Gone are the days of “Nobody needs to know” and “It’s none of their business”. A business is also the worker’s business, and employees like to hear about how their company is performing. This makes people feel like a collaborative team and encourages ideas.
More and more companies are embracing an open culture. Regular video updates, internal communication channels like Yammer, and company newsletters are all being utilised to help unite ever expanding businesses and keep everybody in the loop.
You might like to download this e-guide: “Workspace Occupancy Study communications guide.”
Communicating changes within the business is particularly important, especially when it involves the physical workplace. Life can become very difficult for business leaders if they upset their people, and unhappy people can have a huge impact on productivity.
Technology helps manage change
Technology can help to manage these changes and ensure that you create the right environments for your people. However, it’s crucial that any changes are still communicated ahead of any action being taken.
Take Condeco Sense studies for instance. How would you feel if you came into work one day and a strange man was fixing a sensor under your desk to monitor its occupancy? Pretty invaded and uncomfortable? Not only would you be paranoid that you were being assessed, but you’d also change your natural working habits – resulting in a useless set of study data.
Be transparent – Workplace occupancy sensor studies
Companies needs to be completely transparent ahead of the study. Involve your people and make sure they understand the purpose of the study. Let them know how the results are going to benefit them in the future. Suddenly a sensor under the desk can have a completely different meaning to people. It means they can work from home a few days a week and sit wherever they want throughout the day. It means they are getting a swanky new office with a comfy sofa area and private booths. People will change their mind set from “they’re spying on us”, to “finally they’re looking after us”.
Sharing information also creates a sense of leadership rather than the feeling of a dictatorship. Senior management teams need to demonstrate that they are embracing the change first and leading by example. This will ensure your people don’t feel penalized or singled out. It’s much easier and more effective to change from top-down.
Trust
Transparency within a business creates trust. With trust employees will feel happier and more aligned to the company and its objectives. This in turn will build a stronger, more collaborative and productive team.