Claire Moran is a Director within Project Management & Building Consultancy at Knight Frank. She joined Knight Frank in 2011 and has over 13 years’ experience in the property industry specialising in workplace strategy and delivery. Claire has worked for clients such as Sandran, AMP Capital, Barclays Global Investors, Macquarie Bank, SMEC, Canon Australia, SAP Australia, Fujitsu, Nestlé, Vistaprint, Singtel Optus and Rabobank. Claire is a member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (MRICS).

Why can’t I connect? The screen won’t present and I’m meant to be on in five minutes! I’ve spent an hour in traffic and all the desks are gone! I can’t find Jane, she said she’d be in. Sitting in front of that grey wall again. How does that bloke do it – rain or shine, he greets me with a smile.

Does the above sound familiar? As many question the need and purpose of the office and the future of ‘hybrid’ working as we embark upon our heightened and far more dynamic future, one thing is for sure – the increased importance of ‘the experience with work’ has never been more paramount for organisations.

In an ever more competitive landscape where we’ve seen the rise of the employee voice, providing a seamless experience with work is becoming a top priority. Why? Well, if everything works, those little touches are thought of and we’re not treated as a number, what will we give to that organisation? 200%. And not because we have to, but because we want to.

Whilst tech is and will continue to play a significant part in our overall experience with people and place, what underpins a truly great day at work is people and the human interactions and experiences.

Many years ago when I worked in Sydney, I got my coffee from the same café opposite the office. Every morning, along with hundreds of others. Why did I go there? Well it wasn’t because of the quality of coffee. It was because as I approached the counter my order was lovingly waiting for me at the perfect temperature, because I got ‘good morning Claire’ without fail, and because they actually asked, ‘how was the water this morning?’. Out of hundreds of people they served, they remembered the little things and what was important to me. I was a person, not a number. 

Now, I can shift the conversation here to the impact of the pandemic and its irreversible effects on shifting work patterns, how we use (or don’t use) the office and how organisations need to take it seriously. But I won’t, because we already know this is true and real.

However, the workplace has been and always will be somewhat valueless without a fully curated and layered experience consideration. As our worlds re-emerge though, our people are demanding more from their workplace platforms in order to give their vote. Why the office today but not home? Why Sydney and not Bowral? And more importantly, why you and not another company? If you think this is not real, ask any recruiter!

So, what does a great day look like? Let’s not just focus on what our office will look like, or what brand of PC we will give (both of which are equally important by the way), but let’s understand and provide the menu of places our people really want to be in and why. Where do they need to be and what’s their real purpose? 

Let’s explore technology that actually does what it needs to do and truly help us do great things. Enable us to find and book places and spaces we need right now and find the people we want to see today. Train us and re-train us.

Let’s consider how the buildings and precincts we select support the experience we are striving to provide for our people – are there places or spaces to offer choice outside our own space, are there running tracks, bike paths, places to work outdoors, food options that drive greater health outcomes, network and community events being offered to promote business activity and social interactions?

Let's celebrate and support diversity and focus on our social responsibility so we understand what it is we’re doing all this for!

The imperative today is to look at our places, technology, processes and policies, culture holistically, and immerse ourselves in the creation of a ‘great day’ to ensure business survival. This is not just for ourselves or our own workforce but for our clients, customers and neighbours. 

If we have learnt anything from the pandemic, it’s that people are our most valuable of assets and exceptional things are born out of adversity. We are ready for a future workplace that enables us to get pumped up for that ‘one pitch’; that brings out our creativity to deliver the impossible; supports our downtime, reflection and focus; but always remembers we are human.

Embrace the small things. The simple. The ones that transform a good day into a great one – those warm ‘hellos’ from a stranger, being a name and not a number, and perhaps even offer that splash of coffee served at my perfect temperature!

This article was originally published by Knight Frank. Read it here.