

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WHAT ARE THE OBVIOUS BARRIERS TO CHANGE?

Even with the best intentions, at least two thirds of change initiatives fail globally. Workplace change is

no exception. Few of the companies that have been exploring new ways of working have been able to

roll out their change programs without encountering some difficulties. Likely change management

challenges for agile working are:

Staff fear of the unknown and fear of change

Consistent and frequent messaging through the change management program is paramount

along with one-on-one reassurance and engagement workshops.

Fear of new technology

Technology is not only getting smaller, it’s getting a lot smarter, and evolving a lot more

quickly. The biggest demand in an agile environment is for bandwidth, and widespread

availability – there’s no point in offering instant connectivity, if everyone is greeted by the

spinning wheel of death whenever they try to connect. Employees should be well versed in

how to use the technical tools available to support them in an agile working environment.

Concern over loss of personal space / identity

Many department heads rail at the idea of giving up their offices and personal space, but those

that have, often report that they feel much more in touch with their teams and part of the

business as a whole.

Executive / Board buy-in

Executive coaching may be needed for leadership who are struggling to see the value of agile

working, or one-on-one sessions with individual resisters with the change management

consultant or executive sponsor.

Employees fear of ‘not being seen’ in the office

Agile working requires a change to a trust-based leadership model whereby leaders manage

by outcome rather than line-of-sight. Managing a mobile team requires managers to have a

higher degree of trust and a different communication approach to ensure objectives are clear,

achievable and measurable.

Cost

If your company is committed to an agile working solution then the first challenge that you are

likely to face is building a compelling business case. This will also serve as the ROI calculator

and ultimately contain a number of the effectiveness measurement metrics.

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HOW DO YOU CARRY OUT THE RESEARCH?

The first place to start is through a leadership workshop or briefing session. We would expect this to be

attended by the key project champions and senior stakeholders, who are in a position to make

decisions within the organisation. Through this meeting we will introduce the workplace strategy teams

that will transform your office into a highly cost-efficient workplace that minimises the disruption to your

business.

Goals for an agile workplace

It is important to capture the aspirations of a business through an outline brief. The drivers of

the project should be identified, which could range from creating a more efficient workplace

and rationalising space usage, to enabling a higher level of occupancy. Objectives, projections

and goals are all key building blocks that will help the team deliver an optimised workplace

design within the desired timescale and budget.

Space Occupancy Study

A space occupancy study (SOS) is a gathering of physical raw data based upon the current

workplace performance. This will enable analysis of the levels of utilisation as well as how

meeting rooms, cellular offices, break out and general support areas as well as the room

booking systems are performing. This data is obtained typically over a 2 week period and

during a time that is not public holidays, peak holiday season or including any specific event

which will likely impact upon the office occupancy.

Discovery Workshops

Once the SOS has been conducted the staff interviewing process can be started. This process

enables a dip check of all the data to be obtained and ensure that it is valid. Teams will be

monitored to understand key differences in the survey data and SOS as well as gain a more

thorough understanding of how team function within the larger organisation.

Staff Surveys

The interviews will be followed up with a staff survey. This can take the form of a paper based

questionnaire given to all staff or preferably, an email link to an electronic survey form. The data

obtained is strictly anonymous to ensure that a true understanding of staff and their concerns is

obtained.

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WHAT ARE TYPICAL AGILE WORKING SPACES?

When considering the design of your agile working environment you will need to ensure that there are a

number of different work settings that people can interact with. These can include:

Private spaces

Acoustic pods

Town hall area

Collaboration zones

Formal meeting rooms

Brainstorming areas

Team work benches

Sit-stand tables

Chill-out and social areas

Training spaces

Atrium settings

Informal meeting spaces

Kitchen and cafe areas

HOW DO I COMMUNICATE WITH MY STAFF?

Agile working is a ‘new way of working’, and you will need to communicate well with your staff in order

to ensure that they feel included. The communications should include:

Homeworking policy

When implementing agile working, you will need to be clear as to whether this includes working

from home. Properly detailed policies should be implemented so that managers and

colleagues are aware of when it is appropriate to work from home and when it isn’t.

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IT Protocols and training

Technology is often a significant percentage of the total investment for organisations who

implement agile working, so training should form an important component to the change

management programme. Employees should feel that they have the necessary skills and tools

available to support them in an agile working environment.

Way-finding and support

An agile working environment may have less than 50% of its space given over to fixed desking

and tables, which can see several changes of occupant each day. With almost half the

building made up of informal and collaboration zones, which again see high utilisation, the

pressure on good housekeeping is significant. In several locations where agility has been

introduced successfully, the building operators have also introduced a concierge service for

each floor. The concierge’s role is to ensure that the building is being used most effectively.

Alongside this staff need to understand the new ‘housekeeping rules’ so that everyone is

looking after the space and keeping it tidy.

Leadership / Management by results

Agile working requires moving to a trust-based leadership model whereby leaders manage by

outcome rather than line-of-sight. Leadership need to refine their approach to accommodate

the greater diversity of personal and professional preferences that are likely to materialise in an

agile working environment.

Flexibility / Working hours

Within the agile working strategy you will need to decide how much flexibility you will give to

employees including home working, flexible working hours, part-time work and compressed

work week.

WHAT TECHNOLOGY DO I NEED IN AN AGILE OFFICE?

Cloud Services

With the introduction of Cloud services, your company may benefit from remotely hosted

information and storage; potentially saving on the costs of everyday software products. Major

corporations are now using iPads and other on-the-go technology to achieve maximum

productivity. Young workers can easily access social networking platforms and blogs to

engage with clients. This new way of working has resulted in data being easily stored and

accessed from anywhere at any time. The inconvenience of a power loss causing your

company to lose valuable data and work are a thing of the past. With agile working, the remedy

to this problem is for your team to simply relocate to somewhere they can gain access to the

internet. In today’s world it’s as simple as connecting to a different network especially with Wi-Fi

becoming widely accessible for free.

Video Communication

Within the last 5 years we have seen a huge rise in video conferencing. People are able to

access video communication using free applications such as Apple’s Face-Time feature and

Skype’s video chat. In particular, the utilisation of Skype for video conference and collaboration

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allow companies to communicate more effectively while avoiding disruption to their daily

schedule. The cost savings of travel time and flight expenses can be significant.

Flat-screen Displays

Flat-screens have become hugely popular in the corporate world. Because advanced

technology is readily available to us, with a little creativity, flat-screens can become a valuable

business tool. These systems can also be linked to other mobile devices and cloud services

allowing you to access data you may not have on hand. Some monitors like Apple TV come

fully equipped with a program that allows you to mirror your computer screen; a powerful tool

for PowerPoint presentations and when you need to share a screen with clients.

Laptops & Tablets

Tablets and personal computers are handy on-the-go tools for any business. A new trend in

the workplace is the use of these mobile and personal devices instead of desktop systems.

With staff not always working from the office these devices provide an efficient means of

communication across the team. You will find that all laptops and tablets are able to access

cloud services and with software like Dropbox, workers can easily send and receive files from

anywhere there is access to the internet. Tablets are designed as a user-friendly tool and are a

great way to stay connected to social media platforms. With this in mind, workers of all age

groups can utilise them with ease.

Mobile Units

With the evolution of mobile technology and gadgets, we have seen an increase in Wi-Fi

hotspots that are available to anyone. This free global technology means businesses are no

longer tied to a particular location. Workers can connect to their workplace without physically

being there, simply by utilising cloud technology and remote access. This is becoming

increasingly true as we have even begun to see mobile printing. ‘Follow-Me’ printing is

becoming ever so popular with its on-the-go features allowing users to print from any enabled

device, from anywhere. With full flexibility in mind, you can even print using your smart phone or

tablet device.

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WHAT FURNITURE DO I NEED FOR AN AGILE OFFICE?

Demountable pods and booth areas

Discover the benefit of having flexible furniture that allows for privacy within the hustle and

bustle of an open plan office. There are numerous ways these semi-closed pods can help your

company save on refurbishing. They don’t require planning permission and there’s no need to

go to drastic measures of constructing or deconstructing walls. Not only are office pods space

efficient and cost-effective; they can be utilised by all kinds of workers from different

demographic and personality groups. The implementation of high-back seating areas has

evolved into a sophisticated tool for offices, as it provides flexible and informal, private meeting

areas.

Collaboration benches & Soft seating areas

Face-to-face interaction is important for the well-being of staff and is a basic human necessity.

Establishing a collaborative area where employees can come together for team projects can

have an enormous effect on interactivity. Collaboration benches and open seating areas

encourage communication within the comforts of an informal setting and can be highly efficient

way to utilise space. Alongside the pods and semi-closed booths, collaboration benches

support a flexible approach to working and allow staff to flow freely from group assignments to

concentrated tasks.

Personal locker space

When you implement agile working and remove the safe zone that is a personal desk, it’s vital

that staff still have a space to keep their things. People need a touch of personalisation in order

to feel they have control of their environment. To unlock the full potential of an agile office,

employees need to understand that not having an assigned desk does not mean their position

is under threat. Incorporating personal lockers can also efficiently utilise space, it is a

compromise that means staff will become more comfortable with the idea of flexible working.

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HOW DO I MEASURE THE SUCCESS OF AGILE WORKING?

Companies that implement agile working should have a combination of both qualitative and

quantitative metrics to measure overall effectiveness.

Quantitative - The easiest way to demonstrate value is from a real estate perspective, which might

include:

Reduced rental costs

Ability to consolidate locations

Reduced churn costs

Energy savings

Improved space utilisation

Extended life of assets

Improved product cycle times

Positive impact on human performance

Financial performance

Overall organisation performance

Reduced dilapidation liabilities

Qualitative – In addition to the hard and fast metrics outlined above, most organisations have also

pursued some qualitative metrics to get an overall read on the effectiveness of their agile working

program. These include:

Increased collaboration

Ability to get projects across the line quicker by forming and dissolving clusters with relevant

teams through the life of the project

Better access to leadership

Less reliance on paper documentation

A clearer understanding of the strategic direction of the organisation

Improved staff engagement and involvement

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If you feel that agile working could benefit your organisation then speak

to a member of the team at Office Principles who would love to discuss

your individual requirements. Our phone number is 0118 975 9750.

Cyril Parsons

Managing Director

[email protected]

Hannah Nardini

Workplace Consultant

[email protected]

Stuart Jefferson

Senior Designer

[email protected]

Office Principles

Principle House

472 Basingstoke Road

Reading

RG2 0QN

Tel: 0118 975 9750

Email: [email protected]

Web: www.officeprinciples.com

mailto:[email protected]




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