Purpose, Policy, Technology – the Toolkit for a Successful Workplace

When I’ve met with clients recently they’ve told me, more often than not, that attracting employees back into the office is high up on their agendas. Those that have enforced a formal return-to-office mandate want help justifying that to their employees, and those that haven’t launched a mandate want to see improvement. Both are looking for the answer to the same question: what do employees want from their workplace?

The answer isn’t simple, and it starts with understanding our people. Firstly, the last few years have brought a seismic shift in the expectations of employees. They’ve seen they can be successful remotely with just a screen, a desk and some peace and quiet. People have become accustomed to having the flexibility to separate collaboration time and focused work time – and without paying the ever-rising costs of commuting.

How can we start to overcome these challenges? By laying out a clear framework for workplace success. We start with purpose – clarifying exactly what the workplace is there for and why it’s valuable for employees. Next we lay out a policy, equipping employees with the knowledge they need to fully utilise the tools at their disposal. And finally we enhance that success with technology, steadily improving an already successful model. 

So let’s break those three steps down a little further.

A Purpose-Driven Workplace

Our recent State of the Workplace survey alongside WORKTECH Academy revealed that while 67% of senior management thought their workplace supported their needs, only 46% of junior employees said the same.

For many of us the office has always simply been the place you worked. Whether that meant meeting clients, brainstorming sessions with colleagues or quietly working at a desk, the office was the place to do it. For a modern workplace that’s not quite the case. 

Most of us have now experienced remote or hybrid work, and some younger employees might even be entering the office for the first time. Your workplace can no longer be the only place to work – its new purpose is to be the best place to work. 

Creating an optimised working environment means catering to the diverse expectations employees now have. That means quiet spaces for focus, breakout spaces to catch up or meeting rooms for collaboration – even factoring in neurodiversity or other special requirements people might be equipped for at home but make the office more challenging. 

Capturing employee feedback can help inform which of these areas are successful and who finds them either supportive or lacking. For example, our recent State of the Workplace survey alongside WORKTECH Academy revealed that while 67% of senior management thought their workplace supported their needs, only 46% of junior employees said the same. This disconnect is closely linked to another key factor for a successful workplace: policy.

Clear Policies Empower Employees 

A successful culture starts at the top of a business. But while senior employees might have a full understanding of the resources and facilities open to them, that same knowledge may not be fed further down the hierarchy. A clear policy or working approach helps clarify how leadership intends employees to work, educating them on why decisions have been made and empowering them to use the tools at their disposal.

For example, hybrid working may be more challenging for those in the office if remote meeting attendees don’t switch on their camera, or in-person staff are huddled around one laptop screen. By stating in policy that meeting attendees are expected to have their camera on, and allocating enough rooms with larger screens as hybrid meeting spaces, all users can benefit from a smoother experience.

 “A workplace that clarifies its purpose, codifies that with policy, and augments its success with technology becomes a workplace that employees benefit from working at.”

A well-communicated policy also helps employees feel engaged with their work environment – as though they are trusted to make decisions on how best to achieve their goals. It means employees aren’t asking management for permission, or querying business services teams on what functionality a software has. Instead they can focus on carrying out their work and generating value. 

Technological Evolution – Not Revolution

Perhaps most importantly given the increasing usage of AI, policy is also vital to keep employees up to speed with new technology. The majority of AI initiatives fail not because of functionality, but due to a knowledge gap within the organisation. Policy plays a vital role in democratising AI usage – instead of only decision-makers benefitting from AI, educating everyone only increases the value technology can offer.

The first thing to understand about AI and workplace technology is that it isn’t there to paper over the cracks. An ineffective workflow is still ineffective even if you introduce technology into the mix. Once a workplace is offering facilities that employees want to engage with and people are clear on how they are expected to work, technology can be introduced to streamline an already successful approach. 

The purpose of Innovation is chiefly to reduce workplace friction and create a smoother employee experience. This comes from solutions like virtual check-ins, intuitive room and desk booking systems, digital mailrooms, and generative AI support. For all of the above, the core of the solution focuses on improving the user experience, not rethinking it. Visitors are still receiving a QR code to check in to an office, but doing it virtually avoids the queue. Employees are still set the same tasks to complete, but through AI training and access can leverage generative tools to become more productive. It’s an evolution, not a revolution.

Roadmap for Success

A workplace that clarifies its purpose, codifies that with policy, and augments its success with technology becomes a workplace that employees benefit from working at. They feel supported and empowered, and understand why they would take the time to visit the office rather than working at home. Employee experience is the priority if we want to increase our office attendance and productivity, and emphasising purpose, policy and technology is the roadmap to achieve that goal.