Workplace Strategy

Hireside chat: The magnetism of a great company culture

Culture is the soul of your company; it’s intangible but not nebulous. In fact, it’s all around you. While you can’t quantify culture like a headcount or swipe it like a touchscreen, you can feel it. It can be the difference between an open office space and rows of beige cubicles. It can be the sound of employees collaborating or heading to lunch together. It can be an animated GIF sent in a company-wide email and the barrage of playful responses it generates. It can be giving employees the license to be themselves.

Culture is much more than a place and its perks; it’s about creating an ethos that empowers, inspires, and, ultimately, attracts. And if you do it just right, you will be known for it.

Source: mashable.com

Culture plays such a large role in workplace change initiatives that our founder, Diane Stegmeier, actually included it as one of her “15 Critical Influences” that can affect the success of implementing a new strategy. 

In this article, it is not difficult to see why.  The example company referenced had allowed a culture of distrust to manifest, and employees seemed to lack faith in and respect for their leadership.  When implementing a new workplace strategy, a challenge that could involve altering both how work gets done and in what type of environment, communication and strong leadership are a must to achieve employee buy-in.

When partnering with an organization, one of the first steps Stegmeier Consulting Group will often take is to perform a Critical Influence Analysis.  By conducting this analysis, our team will get a feel for your culture, as well as the 14 other factors that could make or break your workplace change.  Using the results, we’ll then develop recommendations and strategies to move forward appropriately.  Stegmeier Consulting does not offer canned solutions to any client.  Our work, which can involve surveys, communication plans, and program guides, is based on your organization, and what we learn about what it’s like to be part of your team.

Stegmeier Consulting Group can assist with a wide range of challenges involved in implementing a workplace change initiative.  Contact us to find out how our services can help your organization.

https://stegmeierconsulting.com/contact/

Phone: 440-846-1410

Changing the way organizations manage workplace change

Corporate Real Estate and Facilities Management

The top 5 issues affecting interior design today

Interior design is undergoing its most drastic transformation since the sustainable design revolution of the 1990s. Advances made in creative methods, the application of data, neuroscience and health, and building performance are demanding new interior design leadership.


Designers who have mastered the skills to create functional and beautiful spaces are reshaping the interior landscape, from historic preservation and adaptive re-use to innovation in newly constructed spaces to meet the needs of changing working-and-living prototypes. Design entrepreneurs have moved the delivery of their services into cyberspace and are practicing their profession in a mobile, connected community. 

Source: inhabitat.com

Functionality is just one of many aspects being taken into consideration in today’s contemporary office designs.  No longer does a phyical workplace exist solely as a place for employees to “do work”.  Instead, organizations are increasingly using workplace designs to trumpet who they are, what they do, and what they stand for.  

A common theme is the use of branding within the workplace.  Designs that relate back to a company’s product or service engage employees and enthrall visitors.  We highlighted Coca-Cola’s Toronto headquarters in a recent article, but similar approaches can be seen in workplaces such as CSX, NPR, and Goodyear Tire.

At the end of the day, however, interior designers will be pressed to answer why their new concept is in fact more efficient and will allow for increased productivity – even if one of the goals of the project was to decrease the amount of needed space!


It is at this juncture where Stegmeier Consulting Group can provide our knowledge and over 13 years of experience working with organizational change initiatives to prepare and train individuals to effectively use their new environment.  We serve as an insurance policy of sorts for design firms and corporations to make sure new workspaces are being used correctly, and that productivity does not drop during or after the transition.  If your organization is interested in partnering with Stegmeier Consulting Group for these purposes, or is in need of assistance in selecting the proper design firm for your workplace strategy, contact us.  

Telework

Collaborating Online Is Sometimes Better than Face-to-Face

If you’re embracing online collaboration as a necessary evil — the only way to work with an increasingly dispersed team of global or remote workers, for example — then you’re doing it wrong. Online collaboration is not a second-best substitute for face-to-face work: It’s a complement with its own perks and benefits.

Source: hbr.org

It’s interesting for our team at Stegmeier Consulting Group to see so many workplace change initiatives boil down to organizations attempting to enhance the communication abilities of their employees.  The open office environment, for example, seeks to encourage collaboration and “spontaneous interactions.”  Office restacks (or redesigns) often will seek to strategically relocate certain departments within a close proximity of one another in order for them to work closer together and streamline business processes.  With a growing trend focused on improving teamwork and collaboration, instituting telecommuting programs that allow for work to be completed off-site may seem counterintuitive. 

In truth, teleworking does not need to be viewed as a roadblock to refining an organization’s communication capabilities.  Instead, it can be looked upon as an opportunity.  As this article points out, one can consider the assemblage of a virtual team for instance.  Imagine an employee at location A working more regularly online with colleagues located at locations B, C, and D.  The intermixing of skill sets of employees who may otherwise never meet is a perfect chance to breed inspiration and new ideas.  And depending on where your employees are located, it’s feasible to think your organization’s projects are being worked on and passed along 24/7.    

At Stegmeier, we recognize that remote workers collaborate differently and that this shift in work-styles can be scary for many managers.  Similarly, many senior leaders may feel remote work is a necessary evil, in order to corral heightened real estate costs, but are concerned of its effects on communication, productivity, and corporate culture.  If either of these scenarios describes your organization, there are a number of ways we can help ready your workforce.  We encourage you to visit our website to learn more about our services and the clients we have helped in the past.

Stegmeier Consulting Group can assist with a wide range of challenges involved in implementing a workplace change initiative.  Contact us to find out how our services can help your organization.

https://stegmeierconsulting.com/contact/

Phone: 440-846-1410

Changing the way organizations manage workplace change


Workplace Flexibility

The Death of the 9-to-5: Why We’ll All Work Flex Schedules Soon

Several months ago, I was talking to a college senior about her career plans. She wanted a job with flexible hours, and I asked why. The young woman said she wanted the freedom to take a short nap right after lunch when her energy flagged the most and the ability to work late at night when her brain was sharpest.

If I had made a comment like this when looking for my first job 16 years ago, I would have been laughed out of the room. But coming from a college student today, the request doesn’t sound all that strange.

Source: www.themuse.com

The infusion of the Millennial generation into the workforce has laid the groundwork for significant workplace changes to take place over the next 15 to 20 years.  This article, in fact, suggests Millennials may go as far as actually abolishing the idea of a 9-5 office environment all together by the year 2030!

Seem like a radical idea?  Perhaps.  It certainly would be a break away from a longstanding tradition of how, when, and where Americans conduct business. Fortunately, organizations today are getting a taste of the workplace of the future by implementing or expanding flexible work arrangements and work from home programs.  

Organizations should not be quick to dismiss these changes as fleeting trends or office fads.  With an astounding 77% of Millennials stating flexible hours will make them more productive, it’s beyond time for employers to consider the work preferences of their people moving forward.

If your organization is seeking to implement work policies that will help attract, retain, and take advantage of the immense potential of young talent, contact Stegmeier Consulting Group.

Stegmeier Consulting Group can assist with a wide range of challenges involved in implementing a workplace change initiative.  Contact us to find out how our services can help your organization.

 
https://stegmeierconsulting.com/contact/

Phone: 440-846-1410

Changing the way organizations manage workplace change

Blog

What Employee Engagement Means And Why It Matters

Employers who fail to engage their employees are costing their company billions of dollars. What’s more, research from Gallup’s 2013 State of the Global Workplace survey, shows that this is a widespread issue — just 13 percent of worldwide employees say they are engaged at work. In the U.S., where engagement is at 30 percent, Gallup estimates that active disengagement (18 percent of the workforce) costs the economy $450 billion to $550 billion per year. While businesses are busy engaging everyone else under the sun — customers, partners, millennial and more — most employees don’t have any outlets for engagement. Thankfully, every business leader has the power to change this.

Source: www.business2community.com

In corporate environments driven largely by time, money, and customer needs, losing track of yor employees’ levels of engagement can be a costly misstep.  As this article points ou, companies with a higher rate of engaged workers tend to realize higher earnings per share.

During times of change, the importance of employee engagement becomes very apparent.  Ensuring your employees are involved and informed is crucial.  As an organization prepares to move to a new location, or make renovations to their current physical workspace, leaders must act swiftly to ensure uncertainty, and ultimately resistance, do not derail efforts.

Organizations that partner with Stegmeier Consulting Group for their workplace change initiatives will quickly come to realize that many of our services revolve around engaging their workforce.  These include, but are not limited to, creating customized surveys, conducting focus groups, and developing an employee team of “change champions” who will communicate with their fellow employees throughout a project.  We’ve witnessed these strategies effectively minimize resistance in organizations across many industries, and have helped make the overall workplace change a positive  experience for everyone involved.

Stegmeier Consulting Group can assist with a wide range of challenges involved in implementing a workplace change initiative.  Contact us to find out how our services can help your organization.

 

https://stegmeierconsulting.com/contact/

Phone: 440-846-1410

Changing the way organizations manage workplace change

Workplace Flexibility

Flexible Work Arrangements: Managers Are Key to Their Success

How would you describe flexible scheduling? Does a standard definition come to mind?

In a new SHRM survey on flexible work arrangements (FWAs), which surveyed 525 HR professionals from a randomly selected sample of SHRM’s membership, “FWAs,” “flex time,” “workplace flexibility,” “flexible scheduling,” etc. are defined under the following definition:

“… A dynamic partnership between employers and employees that defines how, when and where work gets done in ways that work for everyone involved (including families, clients and other stakeholders).”

Source: www.tlnt.com

In order for organizations to have effective flexible working arrangements, senior leaders must ensure that offerings are made in earnest and that middle managers and employees are well-informed of the policies.   This article reveals that a whopping 50% of employees in this survey find out about flexible work arrangements while on the job.  Ideally, flexible work arrangements should be trumpeted as benefit during recruitment efforts, as they can be a great draw for today’s top talent.


It comes as no surprise then that within the organizations polled, most see those arrangements used by only 1 to 25 percent of the workforce despite their availability.  Certainly not every employee needs to take advantage of a flexible work arrangement, but it would be interesting to see employee utilization numbers after proper steps have been taken to ensure all employees are fully aware of how, when, and where they are able to conduct their work.  And of course, as the article mentions, leading by example goes a long way; anytime senior leadership works flexibly, mid-level managers are more inclined to do the same, and in turn, be more open to the employees they supervise following suit.


We at Stegmeier Consulting Group understand that communicating new or changing workplace policies regarding flexible work arrangements can be challenging and need handled with no small amount of delicacy.  In many cases, clients we work with prefer us to draft timely communications to their employees that can address questions or concerns up front.  We also have experience in crafting and revising flex-work policies to ensure your organization takes an effective approach to flexible work arrangements.  Let us help your organization get everyone on the same page when it comes flex-work.  As the definition mentioned in the article implies, flex-work is a dynamic partnership between an employee and employer, and each side must do their part to ensure the program’s success!

Stegmeier Consulting Group can assist with a wide range of challenges involved in implementing a workplace change initiative.  Contact us to find out how our services can help your organization.

https://stegmeierconsulting.com/contact/

Phone: 440-846-1410

Changing the way organizations manage workplace change

Blog

A Beginner’s Guide to Managing a Remote Workforce

Source: www.skilledup.com

Elizabeth Anderson, a consultant with Stegmeier Consulting Group, was recently interviewed for an article on remote work featured on SkilledUp.com.

The article sought to introduce its readers to the concepts, trends, and perceptions of remote work currently prevalent in the business world.  Elizabeth was able to contribute her insight as to how to properly implement and grow a teleworking program from the ground up.  She also was able to provide suggestions on how to utilize technology to enhance the teleworking experience.

To read the entire article, click on the following link: A Beginner’s Guide to Managing a Remote Workforce.


Stegmeier Consulting Group can assist with a wide range of challenges involved in implementing a workplace change initiative.  Contact us to find out how our services can help your organization.

 
https://stegmeierconsulting.com/contact/

Phone: 440-846-1410

Changing the way organizations manage workplace change

 


Telework

Build the Right Virtual Team – Management Tip of the Day

Virtual teams are hard to get right. If you want to effectively lead and manage one, start by assembling the right team. You won’t get anywhere without hiring and developing people suited to virtual teamwork, putting them into the right-sized groups, and dividing the labor appropriately. When building a team, conduct behavioral interviews and personality tests to screen for qualities like good communication skills, high emotional intelligence, an ability to work independently, strong resilience to recover from snafus, and sensitivity to other cultures.

Source: legacy.hbr.org

Virtual teams are employees that work in conjunction with one another despite being located in different areas.  Sometimes these individuals are spread out across different time zones and even in different countries!  Because of this, teams must understandably be formed with care to ensure a cohesiveness can exist and the team can thrive.  

This article offers up some great suggestions on how to assemble an all-star virtual team.  Employee engagement is a great first step.  This article recommends getting to know your people and conducting assessments to better understand their styles of work, behaviors, strengths, and weaknesses.  Once a profile of the employee’s attributes is formed, the organization can plan on how to integrate that person’s strengths with the rest of the team, and shore up through training any identified areas that are lacking.

At Stegmeier Consulting Group, we’re willing to bet that the concept of virtual teams isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. With technological advancements that are consistently improving online collaboration, as well as increasing costs of travel and corporate office space, organizations will quickly realize the advantages of enabling employees to work virtually (if they don’t already.)

If your organization is interested in learning more about virtual teams and remote work, contact Stegmeier Consulting Group.  We’ll help you analyze how ready your workforce is for a change to a new style of work and can conduct the training to ensure your employees are prepared to hit the ground running.

Stegmeier Consulting Group can assist with a wide range of challenges involved in implementing a workplace change initiative.  Contact us to find out how our services can help your organization.

https://stegmeierconsulting.com/contact/

Phone: 440-846-1410

Changing the way organizations manage workplace change