The term ‘agile working’ is not new but it certainly has been popularised due to recent events. Every business is now looking to perfect agile working for the safety of their staff and so business can continue as normal as possible.
Agile working is about bringing people, processes, connectivity and technology, time and place together to find the most appropriate and effective way of working to carry out a particular task. Complete a task in any space with modular tools and adaptable processes.
This means allowing flexibility within the workplace rather than putting restrictions on staff or space. Agile working usually consists of the following:
Modular Workspace
An agile organisation provides spaces for their staff to adopt agile working approaches, this means giving your staff the proper tools to achieve their workplace goals. Staff that have a space to focus, collaborate with a colleague working remotely or in the office are essential. Numbers in the office will change on any given day so office furniture that can adapt depending on the situation is definitely the way forward.
Flexible desks, personal storage areas and easy to clean ergonomic chairs are just some of the ways you can support your staff through products.
Flexible working conditions
Remote working (in some capacity) is here to stay, flexible working hours and time in lieu can really help staff hit the right work/life balance. Flexible working has been known to increase productivity and can help employers attract and retain talent.
Creative Job Roles
Agile work environments often allow more fluidity in job roles and the division of labour, making work more varied and interesting for employees. Don’t get stuck in a rut, if there is an area of another teams work that interests you have a can-do attitude and get involved. This can help staff discover talents they didn’t know they had or give them a boost on the job ladder.
Time Management
Agile working cultures prioritise speed when carrying out tasks, brainstorming or in decision-making. The fluidity in job roles and less formal rules and regulations complement this. More people are available to complete any given task and feel empowered to do so in a way that suits them. With staff working a core hour system it means the most important aspect in order for any of this to work is to plan and track your time and tasks.
Agile working goes beyond flexible working in that an agile approach can be applied wherever and whenever you are working.
Making Agile Working a Success
There are so many factors to consider that will be unique to each company like staff size, tasks at hand, availability of technology or capacity to carry out work remotely. An agile office design that fits for one individual or organisation may feel completely wrong for another.
For agile working to be a success it should be part of the culture, this includes new hires being of the same mindset. By providing your employees with a workplace design that works for them, you can begin to create a productive, creative and motivational environment where gains will be made on individual and organisational levels.
Ultimately, the success of an agile working environment can be measured by productivity and outputs. A new style of management will need to focus on overall results and not just individual performance.
Get The Agile Workplace That Works For You
If you’re looking to transform your workplace into a more productive, efficient and successful environment in which your employees can thrive, we can help.
With our expertise and your vision, we can create the workplace that achieves its goals and retains its talent.
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