2012 Workplace Trends Report: Integration of Workplace Solutions -- Creating Higher Value

BRIEF: Integration of Workplace Solutions -- Creating Higher Value

By Debra Daily
Vice-President Human Capital Outcomes, Sodexo

Today's workplace is hardly business as usual.There are four generations in the workforce with different work-style and life-style demands, footprint consolidation is happening everywhere, healthy employees are a must, there is a need to focus solely on core business, and if employers don't positively impact the environment, they won't be in business.  While the word “integration” in the workplace has predominantly been used in reference to IT systems and functions, a new business model for integration is emerging that is expanding this reference in order to meet the multiple business challenges described above.  “Integration” now requires employers to view the needs of its workforce and workplace services solutions much differently and in a way that delivers both, the optimal employee experience with the greatest operational value.  As a result, we foresee a new business formula for success, which includes integrating the workplace + work-style + life-style needs of the organization and its human capital, resulting in full engagement and maximized performance. 

Workplace solutions can mean anything from IT systems, to workplace design, to human resource initiatives, to wellness, facilities and more.  The inefficiencies arise for businesses when these different solutions are managed in silos. It is fairly common knowledge that siloed approaches to maximizing human capital performance can lead to communication failure, disruptions in workflow, and disgruntled employees.  There is a tremendous value proposition to the organization and its employees when workplace solutions are integrated.  It is beyond monetary.  The value is returned in terms of performance, productivity, and innovation.  Inherently, efficiency is the result when diverse systems within the workplace are “talking with each other,” and when we meet the needs of the “whole person” and not just the employee.

So, what do we mean by saying that integration of workplace solutions can create higher value? Quite simply 1+1=3.We are inferring that the combined effect of different solutions within an organization have the ability to create a positive synergistic effect if designed, managed and delivered correctly.  There are two key components of workplace solution integration that we believe bring multiple positive effects into the workplace when implemented.  These elements must be espoused by the very core - or heart of the organization - where they are modeled by leadership and funneled down to all levels.

1. A Willingness to take a Unified Approach to Creating an Exemplary Workplace Experience

There is inherent value in creating an aligned vision for the workplace experience through cross-disciplinary teams and outsourcing vendor partnerships, because they provide different perspectives on problems and strategies that maximize efficiencies.  A new lens offers an opportunity for innovation through collaboration.

For example, let us use the goal of increasing employee engagement and satisfaction, while also driving overall employee well-being. not an easy task, and here's why. 

Employee needs and workplace demands have changed: 

• The Workplace: Must be built to minimize distractions and constraints, and designed to meet the work-style and life-style preferences of employees.
• Work-Style Needs: Agile, flexible, with multiple and different places to work, connect and socialize with peers.  Must include the convergence of lifestyle solutions in order for more work/life balance, convenience and the ability to simplify lives.
• Life-Style Needs: Lifestyle improvement and behavior change is strongly by having strong social support and the “built environment.”  The workplace environment needs to default to the positive in order to make change easy.

It is obvious that a single solution, program or service will have only a minimal impact, and that businesses will need to look beyond the strategies and programs they currently have in place in order to be successful.  Solutions need to come from a combined set of resources including: facilities; service architecture professionals; real estate developers; human resources; wellness; diversity; and communication staff to manage workplace change and promote the new environment.

The most effective and efficient way to achieve this challenging goal is through a unified approach, integration of cross-disciplinary functions and outsourced solutions that impact the interdependency of the needs described above.  When managed and delivered through a single source, the combined effect of the solutions has a synergistic impact with results that are multiplicative.  These results include saving money through operational efficiencies; more opportunities to improve health and drive innovation; cost per square foot is reduced; there are fewer daily interruptions resulting in the ability for employees to focus on the most important work activities of the day.

2. A Propensity for Outcomes, Measurement & Continuous Improvement

When implementing an integrated system of workplace solutions, we should ask ourselves many questions about outcomes and measurement.  The pressures to measure solution impact will force workplaces to move beyond traditional outcomes, such as utilization and “cost per square foot,” toward value-based benefits achieved by impacting human capital.  When multiple stakeholders are asked to design more effective solutions around achieving critical business outcomes such as: employee engagement; health care cost reduction; operational efficiencies; energy and facility management; it brings to life and even greater need to understand the interdependency of the workplace, work-style and life-style needs of employees.

Most assessments, database and technology systems evaluate outcomes from one particular service or solution, significantly reducing any opportunity to uncover new solutions.  For example, how does “cost per square foot” tell us anything about productivity, innovation, quality of life or overall engagement?  Dr. Wendy Lynch, a leading researcher for Health as a Human Capital Foundation, contradicts this strategy as presented in her May 24, 2009 blog, “The most efficient solutions appear when we take information out of compartments to see how things interrelate.”  It is our belief that this approach provides the best opportunity to uncover more than what's merely apparent about the impact of a particular service, solution or measurement.  This brings to life the value of integrated workplace solutions, the need to view the workplace experience holistically and the competitive advantage it can potentially bring to businesses.

What is the cost of Business as Usual?

When workplace solutions do not “talk to one another,” and when we view employees one dimensionally, operational inefficiencies and low engagement are inevitable.  Operational inefficiency occurs in every business and only those companies who are vigilant about uncovering these inefficiencies and correcting them are capable of maintaining better outcomes across the board - including higher employee engagement and better customer relationships.  The value proposition for integration comes in many forms - most notably taking a unified approach to the workplace experience, streamlining of operations, enhancement of communication, and the incorporation of different stakeholders into the conversation in order to maximize business success.

A new business model is emerging.  A model that takes into account the efficiencies and positive, synergistic effect that results from the integration of services and solutions.one that is designed, managed and delivered in a way that meets the workplace, work-style and life-style needs of the organization's most important asset, its human capital.