The Leader - September/October 2008 - (Page 16) th e fu tu r e o f the W o rkp lace : W hat’ s Ne xt I s he re n n an equivalent to this legislation, thus creating different business pressures in different regions Lack of Strategic Long-Term Thinking; this has led to the ‘silo effect’ where individual practices encourage individual service habits and culture, and generally leads to the dilemma, what is acceptable in one organization may be unacceptable and irrelevant to clients in the facilities world Experience; reliance on this concept in the workplace has resulted in producing more predictable and reliable training for employees as well as developing employee expertise n Agile: this type of organization is a popular new phenomenon that encourages adaptation to new changes in the work force, workplace and the organization itself. It is comparable to a spider’s web, because it is flexible and can usually adjust in any direction. People are the main focus and at the heart of such organizations. n n n n opportuNItIes Changing patterns of work are supported and enabled by behavioral and structural changes in the organization. In contrast to the adage “one size fits all,” three types of workplace have emerged to accommodate these changes in a productive manner. Each of them supports both the personal and professional demands of the work force. n n Traditional: generally this type of organization has a small number of people at the top of the chain of command, sharing the majority of power, while the rest of the work force is below them in organizational status and power. Typically, it is quite bureaucratic and hierarchical, and many firms still exist in this form today Team-based: this is a popular variation of the traditional workplace, but flatter and more organized. It is a type of structure that allows the organization to become more creative. This, in turn, makes it more competitive and boosts employee morale Some changing work and workplace concepts are beginning to offer new opportunities for, as well as threats to, the facilities management sector. Possibilities that the world of Facilities Management (FM) and workplace design should consider have been identified as follows: n Create an office as an interpersonal meeting space n Adopt the ‘can do’ approach n Incorporate individual attitudes at a strategic decision-making level n Identify the ability of flexible working to encourage positive lifestyle changes n Understand the role of women in the workplace as a way of improving workplace efficiency n Adopt the multi-sensorial approach, particularly smell, to improve conditions in workplaces n Focus on labor mobility to recruit and retain the necessary key people n Place social and fiscal pressure on organizations to reduce business travel n Incorporate Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) into an organization as a catalyst for innovation and investment n Facilitate the convergence of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) to further expand n the flexibility of workplaces Integrate design issues into change management Ensure continued growth in services ‘Trade through space’ to increase cash flow by enabling other smaller companies to use excess space Cultivate knowledge in a creative working environment which enables organizations to adapt to the expanding knowledge economy Appreciate diversity in the workplace because economies rely on international emigrants threats Threats, conversely, that will hinder the Facilities Management and workplace design industries have been discovered to be: n Business change occurring at an astounding rate, leaving the workplace behind n Mobile working causing the industry to ask the question: Is the traditional workplace necessary? n Corporate attitudes leading to a lack of flexibility and creativity n Financial restrictions encouraging the attitude ‘can’t afford it and there are better things to do with it,’ putting research and innovation on the back burner n Quality of life being threatened as commuting issues such as inadequate transport infrastructure put a strain on the worker n Global threats of conflict and terrorism n Economic decline being set off by Chinese dominance n Legacy and loyalty issues hindering the total replacement of existing workplaces 2 0 0 8 th e le aDe r 16 septemBer / octoBer
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