A digital reference framework for plans and data is an indispensable tool for integrating new talents into the company and ensuring their retention. It simplifies the onboarding process, helping new employees find their bearings in the office. While feeling "lost" in a figurative sense is natural at the beginning of a new role, being literally lost can be largely avoided. As a Workplace Environment Manager (WEM), your tasks will become significantly easier with the help of a digital tool. Agile management of the work environment becomes effortless across your recurring tasks.
This article covers:
- Allocating Workstations
- Shared Workspace and Flex Office
- Locating Facilities and Employees
- Occupant Services
The arrival of Laetitia, a new team member in the accounting department, necessitates assigning her a workstation within her new department. As a WEM, you need to ensure a workstation is available (desk, office chair, personal storage unit). If not, you'll be responsible for arranging a new workstation, checking that the office D246 has enough space (how many square meters do you typically allocate for a workstation?) or rearranging the room to accommodate her.
You’ll also need to handle the logistics, such as liaising with IT to connect her computer to the company's network and coordinating with HR to define her specific needs.
Digitally, these tasks can be managed from your computer or smartphone:
- Visualising available workstations
- Assigning an employee
- Calculating the average workspace area
- Measuring room dimensions
- Inventorying available furniture
- Sharing workstation locations with others
In the era of hybrid working, new employees will likely need to share a workstation to optimise building occupancy. The digital plan reference indicates which workstations can be shared based on employees' presence days and allows you to assign a new employee to a workstation. They can even be informed about who they are sharing the desk with.
If your company uses Flex Office by territory/quarter, the arrival of a new employee will affect your occupancy ratios. Ensure sufficient seating on busy days. Your digital reference enables planning for additional seating like standing desks, sofas, and accounting for meeting room chairs.
For total agility, the digital plan reference integrates with workspace reservation apps. By providing access to the reference, employees can choose and reserve their workstations for their in-office days.
New employees also need to familiarise themselves with the company's facilities. An onboarding booklet with building plans or SaaS (Software as a Service) access to the digital plan reference allows Laetitia from accounting to easily locate the company restaurant or the third-floor meeting room. She will also know where to find Jean-Marc from marketing.
New in 2024: Internal navigation arrives at Surfy. The plan and data reference indicates the shortest route to your chosen location from your workstation or current location. Copier, meeting room, or Raymond, everything is located with one click, and you get there quickly. The path is displayed on the plan, including estimated travel time. Just follow the guide.
With the digital plan reference, the workstation assignment plan is accessible to all teams. Employees can locate the new colleague's desk without asking Sylvie, "who knows everyone," where "the Newcomer" is. The precise location of her desk and the shortest path to welcome her are available in the plan reference.
The digital reference serves as a foundation for a digital ecosystem of occupant services. Its interoperability with all your digital partners (connected objects or service solutions) provides users with agile, simplified access to various practical services and features for company life.
Every employee can access occupant services implemented in the company. Concierge services, deliveries, room and equipment reservations, and incident reporting are just a smartphone away. The image of a connected company prioritising employee well-being helps attract and retain new talents.
A digital plan reference can provide many services in onboarding new employees. From recurring, often time-consuming tasks of the Workplace Environment Management to occupant services, the focus is on simplifying life in the company for everyone.
This article is an in-depth version of a previous one published on LinkedIn in June 2023.
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