Facilities management is about more than just making sure everything in an office space is running smoothly. Over the years, FMs have become a critical part of shaping office culture, from designing layouts to allocating resources. Just about every choice an FM makes can impact how employees experience their work environments. The right technology, as managed and navigated by a savvy FM, can actually help employees be more creative, inclusive and collaborative at work.
Nonsense, you say? Not so! Here are just a few of the improvements to company culture we’ve seen as a result of companies leveraging the right FM software.
Technology can help improve office communication and allow employees to track what colleagues are busy working on. Applications like Slack and Asana are great examples, but the usefulness of software doesn’t end there. Software can be used to improve communication in just about every department. Instead of forcing an employee to hunt down a member of the FM department, for instance, a good software solution allows employees to create a work request quickly and easily.
It can be as simple as sending a short request with a picture from a smartphone.
When requests aren’t lost in translation, misplaced, forgotten or ignored, employees will feel that they are being listened to and that their concerns are being addressed. Regular office complaints can damage company culture and lead to lowered morale. The right software, however, can ensure that your organization implements clear and actionable work order protocols and create open lines of communication between employees and FMs. When work orders are resolved in a timely and organized manner, employee satisfaction improves.
Collaboration, whether spontaneous or planned, is challenging when people are closed off behind cubicles or office doors. Who knows what opportunities are being missed by siloing departments and dividing IT from HR? After all, diverse teams are better at creative thinking and problem-solving than homogenous groups.
Space management software gives FMs the ability to get a handle on a dynamic facility and make use of available space more effectively. Perhaps there is an underutilized area that can be turned into a small meeting room, or perhaps certain workspace areas can be rearranged to foster greater collaboration. FMs may also want to consider the introduction of flexible seating arrangements that inspire collaboration and the cross-pollination of ideas. Desk booking software can help create and manage shared spaces where teams can work collaboratively. Hot desking, meanwhile, can allow employees to select areas that suit the kind of work they’re currently doing. A quiet corner might be perfect for deep concentration, while a cluster of workspaces close to the kitchen would encourage greater collaboration.
As mentioned, a great working environment is key to improving the employee experience, and much of this comes down to offering a workspace that is pleasant and conducive to productivity. Good FM software can lessen disruptions not only by ensuring that work requests are dealt with efficiently, but also by helping FMs create an office environment that makes the most of available space, and even by streamlining those rowdy inter-office moves. As those in charge of managing the office space, FMs are critical to the employee experience. By staying on top of daily responsibilities with the help of software, FMs can help make the office a much happier place.
With the right FM software, an employee’s first day can be made much less stressful. Any work requests associated with his or her new workspace can be generated simply, and a visual directory can make it much easier to locate new colleagues. OfficeSpace’s Visual Directory is even mobile-friendly, allowing new employees to easily find people while on the go.
Today’s FMs make countless decisions that impact a company’s culture, happiness and productivity. Good software not only streamlines the day-to-day tasks that improve employee experience, but also offer insights that result in smart, data-driven decisions. With the help of smart software, FMs can greatly improve the overall office environment.
For software that supports your FM goals, ask for a free demo of OfficeSpace today.
Photo Credits: Shutterstock / Ivanko80, Shutterstock / SFIO CRACHO, Shutterstock / Jacob Lund