MARCH - APRIL 2016HR TECH OUTLOOK9moment. Say you want people to work on global teams and the only collaboration tool you have is email. The odds of your people believing in your commitment to teamwork has just been diminished. The interaction between people and technology within organizations is such an integral part of the employee experience, yet HR and IT departments remain siloed in most organizations with not much interference in each other's agendas. With an increase in Bring Your Own Devices, (BYOD) to work policies, each person is independently creating a system that works for him or her to get work done. However, without wide adoption of common collaboration tools, achieving results at scale becomes plodding, further eroding the employee experience. In today's social enterprise environments, effective collaboration tools have much more impact on the employee experience than ever before. Whether it's sharing information, getting real-time feedback, assembling a meeting, or checking in to say "hi", it has significant impact on the engagement of employees. Based on numerous employee surveys, "Effective Tools and Resources", often scores at the bottom, highlighting the need to address this demand.Not only does there need to be alignment and integration around technology decisions but the change management required to successfully implement new ways of working cannot be done in a vacuum. Transforming the employee experience is truly the trifecta of HR, IT and Workplace Services. SpaceWe do know that much of the employee experience is enhanced by collaboration, control and choice. If the culture and technology supports these themes, then why do we need to consider the third pillar, physical space? The physical workspace impacts not only the employee experience but the customer's as they are often intertwined. Let's go back to the earlier comments on culture. If a culture of innovation is desired, oftentimes there is a good amount of co-creation and collaboration occurring. Technology can enhance that experience but physically coming together in a space that is conducive to creativity often pulls people together. Natural light, bright colors, multiple-height furniture, whimsical objects, standing and sitting options, acoustics management and tactile materials, are all part of the physical surroundings that enhance the employee experience. Creating pathways for serendipitous encounters reinforces the underlying goal of collaboration further. At the same time, innovation requires "quiet time" for deeper thinking and reflection. Focus rooms and outdoor space with natural elements such as fragrant trees, plants, community gardens, ponds, walking paths, and benches provide additional options to enable a more holistic experience. The amalgamation of culture, technology and space is necessary in creating a great employee experience, yet is often overlooked. This is somewhat due to traditional business models that have existed for years and shaped the paradigms and organizational blueprints we have grown accustomed to. With the transformation of what work is and how it is done, it is essential to understand the interdependencies required to be effective in any endeavor, especially when it comes to people operating within one system. While every company is unique and there are many other elements to be considered in creating a fantastic employee experience, starting with the trio approach may reveal some new and exciting possibilities! Relying on culture, aligned with a beautifully architected employee experience, is just not enough
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